The Beginning of The End

Wednesday night was really the beginning! I started feeling contractions pretty strong and about 2 or 3 minutes apart. If you aren't aware, I'm only 31 weeks pregnant which is WAY too early! Prior experience with Kelsy and JJ have taught us what to do first. So instead of calling the doctor (cause we knew what we'd be told), Josh and I decided to have me drink a huge glass of water and lay on my left side. I stayed like that the rest of the night. Thursday morning, the contractions had slowed and were more sporadic. I spent most of the morning with legs up in the recliner.

About 12:00, contractions started coming back every 4 minutes. So once again, a huge glass of water and the left side! You probably wondering why I didn't just call the doctor...well, the medication and bed rest that came after preterm labor with Kelsy and JJ was not fun so, I was trying everything I could first! With no success though, I called the doctor at 1:30. Josh and I were at his office by 2:30. After an exam, we were told I was 1 1/2 centimeters dilated and beginning to efface. So, it was off to the hospital.

Contractions were 2 minutes apart when we got there so I was immediately hooked up to monitors, given an IV with fluid. Also, they started a course of antibiotics because I haven't had my group B strep test yet.

Dr. Wentworth had sent us to the hospital with a Fetal Fiber Necton Test (fFN) which he had done at the office. The test will determine if a certain enzyme is being secreted from the uterus. If negative, only 5% of women will have the baby in the next two weeks. However, if positive, delivery is close. So, this was sent to the lab.

The on call doctor began a course of medication to stop the contractions. With Kelsy and JJ, I was given tributilene, which is not a fun medicine (jitters, increase heart rate, restless feeling...ugh!) Instead of this, she gave me procardia which has the same affect but with less side effects. I was told to bite the gel cap, suck out the medicine, and then swallow the gel cap. All I have to say is nasty!!!!! They manufacture most have thought that the mint flavor would make the texture of the medicine better but they were wrong! I took this pill every 15 minutes for an hour.

I was also given a shot of steroids in the tush to help develop the baby's lungs a little faster just in case delivery came. Even though the shot burn like *#?*! It did comfort me a little. Kelsy and JJ were both born at 36 weeks. When I went into preterm labor with Kelsy, I was not given the shot and she spent almost 48 hours in an oxygen tent after her birth. I did have the steroids with JJ and he was completely healthy at birth.

After about two hours in the observation room, the contractions had slowed enough that they decided not to move me to Norfolk General. I was admitted for overnight observation.

Since I've dragged the story out long enough...I'll wrap up fairly quickly! I sent Josh home so he could get a decent night's sleep, which even though I had sleeping meds, I didn't get. We have such an active baby, the nurse had to come in at least once an hour to reposition the fetal heart monitor in order to keep track of his heart rate. (Increased heart rate and blood pressure is a side effect of the medicine) By morning all contractions had stopped and we found out that the fFN had come back negative. I was allowed to eat but they continued to monitor us.

We had to stay at the hospital until 5:30 because the steroid shots (a series of two) had to be 24 hours apart. But I'm home now on bed rest having to take the yummy medication every four hours. Dr. Wentworth's goal is at least 34 weeks but I'm striving for at least 36! The longer this baby stays in the belly the better! What luck for me...at least a month of bed rest!!!!