Tia Update

Hi there, folks. It's the human here. I'm posting today, as Tia is still a bit, ah, preoccupied.

I was half expecting to find a kitten or two when I got home after a very long shift at work yesterday. I'd had Hoover lady check in on Tia in the middle of the day just in case she had started labour and was having difficulties, but she was fine. When I got home, it was to find that Hoover lady was still there. She's great. She stayed with her on the off-chance that Tia would start and there'd be nobody there for her. I tried to have a listen with my stethoscope yesterday (I'm a physio, and have a paediatric very sensitive one) but it wasn't sensitive enough to hear through the fur of her tummy, so I was none the wiser. I decided to watch for another night to see what happened.

She didn't nest nearly as insistently last night, but then I don't know whether this is indicative or not because I'd put a box down for her in the living room. She'd been in there all day and knew that it was safe, warm and private, so maybe her urgency slacked off a little because she knew it was there. Whatever the reason, she slept for a little, and so did I. I was up with her frequently though. She was very restless and terribly vocal about it.

This morning she didn't seem to want me to go to work, but again, that's not abnormal. I got her settled in her box and she seemed fine, so off I went. Still no kittens when I came home, but Tia now started calling me to the box. She wasn't happy unless she was there and I was in there with her. I had to take Molly to the vet for her first session of hydrotherapy, so I decided, against my better judgement really, to take Tia along and have one of them look at her. I'd spoken to them on the phone beforehand and they thought she might very well have a real pregnancy. That worried me enough that I wanted her checked.

I took her in a closed carrier to give her a bit more privacy, and she really seemed to like it. It's quite big, so she could get comfy and fidget when she needed to, and she talked all the way there to me.

I saw the vet that had spoken to me on the phone, and she concluded that she thought she could feel something in her tummy. She also said though that she could be convincing herself because of what I'd told her about Tia already, and took her off to let a colleague have a look. He said that he might be able to feel something but didn't think it was likely. So I'm still in the I don't know camp. Her milk is coming down though. All of her nipples are hard and there's one at the back that's filling nicely with milk.

When I brought her home, she headed straight for the box and was very, very insistent that I come with her. When I got there, it was to find her half lying, half crouched and panting quite a bit. "This is it," I thought, and stayed with her. Half an hour later though, she came back out, jumped on my lap on the sofa and went to sleep. She's currently on the back of the sofa behind my head and is still sleeping.

So I still don't know what to think. Because her milk is coming in, we should see something happen pretty soon. It usually happens within two days, four at the most, so the waiting game will be over reasonably quickly, I'm guessing. It's interminable though, and I don't like it. I'm going to take her into bed with me again tonight, and hope that I sleep lightly so that she will have no trouble waking me if she needs me. I'm a light sleeper anyway, but since Tia's been with me, I've learned to snore on through her constant chattering, so I'm worried that if she cries, I'll not notice it.

As soon as there's any change, I'll post it here. I'd really appreciate advice from any of you who have either had a pregnant mum give birth with you or who know about phantom pregnancy though. I feel a bit out on my own here, and don't know if it's normal for labour to stop and start, for example. I thought once it started, it just kept on going, but judging by her current position, she didn't start earlier on after all. Help! If you know of anyone else who knows, I'd love the input. For now, I'm going to grab sleep when I can. Fingers crossed for a safe delivery, whether it be ghost or kitten!