My New Home on L&D (32 weeks)

Yep....you read the title correctly....I am now living on the labor and delivery floor.

On Tuesday morning I went in for my very first non-stress test....not really thinking much of it, just excited to sit and listen to the boys' heart rates for awhile. After about 20 minutes of being hooked me up to the monitor both boys had passed the test with flying colors.  However, after about 45 minutes I was informed that I was having regular contractions....about 6 minutes apart at that point. I knew I had been having contractions for some time, but each time I'd tell my OB or perinatologist they'd tell me not to worry...they were just braxton hicks contractions and as long as they weren't regular or painful....I shouldn't worry. I really did not think they were regular and they definitely are not painful so I never thought anything of them.

The nurse went to tell the OB in the office and I was whisked back to an exam room. Unfortunately, it was at this point that they decided to take my blood pressure...which was of course pretty dang elevated, they checked it a few more times and it came down but only slightly. The OB soon came in and checked my cervical length....it was just about 2 centimeters long which is the "danger zone." She then checked my cervix and immediately told me she could feel one of the baby's heads and I was 3 centimeters dilated. She left the room to go call the hospital to let them know I was coming. I called Matt and told him to immediately leave work and meet me at the hospital.

I arrived there about 30 minutes later and was hooked up to monitors to monitor babies heart rates and my contractions. I was also put on a constant BP cuff to check my BP every 10 minutes, given an IV, given my first steroid shot to mature the babies lungs and brain, had a bunch of blood drawn for various things (which eventually all came out normal) and did an ultrasound to see how the boys were situated to see how they'd be delivered. I think they really thought these boys were going to be delivered that day!! While starting the monitoring we started the 24 urine test to check for pre-eclampsia (which they were all sure I'd have,) and the OB ran the fetal fibromectin test which I was told will give them a pretty good idea if the babies will be delivered within the week. Then we waited....

I was on the monitors for 7 hours at the hospital.....the boys did great all day, their heart rates were excellent, nothing to worry about with them. But, I continued having contractions....some as close to 3 minutes apart. We finally received the fetal fibromectin test back late that afternoon and received good news....it was negative! This meant the boys probably would not be delivered within a week...woo hoo!  But, my contractions were still there and they wanted me to stay overnight to finish the 24 hour urine and also get another steroid shot the next day. So, Matt and I settled in for the night.

It's been a blur over the past few days, with constant monitoring (4 times a day for an hour, constant BP checks, ultrasounds of the boys, etc,) but I'll try to remember the events in order. On Wednesday afternoon, we got the very good news that I still do NOT have pre-eclampsia! They had told me I'd definitely have to stay until the boys were born if I did have it...they were sure I would.  The contractions also slowed down some on Wednesday.  I was told that since I didn't have pre-e, my blood pressures had stabilized and the contractions had slowed that if there were no changes in my cervix on Thursday then I could probably go home on full bed rest.

On Thursday, we continued the monitoring of the boys' heart rates and my contractions. The boys continued to kick ass...their heart accelerations are perfect and they are just moving like crazy in there...they are happy as can be and have no idea what is going on out here! But, my contractions unfortunately picked up again on Thursday morning...not as bad, but about every 10 minutes. The OB came in that afternoon to do another cervical check (ugh!) to see if I could go home....he wasn't too happy about the contractions that had picked up. He did my cervical length first and it had shortened to under 2 centimeters (boooo,) and I was dilated to just about 3.5 centimeters (boooo,) I was obviously not going anywhere! But, on the ultrasound the boys still looked great...moving around, plenty of fluid, etc.

They've since started me on a drug called procardia every 4 hours, this is like a muscle relaxant and is supposed to help slow the contractions down, which in turn should help to slow cervical changes. I've been on it for about 24 hours now and the contractions have definitely slowed some. They've gone from about 6 an hour to maybe 2 an hour and they aren't as big.

The plan now is to keep me here over the weekend. The perinatologist will be here on Monday to check me again, and in the meantime I am staying on the procardia, getting constant BP checks (which have all been excellent,) 4 blood sugar checks a day (which have all also been excellent, not one over the level,) and constant monitoring of the boys and my contractions.

It's been a scary last few days, but I am staying positive and hanging in there. I'm hoping this medicine works and my contractions go away completely and my cervix stops changing, so I can possibly go home on complete bed rest sometime next week. But, I'll stay in the hospital if that's what it takes too. They sure do take good care of you here....the constant interruptions (especially in the middle of the night) definitely take some getting used to.....but I am getting used to the hour long monitoring, the constant BP and glucose checks, the around the clock meds, the OB visits every few hours, etc. I am learning to sleep when I can because they wake me up twice a night to give me meds, check my BP and check heart rates. It's definitely interesting! But, I am just happy that my boys are doing well.....please keep us in your prayers that we can continue to bake them up for a few more weeks (which would be ideal,) or as long as possible!

I'll keep you all updated!