Contractions and Back Labor

Well, I've been having contractions on and off for a couple of weeks now. These are nothing like what I had with my last pregnancy. Those contractions actually sent me to the hospital three times in the last week. Maybe this time I'm just more cautious. I told hubby with my last two pregnancies I delivered in a hospital, so if I felt the need to go to labor and delivery, there were going to be nurses there...and they'd be there even if I didn't go. But this time, with delivering at a birthing center, I have to call the midwives, and have one of them come to the office...so if it's a false alarm, I've bothered them for no reason.

Because of that I have a checklist I go through. If I get through the entire checklist and am still having contractions, then I'll call the midwife. So if I have more then two contractions in 30 minutes, I:

1. Sit down, and relax with a glass of water. I may surf the Internet or watch TV. If contractions continue, go to #2.
2. I eat a snack...preferably something high in protein. If contractions continue, go to #3.
3. Take a nap. If contractions continue...
4. Go for a walk. If contractions continue, seriously start timing because I'm in real labor.

If I make it all the way through those four steps, yeah, it's go time. It's a matter of waiting for the contractions to get harder and closer together. Usually though by the time I even get to the nap phase, things have started to die down.

Last night I thought for sure was go time. I was having contractions every 7 minutes that lasted anywhere from 42 to 51 seconds. I got some lemon water (mmmm, lemon water!) and a granola bar. I rested and ate and drank. It didn't help. By 1230am I'm thinking I need to rest especially since it looks like I'm going to have a busy night ahead of me. I lay down on my left side and doze in and out of sleep. The last time I looked at the clock, it 2am. Next thing I know, my alarm is going off at 6am and I'm not having contractions. I was really tired though!

On top of that, I keep having horrible back pain. It comes and goes. The midwife has told me to sit on my birthing ball at home and that will help. Hubby's been making me sit on it off and on since she said that. Today, I was resting he again rubbed my hip and back and he dozed off.

He's been amazing through all of this. He's been so supportive. Even over the past week when I've needed more resting periods. He's gotten up from sleeping and made dinner so I didn't have to. He's the greatest.

Well, I'm getting tired. I'm going to go rest.