My Summer of Prodromal Labour

“Prodromal labor is a type of labor that happens prior to the onset of full active labor...the contractions are real but they start and stop. So basically, it is real labor in terms of pain, contractions, and regularity but it comes and goes.” (Source: wellnessmama.com).

This past summer, I gave birth to my second baby....after 6 long, exhausting, unbearable weeks of prodromal labour.

I was exhausted from not sleeping; and coffee barely helped me make it thorough each day with my increasingly energetic toddler. My mood and patience were low. I stopped making plans, thinking I would just have to cancel because surely baby was coming at any moment.

Then somehow, when I reached 40 weeks, I was able to let go. I started making plans again and just accepted that sleepless nights with strong contractions were just a part of my life for the time being. I convinced myself so well that baby wouldn’t be coming anytime soon, that when it was finally happening, I barely believed it.... FULL BIRTH STORY COMING SOON!

Pictured: Myself, my sister Jessica (Birth Takes a Village), my oldest son, and my dog during one of her false-alarm trips to Calgary this summer! We thought I was in labour so she hurried over to attend my birth but when my labour stopped ... we headed to Banff to go hiking! Thanks to my sister Jessica for #toddlerwearing and thank goodness for #bellywrapping which got me through that hike!

Don’t get me wrong, the prodromal labour was TOUGH, but I did have lots of good times along the way! On the bright side of all the false alarms... we scored a lot of quality sister time!

Check back on my blog soon for my full birth story. www.theessenceofyou.ca/subscribe