Contractions

On Monday I went to the hospital for my Non-Stress Test which I have scheduled for every Monday & Thursday. This test checks for contractions, watches the baby's heart rate, and checks for good movement of the baby. They also check my fluid level every Thursday. After being hooked up on the monitors for about 15 minutes they discovered I was having contractions every 3 minutes! So I was moved to triage for more testing.

In triage the contractions started to get even closer together and much stronger, I was definitely feeling the pain and pressure from them at that point. They tested my urine and blood pressure for any signs of preeclampsia, but they were both fine. They then did a FFN test and a few other as well. I was not dilated at all which was a good sign. Then I was hooked up to an IV to see if I was dehydrated, but that didn't stop the contractions. So at 5pm I was given a medication called Procardia to try and stop the contractions. By 7pm they decided I needed to be admitted because the contractions were still every 2 minutes. I continued to get the Procardia every 6 hours and finally in the early morning hours of Tuesday the contractions slowed down to about 1 every 10 minutes and I wasn't really even feeling them. Around 9am I was told they were going to discharge me since the FFN test was negative, I was not dilating, and my contractions were slowing down. So I am now at home on bedrest and taking the Procradia every 6 hours.

I went to see my OB yesterday afternoon and they were pretty reassuring that they felt with the negative FFN I would be ok for the next 2 weeks. This test checks for a certain protein which shows up just before delivery. So a negative FFN test is about 99% accurate in predicting you will not deliver within the next 2 weeks of when the test was done. They told me to remain on bedrest and using the Procradia as precautions. The OB also told me that since Tyler is such a big boy he would more than likely do well if he were born anytime after 34 weeks (which is next week). She made it sound like if I do go into labor they would probably go ahead and deliver him anytime after 34 weeks. I am nervous about going on Thursday for my next NST because if I am having tons of contractions again I will more than likely be re-admitted to the hospital.

Of course, throughout this whole thing we had to worry about the boys. Ben had taken half a day off from work on Monday because we were getting our new roof. So luckily, he was home to get the boys off the bus. But I had our only car at the hospital with me so we wanted to figure out a way for Ben to come get it. After lots of discussing Ben dropped the boys off to a neighbor (he grandson is in Zak's class) and then drove his work truck to his work which is right next to the hospital. Then somebody from work dropped him of at the hospital. He then came and sat with me in triage for a while. The plan was for him to go pick up the boys and go home for bedtime, but at 7pm when they said I was being admitted I went into am emotional meltdown. So Ben went home and took stuff to the boys to spend the night at our neighbor's house then he came and spent the night with me. The boys behaved very well and they did fine, but I was worried about them all night.

Bedrest is very difficult since I have the boys at home. Last pregnancy I could just lay in bed all day and not do anything, but this time things are very different. Ben and I talked last night and have tried to set up various plans to try and make it easier. This is really putting everything on Ben's plate now so I feel bad, but it is only temporary. I am making lists of things he needs to buy or do. The boys are also having to deal with this change. They are having to do more on their own and to help me, but they are also getting to watch more TV and play Leap Pads more often.