No luck yet: 8 days and counting...

Well, the stripping didn't work because I am still walking around and not in labor. Contractions are still coming, but I can talk and walk through them, and they aren't regular for more than a couple of hours at a time. I could say this is the longest labor ever, or I could wait until the real pain begins and count from there. What do you think?

I am kind of hoping not to have this baby tomorrow being the 10th anniversary of 9-11. Maybe Monday! I delivered Isaac on day 10 post due date, so that would be consistent. I have an NST that morning so we will see how things are progressing and make sure my anticipated bundle of joy is still doing well in there.

I have to admit that at this point I am tempted to let them break my water. I have done labor without pain medication three times, but all three times were very different. Maybe this summary will help you understand why I am trying to avoid this because I know most of you are wondering.

Labor #1 Pitocin and water broken to induce (5 days late)= 10 hour labor with 1 1/2 minute long contractions and only 2 minutes apart for all 10 hours. For those of you not schooled in timing contractions, that is a mere 30 seconds in between contractions which is not a long break.

Labor #2 Stripped membranes and went into light labor that night (3 days early)= 10 hours of active labor, contractions starting at 10 minutes apart and getting closer as I progressed. My water broke with my first push and she was crowning.

Labor #3 Stripped membranes 3 times and finally went into labor that afternoon (10 days late)=24 hours of active, but pretty easy labor + 2 more hours after I let them break my water of excruciating labor of which I barely remember possibly due to repression

So, obviously labor #2 was the best and the one we are hoping to reproduce. That bag of water acts as quite the cushion for the pain. Here's hoping!

Oh, by the way, we went to Brian's work party this evening, and I wish I could have had a newborn to show off instead of have a million people ask me when I am due and why I haven't been induced. I should have just written it all on my name tag.