Friday, February 22, 2008

Some excitement I didn't need

Yesterday on my way to work I felt what seemed like the little lady trying to escape. Or at least she was trying to thump me some kind of message. It felt weird. Not painful, just weird. I swear when I went to the bathroom I though she and I might have a little tug-o-war with the tp. I had meetings all morning, but at around noon I called my OB. I continued to feel the escape antics, but didn't really feel anything else throughout the day. I got a call back at 5:10. (Just long enough for me to well and truly freak out, of course.)

He said the feeling was pretty normal and was probably due to fetal position. But he added that if I felt any contractions, peed more often or noted any discharge overnight that I should come in today for a check up. I could only feel the contractions if I had my hand on my stomach, but they did seem to be happening. I also went to the bathroom a lot more than normal overnight, but I think a lot of that had to do with my general nerves. I couldn't fall into a good sleep, so every time I woke up I figured, why not pee?

ANYway...this morning I went in to my OB at 11. He did a fetal fibr0nectin test, manually checked my cervix (closed, but slightly soft) and then sent me down to L&D for some monitoring. I ended up being there for about 4 hours. I had quite a few contractions while on the monitor, but when my lovely nurse gave me a shot of hellfire...uh, I mean terbutaline, they stopped pretty immediately. Seriously, though, I never feel it when nurses say a shot is going to burn or sting, but this one? Felt like she administered it with a flamethrower! Incredibly quick and encouraging results, though, and the burning stopped pretty soon.

Thank god I had a book with me. I might have died of boredom otherwise. I also had a chance to sample the hospital fare and I have to give my Tuscan Chicken sammie an enthusiastic thumbs up! Of course I would have enjoyed gnawing on a piece of cardboard by the time they brought it to me.

Finally the nurse let me know that the fFN was negative, which is great news. She also gave me a presciption for more hellfire, but I assume that taking it in pill form doesn't result in the same burning. I hope so anyway! I'm to take it if I feel more than 6 contractions in an hour. The nurse said she'd take one if she felt 3 in 30 minutes. I like her assertiveness! If they don't go away over the weekend then my doc wants to take me out of work for the duration. He asked me to take it easy this weekend, but said I could go to our Newborn Care class on Sunday. I've loaded myself up with trashy magazines, so I'm ready to couch surf for the rest of the time.

I had a little talk with the babes last night explaining that it's just not time for them yet and urging them to hang on for a few more weeks anyway. I hope the teary breakdown I had while I was talking to them sufficiently demonstrated my lack of readiness and discouraged them from any further escape attempts.

11 comments:

Leah said...

Goodness, WonderTwins! There's really no need to be such overachievers and arrive so damn early. I know that 26 weeks is respectable and encouraging and all, but it's still simply too. damn. early. Stay put!!

I'm sorry the shot hurt so much but glad that it did the trick. Now you stay horizontal, relaxed, and thinking closed-cervix thoughts. Hear me?

I always assumed your babies would have an earlier birthday than mine, but this is the wrong season altogether. Spring! Do you hear me, WonderTwins? Spring!

AwkwardMoments said...

E- i am so glad that you get a dr prescribed relaxation on the couch this weekend. I do hope that does the trick. And those wondertwins are already trying to show their super powers - you guys better listen to your momma and stay put for now!

Meghan said...

Yikes, scary night. Stick yourself on the couch...hope you've got some good things lined up on Tivo!

And it's time those Wonder Twins started listening to their mom!

Carrie said...

I'm sorry you got such a fright.

I hope things are far more boring for the next ten weeks or so.

Geohde said...

Encouraging those twins to stay put.... (negative predicitve value for a neg ffn makes it pretty darn unliklely that they'll escape in the next fortnight)

J

Caba said...

Following in my footsteps again, are we? At 28 weeks I got my prescription for Terb. I took it every day, every 6 hours, until 36 weeks. My docs told me to stop it then. And I gave birth 3 days later. I shots suck, and the pills suck at the beginning too, as they make you all jumpy. But your body kinda gets used to it, and the side effects go away.

Hang in there, wonder twins!

Unknown said...

Relax with those trashy magazines and I hope those babies relax and decide to stay in the warm mombath (that sounds gross) for a bit longer!

settle down, wondertwins!

heather (saltandpickles)

Unknown said...

What a scare, I hope they hang in there for a few more weeks!!! Take good care, and don't over do it.

Portia P said...

Hope you rested over the weekend and that the wonder twins have calmed down a bit.

Let them be very boring for at least a few more weeks.

LIW (Lady In Waiting) said...

That must have been SO scary!! I am glad that the shot worked, though did it have to be painful?

XOXO

Mama Bear said...

Yikes! That is FAR too much excitement. I'm glad that the meds stopped the contractions and you were able to go home. Hang in there! And, wonder twins, sit tight!