I'm not on the ship. I'm in the ship. I am the ship.

River ,'Objects In Space'


Natter 69: Practically names itself.  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


Kate P. - Mar 16, 2012 4:45:07 am PDT #26760 of 30001
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love

Amy, that seems like the other likely possibility. I thought that B-H contractions were supposed to be painless, but at my last midwife appt she said they could sometimes feel like menstrual cramps, and I've felt some mild cramps in recent weeks that were probably Braxton-Hicks. The ones last night were more intense, but from what I can tell, that's not unusual.

I'm saving up all my vacation/personal time for after the baby comes, so I'd rather not call in sick unless I'm actually too ill to go into work, but it sure is tempting today!


Jessica - Mar 16, 2012 4:59:29 am PDT #26761 of 30001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

For me, the B-H contractions felt more like cramps and Actual Labor felt like...going into labor. It's really hard to describe, but I remember spending the last few weeks of pregnancy going "huh...contraction?" and then when they finally started for real it was more like "AHA. CONTRACTION."


Amy - Mar 16, 2012 5:06:39 am PDT #26762 of 30001
Because books.

Yeah, B-H contractions were more uncomfortable than I imagined they would be, but when you're in actual labor, there's no mistaking *that*. It's hard to tell until you've been through it, though.


Matt the Bruins fan - Mar 16, 2012 5:35:08 am PDT #26763 of 30001
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand

Both my parents think it's really gross to have a glass of milk with a meal that includes meat.

I'm not Jewish, yet with your parents on that. Milk is something to drink with pie or cookies after the meal.


tommyrot - Mar 16, 2012 5:45:07 am PDT #26764 of 30001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.

We had milk at every meal. I've always been a big milk drinker.

Perhaps growing up on a dairy farm had something to do with that.


Kate P. - Mar 16, 2012 5:49:40 am PDT #26765 of 30001
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love

Amy and Jess -- that's good to know! The other thing about the cramps I've been having is that they don't seem to have a real specific beginning and end, so I don't feel like I can count them or time them -- I just feel crampy for a while, and then eventually the feeling lessens. Would you say actual contractions are easier to tell when they start and end?

(I'm suddenly reminded of when I was maybe 13 or 14 and intensely curious about what an orgasm felt like, but all the definitions/descriptions I could find were frustratingly unhelpful. It's just your muscles releasing? Really? But it feels like waves? Or warmth? Then I finally had one and, whoa, okay, now I understand!)


Amy - Mar 16, 2012 5:54:39 am PDT #26766 of 30001
Because books.

It's hard to say, Kate -- when I had B-H, it felt like my whole belly tightened up like a drum. And sometimes it was pretty uncomfortable, especially the later in the pregnancy it was.

With actual labor, you could be having preliminary contractions and not really feel them at all -- with Ben and Sara, I didn't get that I was in labor until almost transition time, at which point contractions = OUCH MOTHERFUCKER MAKE IT STOP. (For me, anyway.) It is easier to know when they start and stop, though, at that point.

Call the nurse at the doctor's office if you're at all concerned, really. They know the deal, and they also get how hard it is to know precisely what your body is doing when you haven't been through it before.


§ ita § - Mar 16, 2012 6:15:47 am PDT #26767 of 30001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Our CIO is asking us to wear "proper" business attire 3 days next week. I will certainly be working from home one of those days. We just had a "proper" day a couple months ago, and enough people made enough noise about my outfit that I certainly can't repeat it. How many does she think I have?

I'm not a guy. Switching ties won't work. And I'm not sure all these guys have three different ties anyway. But I'm sure most of them can get away with wearing a tie they wore last time.

There is one dashing gentleman who still wears a tie now that we're more casual--he'll wear a tie with a fancy belt buckle and jeans, and I've told him I'm going to wear a tie because I consider him my mentor.

I just haven't decided on one yet. Ties are *hard*.


Kate P. - Mar 16, 2012 6:15:54 am PDT #26768 of 30001
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love

Yeah, I was on the brink of calling the midwives last night, but then the feeling was easing, and I feel fine today. I'll feel better when M comes home on Sunday, though -- I'm a little uneasier than I thought I'd be about him being away this weekend.


Zenkitty - Mar 16, 2012 6:20:47 am PDT #26769 of 30001
Every now and then, I think I might actually be a little odd.

What are Braxton-Hicks contractions? Sure I could look it up but Wikipedia won't give me anecdotes.