Flat tires and EZ birth

Oh man, it feels like we have had an eventful last few days....

Last week ended with Paul heading out to Kananaski's for a 3 day trip leader training weekend and myself going to the Midwives for my weekly check up. Everything seems to be going great as far as the baby goes - I lost half of a pound but grew another 2 cm (?) and baby heart rate sounds good. The Midwives did suggest that I started "EZ Birth" - a homeopathic remedy that is suppose to be a uterine 'primer' with the ability to reduce the length of labor by 4-6 hours, and hey, that's pretty damn good thing in my books. So, I picked some up from the midwives, popped 3 of the round minty tasting pills under my tongue to dissolve (instructions are to take 3, three times a day), and then jumped on my bike to ride home from my check up. Immediately it became obvious that my front tire was VERY flat - I had taken a 'short cut' through a old building site and must of hit something sharp and pokey. I took my bike to the gas station across the road, filled up the tire and it seemed to hold - no leaky noises and the pressure seemed good even after waiting a while. I made it about 6 blocks before the air abruptly escaped leaving me with a flat within seconds. This didn't phase me too badly and I hobbled the bike to the Glenmore overpass bus stop where I could take either of the buses that came there home. When the 72 showed up the bus driver informed me that I could not take my bike on the bus (despite his bus being practically empty and there being more then enough room for my bike) and that there was only one bus with a bike rack on the route (the longest bus loop in the city) and that they were currently in the north west, but suggested I wait for the 20 and try my luck with them. I was aware that if there was only one bus with a bike rack on that route, that my chances of getting a bus with one on another route was pretty damn slim, however I figured that the next driver may just be able to make an exception to the rule under the circumstances. Unfortunately the 2o was a bit busier (though still not short of space) and the driver even less compassionate then the first. Not willing to leave the bike in the middle of nowhere on the top of overpass I started pushing the bike towards home. As I trudged down the street I was feeling pretty overwhelmed, frustrated, and my hormones were quickly getting the best of me - At 38 weeks pregnant walking quickly causes a ache in my pelvic bone, general looseness and baby descending causes me to waddle, my nipple started leaking and I was looking at a 7km trek to get home. And so I cried.

I had gotten myself back together (mostly) when I got to a fairly major bus stop where 2 different buses were parked- a 72 and a 20, both only with ten or so people on them. But again, no bike racks and no exceptions could be made. Back to pushing the bike, I cried again . When I made it to Mount Royal University I debated leaving the bike there and busing the rest of the way but ultimately decided that I had made it that far (about half way), Paul wouldn't be home for another 2 days to help me pick it up and that instead of abandoning it there till then I should just keep going. And so I did. The tears flowed yet again (I am certainly more emotional these days!). It was at about this point that I started getting contractions. I get contractions from being active, but these ones quickly became noticeably stronger then the Braxton hicks that I am use to. I stopped several times and rested when I got a particularly strong one and as a little added bonus my nipple would leak as well. It took me 2.5 hours to get home, and I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and nap however, the house was bustling - all the roomates were home, a friend over was over with her puppy, the music was going and in general there was lots going on. I laid down for a while, but gave up on actually getting any sleep after about an hour and decided instead to try to eat something since it had been a long time since I ate last and I know its important to eat well in early labor - which I was starting to think I was in. The contractions continued on irregularly throughout the afternoon and into the evening, but with an intensity that I had no experienced before. I really could not decided what the deal was - it wasn't Braxton Hicks, but it wasn't the rhythmic labor pattern I have been taught to anticipate. When Paul called that evening to see how things were going, I wasn't sure what to tell him - he was suppose to stay out in the Bow Valley the next two nights and I felt bad asking him to come home if this wasn't actually labor. However, he picked up that something was up pretty quick though and was home shortly afterward. My roomates were pretty excited that this could be it and did what they could to help out and ran out to the store to try to find a piece for the tap to hook up the garden hose to the sink in order to fill up the pool.

I had contractions throughout the night. Some were quite intense and there were times where I would not fully relax between contractions for hours at a time. I got some sleep, some really good practice meditating with the contractions, and found positions that made things less intense. Paul was pretty tired from the day out climbing with work and I left him sleeping in bed that morning while I made a massive feast for breakfast. Although still irregular, the contractions continued and there was no way Paul was going to be going out hiking that day, so he might as well sleep - I figured he was going to need as much rest as possible in prep for the baby coming anyways.

As the morning progressed I actually got increasingly large breaks between contractions and I really started getting the feeling that this was not actually labor. Finally I clued into the possibility that the EZ birth could of kick started this whole thing and I made a call to the midwives. They told me that there was no point in laboring all night long if I wasn't going to get a baby at the end of it and advised me to stop taking the homeopathics. By that evening the contractions all pretty much gone (save the occasional, very spaced out Braxton Hicks) and that evening I slept great - I was exhausted!

With the contractions done, Paul was able to go back out for the final day of training and spent the day paddling the lower kananaskis river. I think we were both a bit disappointed that we didnt get a baby out of the whole thing, but at the same time are more then happy to wait a bit longer. The whole ordeal with the bike flat had put me into a bad mindset and I feel that would of been a bad way to go into true labor. It was good practice though, and gives me an idea of what to expect when the day really does come though. It also gave me a better concept of what I need to ask for from the roommates.

Since then, everyone in the house has been busy getting ready for the Market Collective - an artsey market where people sell their handmade goods. We are all pooling together to get a table and hope to sell art and crocheted items. I have managed to get several paintings done so far! Doing so much art has refueled a desire to set up a webpage and actually try to pursue selling my art more seriously.

A few of the painting that I have done. The photo quality is not so hot, but you'll get the idea at least!

Paul managed to get Sunday off from work, but other than going to meditation group that morning didn't get much rest as we tried to finish up some of the work on the chicken coop. We made some progress, but it is still not done! However, now all but one wall is insulated and they have a very fancy double pane window on the east wall of their house. We half joke that when its done the coop will have a better R-value then our house. That evening Paul's brother Jason was in town for his partners graduation and we went out with him for a really good meal before he had to head back to the hotel.





Yesterday we lost a chicken. On Sunday we had noticed one of our hens had been acting strange - holding her wings out from her sides, feathers fluffy and walking around slowly at times. She was still eating and drinking, and so aside from commenting on it, we didn't think much of it. Yesterday morning when I let them out for the day I didn't really notice anything strange with her, but when I came out that afternoon with some kitchen scraps for them to eat I found her on her side and obviously not doing well. The other hens seems quite alarmed and I was unable to get her to rouse at all so I scooped her up and brought her into the house with me. I felt like I was at a total loss as to what I should do; she was undoubtedly dying, but I didn't know if there was something I could do to help her get better nor what I should do to make it go faster. I ended up just putting her in a box and waiting for her pass away. She wiggled and flapped her one wing a few times, but otherwise just laid there till it was over. It is pretty sad to lose a hen.



Of course we are now concerned for the health of the rest of our chickens. None of the other hens seem to displaying any of the signs the other hen had, so it could be just that she ate something bad, but I emailed the breeders with a few questions and this morning Paul and I went to UFA and picked up some antibiotics just in case. We also cleaned out the coop and their run really well as well as got them a watering fount so their water will hopefully not dirty like it did when they just had a bowl. Hopefully we will have no more issues - fingers crossed.

39 weeks

I have finally hit the 'feeling pregnant' stage - I am waddling around at a slow pace, feel winded if I bend over for too long and feeling at lot more low energy then I have up to now. I guess it's my cue to slow it down a notch and just enjoy the last few weeks.