At that point I felt the baby should come any day even though my due date was on the 10th of September. Since it seemed as if she could arrive at any moment we filled our days being together, walking around Edinburgh, looking in the shops and getting together with friends. There was no nursery to set up. We had no crib, no toys, no sheets, nothing to put together. Just a few clothes and blankets from grandparents that I washed and hung dry. I think I put them away in the drawers in our room. The flat we were staying in had cable, so we began catching up on American shows we had never seen or hadn't seen in two years. I remember I saw the birth episodes on Friends and Mad About You. This seemed cruel.
The days went by. I met up for coffee with friends when I could. Most everyone was of course working. On the 9th of September we climbed Calton Hill. On the 10th we visited our friends in Morningside who were living in a new huge flat. We climbed a hill with them. Nothing! The next week I got my hair cut, we had dinner with friends, I finished watching the third Godfather. Maybe she could come now.
I don't remember a thing during the day of the 13th of September. It was the first night we had no plans. Mike and I went for a walk in late afternoon through Newtown, Stockbridge and Dean Village.
We got home and I was starving and had nothing planned for dinner. I made myself a piece of toast and sat down to watch TV. It was Smallville. Of course I had no clue what was going on, but it was a chance to rest. At 6:45pm, I stood up and there was no doubt about it, my water broke. Mike and I cheered, (I obviously had no idea what was in store). We phoned the hospital who told me to come, but not bring a bag because I wouldn't be staying. I think we called my parents and then a taxi and off we went.
At the hospital they checked my contractions and verified that my water broke. Then they sent me home saying to come back in 24 hours or when my contractions were three minutes a part.
By the time I got home, my contractions were 3 minutes apart. I didn't feel like we could turn right around and go back, so I took a bath and then most likely writhed in pain until I realized there was no way I could ride in a taxi if it got any worse. It was around 11pm, when we arrived back at the hospital.
We first waited in the WAITING ROOM! There was an old man sitting next to me, I prayed he had no contagious disease.I'm fairly sure I heard the words, "You're back already?" I was wearing yoga pants and a tank top. They sent me to early labor where the room had a "birthing ball". There was no way any of this was working for me, so I asked what else could be done. The midwife told me all that was possible in this early labor was a lavender bath. I was thinking, "if this is nothing, I am in huge trouble!". As it turns out, Bella was transverse, which I have been told is the most painful to labor through.
I was brought upstairs to active labor and given a lavender bath. I am sure this is what I was doing as the 14th of September rolled in.
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