This morning around 4 AM, I thought we might be meeting our baby boy sooner than we hoped. I woke up last night around 3 AM with steady, regular contractions. They weren't painful, but weren't letting up either. I drank half a liter of water and laid back down. Still no dice. After about an hour, I called the OB, who suggested I come in, get monitored and checked.
Once I got up to the OB floor the monitor confirmed what I had been feeling--I was having regular contractions. When the OB came in to check my cervix I was already pretty freaked out. I had noticed a little bit of fluid leaking, so one of the nurses did an amnio swab that looked positive for amniotic fluid, indicating premature rupture of membranes. If you're reading this and you don't know, when your membrane breaks, you're having the baby within a day or two one way or another. As happy as I was to make it to my 28 week goal, I was still not ready to deal with a pre-term delivery. I was very relieved to find out that lots of things can give you a false-positive amnio swab, and upon further investigation (sterile speculum exam and ferning test) it looked like my membranes were still intact. As far as the other labor markers, it was mostly good news. Even though I was having regular contractions, my cervix was still closed and about 3 cm long. It was getting a little "mushy" though (starting the effacement process). I was given a dose of Nifedipine to help stop the contractions, and stayed on the monitor for several hours.
The ultrasound tech came in and did a formal ultrasound to check my Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) and fetal weight. It was fun to see him again--and yes, it's still a boy. He weighs right at 3 lbs and my AFI was 18--also good. My blood work showed that I am anemic (yes, I had been slacking on my supplemental iron), but otherwise fine. No signs of infection and no clear cause for my premature contractions. After my contractions slowed to about 1 an hour they released me to go home and rest the rest of the week on Nifedipine every 4-6 hours. The plan is that if I have more than 4-5 contractions/hour I go back to the hospital. If they stay farther apart, like they are now, I will go in Friday morning for a Fetal Fibronectin test. If that's negative, we'll all feel a lot better. Apparently, the negative predictive value of the test is pretty strong. If I get a negative on Friday it means that there is little to no chance that I'll deliver in the next 7-10 days. If it's positive, I may or may not deliver pre-term.
So, it's been an emotional and tiring 15 hours. I was really enjoying the pregnancy and looking forward to the last trimester. Today I had to face the possibility that some of my hopes and dreams for a normal and healthy pregnancy, delivery, and baby might not be realized. I am trying to stay positive. I know that it's possible that this will pass and I'll carry our baby to term, but it's hard right now.
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6 comments:
Hoping the next few weeks go as planned and that the baby stays put. Good luck!
I will say a little prayers for you. The most important things is having a baby to love and care for in the end and you are going to get that. Hang in there and stay strong.
You'll be in my prayers. This happened to a friend of mine around the same time and she carried to term thanks to the meds that stopped the contractions. I pray you will have the same results.
Jamie
Hey Jess, This is Rachel Grubb, I don't know if you remember me from Harding or not. I've been reading your blog for a while and haven't commented, but I felt the need to leave you a little encouragement. I'm a nurse too (I graduated the year before you) and I'm an L&D nurse to boot. Sometimes I think nurses, especially those that work in the area, have the hardest time either getting pregnant or carrying to term. (No hard data to confirm that, just seems pretty common!)
Anyway, I know how easy it is to know something rationally in your head from your training as a nurse, but to feel totally freaked out when it's your baby on the line. I had TONS of preterm contractions with both kids, but more with my 2nd, and even though if anyone would have asked me if I was in labor I would have easily told them no, I still wanted validation from my OB that I was having contractions and they hurt. Crazy huh. Plus, Keira had a fetal arrhythmia that I knew logically was not a big deal and would convert after delivery, but I was still scared for her every day until it went away. Still crazy.
Anyway, back to you. Nifedipine is a great drug (we use it all the time and most pts don't complaint about it too much) that will help you be more comfortable and not have those irritable contractions. I'll be praying for a neg FFN to put your mind at ease. I'd always read that a neg meant 99% chance you won't go into labor in the next 2 WEEKS. Just remember a positive means NOTHING, it's not a good indicator or anything, especially not labor in the near future. So just kick back, relax, and let the baby grow while you read a good book or take up a new hobby.
Curt and I will definitely keep you in our prayers!!
P.S. End of my story, both my kids were born at term despite being dilated significantly for several weeks. You can do it!!
jess i love you so much and am praying for you and the sweet little boy that resides in your belly. if this comforts you in any way...my smallest was delivered at 2.7 pounds & is as healthy as can be!...your little nugget is already SO much bigger than that! negative FFN and positive thoughts! xoxo
I'm hoping and praying that uterus calms down and things return to normal for you fast! I am hoping you don't have to let go of your dream. You deserve a normal, stress-free third trimester. I'm thinking of you!
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