Playstation vs. The Pregnant Wife
Tuesday afternoon around 4:00 PM, I started having mild contractions. They weren’t intense at all, but they were a little more regular than any of the previous Braxton Hicks contractions I’ve had. I came home from work and decided to just take it easy that evening. Maybe I had overdone it throughout the day.
But around 6:00 PM that night, I started having even more intense contractions. And they were pretty regular. They were about 15 minutes apart and they seemed to be getting stronger. By about 8:30 PM they had become even more intense and they were even closer together. About 10 minutes apart and much stronger than they had been earlier in the day.
Long story short, I ended up calling my doctor around 9:00 that night to make sure this was all normal and to see if I needed to be doing anything. My doctor said that I should just wait it out, drink lots of water, and try to get some sleep. And actually, when I did all those things I felt much better. By about 10:30 the contractions had stopped and I slept all the way through the night without another one. The next morning, I had a few minor ones but nothing like the night before. I had a doctor’s appointment that morning and when they did my exam they said everything looked great – except that the baby still hasn’t turned and so we are definitely on for the version procedure on Friday. Ugh.
Pretty interesting night, right? Bet Chris was stoked, right?
Who the hell knows because as all this was going on he was PLAYING PLAYSTATION IN THE BASEMENT. That’s right. Playstation. In the basement. While his wife was having major contractions upstairs. At one point, he poked his head up from his digital hockey empire long enough to ask me how I was feeling (exact words: “How’s it goin’ babe?”). I mentioned that things were getting a little more intense and it would be nice if he could hang out with me for a little while.
“Sure,” he replied. “Let me finish this game.”
And did I argue? Did I nag? Did I cry or throw anything? No, I did not. I had other things to focus on at the time. LIKE THE FACT THAT I MIGHT BE GIVING BIRTH SOON. Instead, I kept breathing and walking around the living room, stepping over the dogs who were practically underneath me because they sensed something was wrong.
I should have married my dogs.
About an hour later, just after I placed the call to my doctor, Chris appeared in the living room, having conquered the world of hockey in our basement. So, I’m trying to walk these stupid contractions off, while not tripping on my dogs, and Chris just sort of stands there in the middle of the living room.
“Uh…what should I do?” he asked.
I turned to him to make some smart comment about him not having been around all night, but I came up empty. I had nothing. What SHOULD he do? What DOES a husband do during contractions? And, God forbid I had actually been in labor, what should he have done then? I’m not really the kind of person who likes to be coddled when I’m sick or not feeling well. I mostly just want to be left alone. So, where did that leave Chris?
“Well,” I struggled. “I don’t really know. What are you supposed to do?”
“I dunno,” he replied. “I’ll just sit here until you think of something for me to do, okay?”
“Alright,” I agreed.
I hope they have a Playstation in the labor and delivery room. Otherwise, Chris is going to be up a creek when it comes to the actual labor. I guess I’ll have to just think of a job for him.
Foot rubbing is always a good place to start…
13 Comments
Chris
Tempted to tell my side of this most-recent explosion of emotion from the pregnant woman that has mistaken herself as my wife…. But if I tell my side… she might hurt me. decisions, decisions….
Deborah
Please, Chris, tell your side! Enlighten us! What runs through guys’ minds at times like these?
I said the SAME THING! I’m trying to get him to do a Man Cave post about it. We’ll see how that goes… – Katie
Whitney
Girl, you are SO.CLOSE.!!! Oh my word! You are 37 weeks! 37! I am so jealous. I want to be 37 weeks. 35.5 stinks. Once 37 weeks hits, I’m telling Levi everyday all the reasons he needs to come out.
Donna
I hope everything goes well with the version tomorrow. I know how you feel, having had two last June, it goes fairly quick and is not that painful (more like uncomfortable) and your little one is monitored through out.
Era
You guys are too cute! All the best for tomorrow and for the delivery room, there’s always Nintendo DS 🙂
Lori
Chris can help you concentrate on breathing through your contractions–this will help you get through them without thinking too much about the discomfort, and the less discomfort you feel, the less likely you will punch your husband in the face for getting you pregnant in the first place. In theory, anyway.
Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com
Oh my goodness, wow! I guess this means the baby’s coming sooner than later, huh? =) HOW EXCITING.
Well, not the painful part, but, you know, the baby part.
I agree, by the way. Foot rubbing is an EXCELLENT place for Chris to start.
Alyssa
Don’t you love those little moments that remind you how completely oblivious men can be? Every once in a while I’m blown away at just how clueless my DH can be. And the worst part is, they have no idea. They’re clueless about being clueless!
faemom
See, not yelling or screaming should have been your first clue that you weren’t in labor. Next time, you might just try hurtling something into a pool, like a cell phone. Oh wait, that was me. Best of luck.
Laura
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeep, it IS insensitive to “finish the game” but there isn’t much for them to do but BE there… Keep your chin up, I’m thinking about you!
Liz, JM, and Leo
Wow Katie! We are praying for you… I thought you were only 35 weeks or so… Wow! I gave birth at 37 1/2 weeks… So I’m sure you could go any day now. You go girl! Let us know how the version goes – Turn baby turn!
Will Folks
My team is the Blackhawks, Chris. What’s yours? J/K. I have said “let me finish the game” before, too. Nothing good comes from it.
-W
Undercover Princess
When I was in labor with our youngest Crown Prince I took a shower and did everything the OB said. It was about 2:00 AM and she said for me to go to the hospital because the contractions were hard and heavy. I woke my husband who said to me, “I took a Benedryl and I’m tired. Can’t we just go in the morning?” Pregnant women can hit. Hard.