Julie Wright
Contriisting Writer

ANTICIPATION. It’s
an emotion I might
experience at any time
during the first 40
weeks of pregnancy.
But when pregnancy
enters the 41st week,
then squeaks into the
42nd, as it has with me,
anticipation becomes
high anxiety.

I'm starting to feel at one
with the elephants. The
_temale elephant carries her
baby tor somerhing like two
years, And given that cle-
phants never forget, it’s a
wonder that an elephant cow
:would ever give birth more
than once. Perhaps it’s the
SUX.

My mind doesn’t normally
‘wander to subjects like ele-
phant sex, but { am in dire
need of distraction. All I can
‘think about is delivering this
baby.

Every nwitch, itch and
stitch ia my belly has my
instant attention. Is this it? I
wait for confirmation and get

nothing. Pve been like this for .

cight days now.
My baby was due to be
‘born in the Year of the Tiger,
-but the Tiger has passed. It’s
a whole new year now, and
Pm suddenly expecting a
Rabbit. I don’c know whether
it’s a girl or a boy, but for the
ast nine months, I’ve at least
een sure I’m having an

“Aquarius. Buc, with every

_. ‘passing minute, it looks more
and more as though we'll be
avelcoming a little Pisces into
‘the family.
;.. Amonth ago, grocery
shopping could arouse giddy

- anticipation in me. Ir started
with the eggs. I’d see the
expiry date on the carton and
recognize. it as my due date. Ie
won't be long now! A few
days later, it would be the
yogurt, then the cheese and
finally, the bread. You know

you're close when the expiry
date on your prenatal bread
purchase means it will still be
fresh tor a bite of postnatal
toast.

Lately, the only fan in
shopping i is to refuse car ser-
vice and carry as many heavy
bags as possible in the hopes
that it will bring on labour.

Last night, this baby was
rocking and rollicking with
such vira and vigour that |
couldn't sleep until after 1
a.m. My husband tells me that
sometime in the night he
heard me mumble berween
snores “Oh, Pm going into
labour.” Awake or asleep, the
thought has obsessed my
mind.

At4a.m., Lawoke to the
whimpers of my 18-:month-
old son who had gotten his
arm stuck in the crib slats.
Rolling out of bed and blind
from sleep, i bounced from
wall to wall as [ made my way
to his room and back,

By the time I climbed back
in bed, I was wide awake with
all my senses alert to any pos-
sible signs that “it” was com-
ing. To help pass the next avo
sleepless hours I checked e-
mail, put away lasc nighe’s
dishes and watched a little of
the local morning news
shows. It was the latter activi-
ty that put me to sleep again.

Bur, one brief hour of
sleep later, and Brandon was
up for the morning. Isn’t this
the time when I should be
resting up for the “big job” -
ahead? Apparently nor.

The cure tor all my woes is
labour. Tsvould give anything
to feel the pain of that first

- contraction. Giving birth the

first time was the most intense
physical experience of my life
— having never participated
in the Ironman Triathlon. 1
was in labour for 24 hours but
somehow missed the opportu-
nity to take any drugs.

I actually don’t remember

* ie that well, I count on my

husband to tell me whar hap-

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pened. Ail the same, T can’r
wait to do it all over again.
Bring it on, baby!

As T finish this column,

I'm also polishing off'a cup of

raspberry feat tea, said to belp
bring on labour. Pve tried just
about all the other old wives’
tales with no luck. At this
stage, it clearly looks like it’s
up to madern medical science
to accomplish what nature
doesn’t seem ready to do.
Wish me luck.
— Horseshoe Bay
Wrinhe conti ributes reqularty to
the North Shore News This
Week section. Her son Brian
was born on Saturday, Feb, 20
at Lions Gate Hospital.

oi a
NEWS photo Grad Ledwidge
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