Some of you know I got to make an unexpected hospital stay over the last two days... but now I'm home and I thought I'd share an update.
My my early adventure in
Labor & Delivery and antepartum...
I guess this didn't totally come out of nowhere because over the last few weeks the back of my pelvis started getting really sore. By Thursday morning when I went in for my routine appointment (at
33 1/2 weeks) I was in so much pain (in my butt, essentially) that I could barely walk (sitting and lying were less uncomfortable). The doctor was concerned and discovered that while I hadn't started to dilate, my cervix was 50%
effaced (thinning out before delivery). She could also feel me contracting. The baby's head has dropped so low (
engaged at +1 station) that she could feel it when she checked my cervix (hence the excruciating pelvic pain).
She sent me straight up to L&D for monitoring and testing. The baby's heart rate was perfectly normal, but I was having pretty strong painless contractions every
3 minutes (
I had no idea... I had only felt a few on and off!!). I stayed in triage all day on a drug to slow the contractions (which didn't seem to help) and Percocet for the pelvic pain. The test that determines whether you are actually in preterm labor and if delivery is imminent (
fetal fibronectin) came back negative, but since she was confused by my symptoms, the doctor decided to keep me for another 24 hours and complete
steroid injections to mature the baby's lungs in case she arrives soon. (By 34+ weeks many babies are able to breathe well on their own, so delivery is not a huge risk.)
Luckily, Dustin didn't have any patients scheduled so he spent a long day beside me on my gurney, listening to me moan about how bad I wanted to eat. (After a day of only IV fluids and gatorade I succumbed to the hospital cafeteria turkey-look-a-like and gravy... it's amazing what appeals when you're starving.)
Later in the evening I was transferred to the
antepartum unit (where other pre-term moms reside) for the night. Dustin left me to sleep and had to perform a root canal in the morning, so I spent the next day with the fellow nurses and a much-appreciated visitor or two. The plan was that as long as my labor didn't progress I could go home after my second steroid injection that evening!
By afternoon my contractions had slowed significantly and baby girl was still sounding healthy. But my pelvis felt like it was going to collapse every time I stook or walked (and still does), even with the narcotics on board. After a long day at school, Dustin saved me from my second hospital dinner... which he couldn't even gag down. (Note to future patients: skip the meatloaf.) After my nighttime shot I was wheeled out the door and on my way
home.
So now I'm home on
partial bedrest (no more working out or shopping-oh, gosh- or anything strenuous) for at least a week until my next appointment. In other words I'm been told to take it easy and try and keep her inside a little longer. I'd be worried about my compliance but since I can barely walk, it'll be hard to disobey. I've got drugs for the contractions and painkillers to take as needed (which I wish were doing more for my pain, but at least they make me unusually perky).
It's hard to say how soon baby girl will be here. Her head is unlikely to remove itself from my pelvis and I'm not sure how long I can handle the debilitating pain. Since she's had the shots for her lungs, they probably won't try to stop labor from this point on. I'm just going to take it day by day. It's probably about time to pack a hospital bag and order a car seat (and a few more things)! She might be here tomorrow or not for six more weeks. I'm hoping for sometime in-between. All I know is we're grateful that she's strong and healthy (even if I'm not).
And are so excited that she's coming!!
