The Waiting Game

I say a prayer
I count the hours
I hear a voice but it's not yours
I count the score
I can't go on playing the waiting game

If you should ever change your mind
I'll be here just call my name
Until then I'll be playing the waiting game
-Swing Out Sister

That song has been playing in my head ever since I came from my doctor. When I started having contractions Thursday evening, I visited my doctor Friday morning at her clinic here at Asian Hospital just to be sure in case we go all the way to Makati Med just to be sent home. I was ecstatic when she told me that I'm already in the early stages of labor and that I'm already 2cm dilated. My cervix is 60% effaced and my mucus plug has already passed. She can still feel my bag of water.

However, the baby's head is not yet engaged and from now on, it's just the matter of waiting for the labor to progress further--meaning for the contractions to become regular and for Basti's head to engage. So she advised for me to walk a lot and wait it out here at home.

Almost 24 hours from being checked, my contractions are still irregular (sometimes 4x in a hour, sometimes none in an hour) and the baby's head is still not yet engaged. My doctor didn't want to tell me how long I still have as it really differs with each woman. One of my officemates was 2cm for a week while one was 2cm for only a day. So I hope the walking will help. Leo walks with me and he carries a watch and a notebook taking note of the length of my contractions in case he needs to immediately whisk me off to the hospital. My in-laws have postponed their usual weekend jaunt to Tagaytay to ensure that I have all the support I need. In fact, Mama wanted to bring me immediately to the hospital when I told her I was dilated but I explained to her that it would take time.

So...wait we shall.