Well, I just got back from the hospital – I spent the night in Labor & Delivery last night :(. After my appointment yesterday, I ran to 2 stores trying to locate the support brace for my abdominal pull before I started my mild bedrest orders, and by the time I got home, I was in EXCRUCIATING pain. Even with the support on, it kept getting worse. By 4:00, I could barely move, and I was so miserable. I started to wonder if I was also having contractions (my belly kept feeling tight) but then I thought it was just the support belt I was wearing. I remained pretty uncomfortable no matter where I was sitting.
Elliot and I went up to bed around 1:30, and when I got into bed, I couldn’t get comfortable. I started to realize that I was having contractions . . . about every 2-3 minutes. We started to time them to be sure, and I tried drinking water to see if that would chase them away. At 2:00, I decided it was time to call the midwife. I was told I could try drinking more fluids for 1/2 hr, but then to go to labor and delivery if they didn’t stop. Part of me couldn’t decide if I was being crazy but we decided to go on in and get checked. I was a little concerned they were going to hook me up, laugh at me and tell me I was having gas pains or something ridiculous like that.
Good thing, we went in . . I was having pretty intense contractions every 2-4 minutes. They had me on the monitor (and my midwife was so nice and considerate of my needle phobia – she agreed not to immediately put me on an IV if I would drink 40 ozs of water, and she gave me the anti-contraction medicine orally). Luckily, the meds worked, and about 1/2 hr later, everything receded. They kept me there for observation the rest of the night. I was released about 1 hr ago to a day of bedrest and I have more anti-contraction medication I’m supposed to take. The good news is there were no significant cervical changes, and the baby is fine, but I’m just exhausted!
I was getting worried about having this baby at 28 weeks. They did a vaginal swab test to assess my risk of preterm labor (apparently they can detect a protein that is 90% accurate in predicting labor in the following 2 weeks). Those results won’t be back until today or tomorrow. I have to take the meds as long as I have contractions, and if the meds don’t control the contractions, I’ll have to go back to the hospital. I have to go back for another checkup next week. If they start to see any cervical changes, I’ll be put on bedrest, and if the swab test comes back positive, they may admit me to try and keep me from going in to labor.
So . . . that is my update. I’m going to nap now. Let’s hope this is just one of those things, aggravated by the UTI and the abdominal pull! I’m NOT ready to have this baby yet. The good news is we are now pre-registered for when I really do go into labor.