XP: spent day in L&D & admitted for the night (long)

GretchenlovesMichael

XP from SaIF:

i woke up this morning to some spotting... and since my post-internal exam spotting had stopped a few days ago, i was a little freaked out.  nothing has touched my cervix.... it's not like we're having sex or anything.  so i paged the on call dr and laid in bed... i started crying, i was suddenly very scared. i just had a very strong feeling that something was wrong.

then i started feeling more low cramps, and was spotting pretty heavily, so i said F this i'm not waiting for a call back, and told DH we needed to go to the hospital.  we were out the door 15 minutes later, and i called my dr again on the way.

got to L&D and we were sent to triage and hooked up to all the monitors, etc.  and 20 min later the nurse says to me "you are having a lot of contractions my dear."  and i look at her with total shock b/c i feel NOTHING.  other than steady dull cramps... i feel nothing.  no tightening, no rhythmic pains or anything.  i was contracting every 2-4 minutes.  at this point i panic.  i am picturing my cervix dilating, hence the spotting, and i am petrified that these babies are coming.  i say can you stop them??  and she says well we're going to do everything we can.

they did a vag exam and there was a lot of blood, mostly brown, but my cervix was closed.  thank god.  they sent me for an u/s and my cervix is all squashed up now but miraculously, still closed and 3.7cm long.  i breathe a HUGE sigh of relief.  they also did a growth scan since i was scheduled for one on thurs, and the babies are doing great, weighing in at 2lb 10oz each (a little smaller than i had hoped but still on track.)  they were super active with lots of fluid, etc.  all good.

so we get back to our triage room and they hook me up to everything again.  the dr comes in and says well your contrax look a lot better and your cervix looks great so she says i can go home but i am now on more strict bedrest.  no more errands, no more trips to the chiropractor, etc.  just up to pee and get food.  i say ok, np.  i am so relieved to be going home.

then, the nurse comes back to discharge me about a half hour later and says oh wait, you're back to contracting every 4 minutes.  they watch me for another few and it's still happening.  all i had done was sit up to eat crackers (it was almost 1pm at this point and i hadn't eaten anything yet.)  since apparently sitting up is too much for my ute, the dr said she's sorry but they need to watch me overnight and make sure all these contrax aren't causing cervical change...

so here i am.  contracting anywhere from once an hour to every 6-7 min to even every 2-4 min.  the spotting has all but stopped... and honestly i'm very glad for the spotting b/c i wouldn't have come in without it.  i didn't feel a single contraction.... which scares me.

tomorrow morning they'll do an FFN and hopefully discharge me... depending on how things are going they may give me procardia, etc.  if there is any cervical change they'll keep me and give me the steroid shots for the babies' lungs...

i am pretty rattled but feeling like i'm in good hands and all will be ok... you just never know what's coming next...

i'll take any vibes you can spare.  and if you read this whole thing you are my hero   love you ladies.

JBSugar

How scary!  Hang in there babies!  Keep us posted and I'll keep you in my thoughts/prayers that everything continues to be ok!

Temp159135562506975

so scary!!! Glad you are there and getting good care!!!

Are they giving you the steriod shots to help develop the lungs? if not- ask about them - I got them at 32w when i went into PTL and they helped a lot. DS was born 4w early and didn't need a minute in the NICU - lungs were perfect.

i was given terb shots at the hosptial, then sent home with procardia every 4 hours and bedrest.

hang in there!!!!!!!  sending prayers and vibes your way!

RoAnt05

Im sorry to hear about the scare.  Keep cookin babies!  Keep us posted.  Sending lots of good vibes your way

copwife08

I will be thinking about you!! Keep those babies cooking mama.

Partyof6?

Oh Gretchen, I'm sorry.  You must be scared.  I know that the doctors can do lots of things to keep your contractions away and to keep those babies cooking. 

Hang in there!  I'm so glad you went to the hospital and they were able to catch it before it caused any cervical changes. 

MNheidi

I'm thinking of you!  Keep those babies cookin'.  I couldn't feel my contractions either when I was put on bedrest for them.  I only went in b/c I was kind of lightheaded and sweaty.  You're in good hands and you may just need to be literally bed resting until these little ones join you.

sara1014

I'll definitely have you and your babies in my thoughts. ?I'm so glad you went in - you're right - it's good you were spotting (in this case) so you knew. ?

mommyof4boys

I'm sorry!  What hospital are you in?

dragonflyinn

I am sorry, I know how scary this can be. I was on modified BR at 24 weeks and at 28 weeks I was pretty much in the same boat as you except my cervix had shortened, was funneling and I dilated a fingertip.  After that I was on strict BR and not allowed to sit up.  Only allowed to pee take a 3 minute shower and if no one was home get food.
BR can do wonderful things.  Hang in there, and I am sorry this is happening. 

BTW, I had contracted every 10-20 minutes from 19w on, and after the incident at 28 weeks pretty much had 8 contractions an hour as my regular and would go in to L&D for anything more than that.  I hope you have a good night and get a great update tomorrow.

lovemy2boys

I already responded on SAIF, but I just wanted to let you know that strict bed rest isn't all that bad once you pass the two week mark.  My good friend told me that, and I didn't believe her, but it's true...it just kind of becomes your life.  If you ever need to chat, you have my email. 

sweater

Many vibes to you!! You stay STILL YOUNG LADY!!

