brush with labor

I was having a lot of Braxton-Hicks contractions this morning. I've had them for weeks, but I've had lots more of them in the last few days. This morning, I just happened to think about it while sitting quietly at work listening to a (work-related) webcast, so I started writing down when I was having them. When M called me, just before lunch, I was thus able to tell him that I was having contractions that were nine minutes apart. It was a little startling to realize how often I actually was having them, but I knew they weren't... real, so to speak... so it wasn't that terribly concerning. I took a break from the counting when I went to lunch. When I came back, I continued with the timing because it was Friday afternoon and I was a touch disenchanted with being at work and therefore in need of something to occupy my thoughts with besides just programming. Except.. that's when it became a bit more WTF, as they started happening every three to four minutes, and started feeling like real contractions as I understand them to be. (Given that I haven't done this before...) They circled around to my back and involved my entire belly instead of just the bottom part, had near-constant cramping attached and lasted for over a minute each, and they actually hurt instead of just being vaguely uncomfortable. After twenty minutes of regular contractions, I started seriously wondering what I should do. The doctor had said to come in if I had more than four an hour that didn't stop after laying on my side and drinking water, so I thought.. well, I could take the rest of the afternoon off... go home, drink water, lay down. Then I thought.. yes, and go into labor while home alone, great idea. So I got up, walked around a bit, went to the bathroom and came back to my desk. After that, they began tapering off. I continued to have them through the afternoon, but at twenty minutes apart or something, and not as painful or strong as before.. though more intense than the ones I've had before today, I think. It did, however, convince M that it was time to GET STUFF DONE around the house because seriously, who knows how long I really will be pregnant? I know that you can do this for weeks before delivery, but if I'm going to have serious contractions for weeks before delivery, I'd much rather have them with a packed hospital bag.

So, there's the news for the day. I am completely worn out, so I'm hoping that I'll finally get a good night's sleep tonight. I have a few things to do before I can get to bed, though, so I'd better get to it.

True Confession #9247: Sometimes, when I read LJ communities, what I really want to comment is, "You're really kind of a bitch, you know that? Do you even realize what a nasty person you are?" But I don't. Or at least I haven't yet. There are so many obnoxious people out there, though. I am anti-troll, so I keep quiet with them as a rule, but man, it's tough sometimes.