Hospitalization & Bedrest

The contractions have been going strong for at least a month. As long as I am standing I will be contracting, so it can be continual for the hour I'm getting ready in the morning and an hour or more at the end of my workday as I'm wrapping up, walking to car, driving, etc. Everything was triggering it, strong baby kick, jostle in the car, stress. It felt like a tight sensation, and only occasionally became uncomfortable. I was feeling frustrated as I didn't feel like I was being heard, I knew something was wrong. But the doctor had checked me and my cervix was "long and closed," a good sign.

Two weeks later, at my next regular appointment, and the day I turned 34 weeks, the doctor checked me and the cervix was "short and closed," ultrasound verified it was 1.7 cm instead of normal 4 cm. Every time he touched my belly I was contracting, during the whole appointment! I had previously counted 40-50 contractions in one day, at a minimum, to give them hard data. I had been hoping to get the green-light that day to attend my sister-in-law's wedding out of town next weekend, but it became clear I would not be able to go. He sent me to the main hospital (via skywalk, how convenient!!) for Observation, usually for a few hours, on the maternity wing. All the doctors, nurses, staffers, escorts, were incredible, they knew what they were doing and I felt so confidant in them!

I was admitted into Observation and ended up spending the night and spending the entire next day there too! They hooked me and baby up to monitoring devices; a fetal heartbeat monitor, and something for my uterine contractions. DH was right, it looked like a seismic chart. There were tons of contractions occurring that I didn't even feel. We could hear baby move around, quite active, and she would always move away from her monitor, so the nurses were always coming in to find her again! cute. sassy. They put an IV in to make sure I was hydrated enough, and I was. There were a few issues with the IV, the nurses didn't even try to stick me, they called the special "IV Team" to do it. They said I didn't bring my veins with me. It's true, I have no veins on my forearms, so they stuck me (only once) on the back of the hand. Ow. At one point, I was having contractions every two minutes! So it wasn't Braxton Hicks by then, it was Pre-term contractions. The doc said I was a fingertip dialated, 70% effaced, and baby's head was in +1 or -1 station (I get them confused), above the 0 mark. The next day a different doc said my cervix was closed, the top part is (which is where baby's head is sitting) but the bottom part of the cervix may be the most miniscule bit open. Place your hands flat together and you can see how part of the cervix can be open while part can be closed. He was about to release me, but they noticed fetal heartbeat deceleration during one of my contractions, so they kept me a few hours longer, but all was okay.

So they gave me procardia to stop the contractions, and vistaril to help relax and calm things down, but only to buy us enough time to get the steroid shots into me to help mature baby's lungs should she come at any time. They did the Group B strep test early (usually done at 36 weeks). They also did a fetal fibronectin test, which can help determine if the baby will come in the next two weeks, it was negative so most likely she will not come in the next few weeks. They said at 34 weeks the risks/benefits for trying to stop labor equal that for just allowing it to happen. I've been placed on at least a week of bedrest, to be seen by my doc again in a few days and also have a non-stress test for the baby, not taking any medications except my pre-natals. They also kinda' said there is no point in hospitalizing me again for the same thing I came in for, because there is nothing else they can do about that. I understand. If baby comes now, then she comes. Let's hope she can wait until she is full-term at 37 weeks!

In other (pregnancy-related) news:

I LOVE Ted hose! It works great, reduces swelling, my legs feel better, increased mobility, and I'm only peeing once or twice during the night instead of 3 times!

This week alone I've had two clients tell me that my belly came around the corner before I did!! funny! This week I've also had several clients express to me how much they will miss me, and how hard it will be for them when I'm out on leave. Awww.

The scheduling for the car seat class did not work for me, so I got my car seat base installed through Safekids.org. Babies R Us does not do this anymore, probably for liability reasons. It was tricky for me to find where to get this done, as a lot of places will show you how it's done but not help you do it, or they will only inspect after the fact, so now you know where to go.