Rose.9.6.03

Aw, I'm sorry.  It must be so scary!

I had BH every 3 minutes from 27w on.  I didn't feel the majority of them, either.  I ended up on modified bedrest and thankfully, I had no further complications.  My girls were born at 36w5d.  So I hope that gives you hope!

groovygrl

How scary! Good luck! I"m sure they're taking great care of you & the little ones!

Qs2004

You and your babies are in my prayers! ?Sounds like you're in good hands, like you said good thing for the spotting!!

pea-kay

that is scary! but i'm so glad to hear the contractions aren't causing any changes in your cervix. that's great news! just take it easy and hopefully those babies will keep on baking...

goldenmama

lots of good thoughts for those babies to stay put!

hang tight and keep us updated.

((hugs))

hollyoid7

O gretchen I am so sorry..I am so glad that your cervix hasn't changed anything..Looks like you and me will be Bedrest Bubbies...Hopefully we both make it until April..

GretchenlovesMichael

thank you so much for your support ladies   and for the hopeful stories too!!

gymrat

I'm sending you "stay put babies" vibes. I know the hospital sucks but you're in the best place should something should happen. I hope & pray it doesn't. ((HUGS))

KnockMeUp

Aww, Gretchen I'm so sorry ?I really hope the night goes well for you all and you can go home in the morning. ?Hang in there! ?We're thinking of you

GretchenlovesMichael

mommyof4boys:

I'm sorry!  What hospital are you in?

i'm sorry - forgot to answer this!  i'm at capital health.

mommyof4boys

Oh well.....SIL is a L&D nurse at St. Peter's and I would have called her for you

leahm78

Oh man.....how scary! Thank God your cervix is high and closed! My doc says you can contract all day long just as long as that cervix stays closed!!! I just know everything will be fine:) I just had the FFN test a couple weeks ago.....they do it with a DRY long q-tip.....keyword being DRY! Very strange....not painful.....just dry!

Good luck and keep us posted!

Leah

Tammy06

Good luck. I had a similar thing at 30 wks. No bleeding but back pain. Went in and was contracting every 3 minutes and I felt nothing. It took Magnesium to stop them and I stayed for 3 nights and couldn't get up and got the steriod shots. My cervix was long and closed and they were great. I was sent home on procardia and strict bedrest. I had a non stress test at 32 wks and no contractions and things looked great until they said my hight BP and ordered labs and found my platlets were dropping rapidly, they kept me and delivered me that night b/c of severe pre e. The second part hopefully won't happen to you, but my contractions did calm down with procardia and bedrest, and I still had some but they didn't dilate me at all. I wish you the best.

They were born at 32 wks and only spent 19 days in the NICU, they did wonderful and if they are born early yours will too! Praying for you!

JPW2006

I'm so sorry Gretchen-what a scare!  I will be keeping you and the babies in my thoughts and prayers.  I hope you get to go home tomorrow and enjoy strict BR.  I'm sure there are some books you'd like to read before the babies arrive!  Good luck, hon.  ((hugs))

AlpacaBunny

I feel for you!  It sounds just like my experience about 2 weeks ago.  But I ended up spending 3 nights in the hospital.  My FFN came back positive so they did give me the steriod shots.  That was part of why I had to stay in the hospital longer.  They wanted me to stay until I had both shots, and they are given 24 hours apart.  I am on procardia now, not sure if they will take me off or not.  I will have a repeat FFN in about 2 weeks.  Did they give you any shots of terbutaline or anything to stop your contractions? 

 I hope that everything turns out ok for you and that you get to go home soon.  Those nights in the hospital were so uncomfortable for me.  I'll be saying lots of prayers for you that the contractions stop!  ((hugs)) Hang in there.  Oh...and I'm on the same kind of bedrest too...up to eat, pee, and shower.  That's it.  I get to leave the house once a week for my dr. appts. 

keg

Hi Gretchen,

Hope you're hanging in there.  I know how scary it is.  A similar thing happened to me at 29 weeks.  I went to a routine peri appointment and they noticed cervical changes and then determined I was contracting and I wasn't feeling a thing.  I spent the weekend in the hospital being monitored, was given the steroid shots, and then discharged on procardia.  If it makes you feel any better, I didn't deliver my girls until 35w6d and that was due to a growth issues...I never went into labor on my own.  I'm not a doctor, but I'd try to see if you can go ahead and get the steroid shots.  I felt so much better mentally when I got them since I knew I had done what I can to help my babies if they did wind up coming early.  Good luck and keep us posted!    

ifoundhim

One of the only times when we would say "lucky you spotted!"  I'm so happy the babies look good, and healthy, and that you're being monitored.  Good for you, listening to your body and your instincts!  I've definitely got prayers to spare, and I just said one for you and your little ones

Heather.D

Oh, I am saying a prayer that you are done contracting and on your way home as I type this. Hang in there. Stay put babies!