Preemies
So I'm new and newly confined to the hospital. (Long, Sorry!)
I ususally lurk on Special Needs and 3rd Tri, but I came to the Med Center in Houston on Friday for my 32 week check up and now I will not be leaving until my son arrives due to the rapid on set of Pre-E. I came in for my check up and my BP was slightly elevated, which normally would not be a huge concern but I had pre-existing hypertension prior to pregnancy so I was sent to triage to to be monitored for a few hours. No sooner was I hooked up to a monitor than they realized that I was contracting every 1-2 minutes! Well hot d*mn, now I've been admitted to L&D to wait out the inevitable. Its cute that the Dr's are trying to make me feel better by telling me that the 24 hour protein test early in the week could be totally different and I could still possibly leave, when we all know that I'm not getting out. They are thinking that realistically I might make it to 35 weeks before the benefits out weigh the risks and I will get induced. On a positive note, the little man is measuring two weeks ahead so hopefully he will be on the big side for a 34-36 weeker and won't have too many complications. I hope to get to know you ladies over what I can only imagine is going to be a long, boring wait in L&D. 
JMA
2/26/09-9/28/09
MMA
11/22/10
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Re: So I'm new and newly confined to the hospital. (Long, Sorry!)
Great for you for staying positive in such a trying situation.
You've reached and passed several very big developmental milestones (32 weeks being the one was I was trying to get to but failed) so you have that on your side as well.
I hope that your next 24 protein test results come back fine. Check in here and we'll give you a nice diversion from life on the inside of a hospital room.
You sound like you're in good spirits! Hospitalized bedrest was hard for me. I felt so frustrated that I was lying there instead of at home doing all the things I needed to do. I also felt very alone, even though I had dh and others visit me daily. I mean, there's only so much daytime tv you can watch and nesting you can do
I ended up taking advantage of every opportunity the hospital offered me to socialize, even if it meant they had to wheel me down the hall in a bed to get there. I went to group therpay meetings with other high-risk moms, I did pet therapy, music therapy, anything they offered me. I also wrote all the thank you notes I had to do for all the baby gifts we'd gotten, I wrote to-do lists for my parents and my dh every day (they're so sweet), read a few books, I emailed everyone I knew...I just tried to stay busy. I also asked for ambien at night - it really helped me sleep and feel rested since I never knew when I was going to deliver.
Are they going to give you steriod shots for dc's lung development?
I had ds at 33 w 2 d due to premature rupture of membranes. He got two rounds of steriod shots prior to delivery. He was born at 4 lbs 2 oz and never had any respiratory issues. He spent 13 days in the NICU learning how to eat and maintain his body temp.
Good luck! Let us know if you have any questions!
Congratulations on making it as far as you have with your hypertension issues. Pre-e came on suddenly for me as well, and I was wisked away from the Katy Memorial Hermann to Memorial Hermann in the Med Center after I suffered a seizure. My little girl spent 88 days in the NICU at Children's Memorial Hermann (where I would imagine your little one will be) after I delivered her at 28 weeks. The doctors and nurses in the NICU there are FANTASTIC! We have been back to visit several times. It sounds like your little one may be in for a very short NICU stint, but you should find everyone there very helpful. The Ronald McDonald House there is a great resource for breaks from time in the NICU ... you can get on the computer, take a cookie break, eat some lunch. visit with other families going through the same thing, etc. And it is where you room in before you take your little one home. If you know you're going to be there for a while and that you'll be coming and going a lot, you might buy a parking pass from the gift shop so you can come and go without having to stop and pay each time. It doesn't save you a lot of money ... just saves you the hassle.
If you have any questions that I might be able to answer about the NICU there or anything, feel free to page me here!
Hi, welcome to our board. I was in a very similar situation almost exactly a year ago. I went in with sudden onset pre-e at 32 weeks and I made it a week on bedrest. Nate was born at 33 weeks weighing 4 lbs 10 oz. It's good that your spirits are up, just remember that you are doing what is best for your baby right now and it will seem like nothing once you deliver, I would do it all again for my son (and I probably will). I think that doing quiet activities like reading books or watching movies is helpful to pass the time in the hospital and I strongly second the ambien, it helped so much. I also had bad indigestion and they gave me bicitrate solution which did the trick (tasted vile but worked great).
Good luck to you, a lot of us have been in your shoes and we're behind you! Hang in there, you will be in my thoughts.