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Multiples
Update -- L&D at 29 weeks
After two full days in the hospital being pumped with magnessium, steroid shots and other things to stop contractions, I am home on fairly strict bed rest and still in a haze from all of the drugs.
But, I wanted to write out my story for a number of reasons. One, I wanted to thank all of you for the encouraging words and thoughts and prayers. And two, I wanted to thank everyone for sharing all of their pregnancy stories and words of advice. I didn't post here much (although now on bed rest you will hear from me all of the time), but I was listening to you.
Did I know I was going into preterm labor? No. Did the Internet tell me that I was? No. But, did reading some books (yes, even Dr. Luke's) and reading all of your stories and questions tell me I had to see an MFM and make me less hesitant to call my doctor at 6pm on a Sunday? Absolutely.
Here's my story:
My MFM appointments had been going great. Cervix was measuring over 4 at 26 weeks. At 28 weeks it had gone down to somewhere between 2.7 and 3.2. At that point, my MFM suggested modified bedrest and to start working from home. The change caused some concern, but no flags went off. That was on Wednesday.
On Friday, I went into work to sign some paperwork and get a few things to be able to work from home full time. I was a bit stressed but overall I was only out of the house for maybe 5 hours and a bunch of that was commuting and sitting at my desk.
On Friday, night I started to feel some cramping, but nothing that really stood out. On Saturday, it was the same thing so I started writing down when I was getting BH contractions and when those were accompanied by cramping. By, Sunday afternoon, it seemed they were happening about three times an hour fairly consistently. By later in the afternoon, even more so.
Somewhere between 5 and 6 I called my doctor. She called back immediately (can't tell you how much I love her) and told me to come in. I have a three year old daughter and none of our neighbors were home so we all just went to the hospital. Because of the restrictions, DH and DD stayed in the lobby while they checked me out.
I was 1 cm dialated so they admitted me and immediately things got chaotic. DH took DD home and found a neighbor (another savior in our story) to stay the night. While that was happening, I was getting a steroid shot, and being hooked up to the mag and every other kind of monitoring device one can imagine. It was hard being alone, but I was just so focused on making it through.
Turns out I was having contractions every 1-3 minutes! Yes, that close together. I wasn't even felling 75% of my contractions.
The drugs started to slow to about every 3-5 minutes and the cramping stopped within a few hours. But, my contractions kept coming all throughout Monday. My mom flew in from Iowa (although because of weather they had to drive to Chicago to get her on a plane -- no idea what we would do without her) and DH was able to come back to the hospital on Monday evening.
The drugs were horrific. I was hot, could eat, couldn't even drink. Even the ice chips were making me nauseous. But, even as of 1 am today (Tuesday) I was having contractions that weren't painful every 10-15 minutes. And of course no one knew if these contractions were dialating me further.
Around midnight, they started me on another medication. Something in the Motrin family that doesn't have Ibuprofen that helps with pain but also has been shown to stop contractions. I couldn't get a few of the normal meds because my blood pressure was so low.
Finally, around 4 am it seemed things were stopping. I finally fell asleep for about one hour. At 8am they had to take me off of the mag and later in the morning I went to the MFM associated with the hospital.
We got just about these best news we could've received. Cervix is still 3.2 (although she said at this point that's not so relevant -- it is all about dialation) and I was still only 1 cm dialated.
MFM consulted with my OB and I got a quiz on whether I could really do bedrest at home with a three year old. I told them the three year old will go to day care with DH, my mom is doing all house work and I will not lift my daughter or walk up and down stairs more than twice a week.
My OB basically told me for some people there is absolutely nothing they can do to stop pre-term labor. And for some people, they stop it, but they go into labor a week later and nothing can be done. But, he said plenty of people have this happen and make it full term. I just feel so incredibly lucky for every day I can keep these babies cooking and for that fact I was able to get those steroid shots!
I will keep everyone posted and you all will be seeing much more of me! Thanks again!
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Re: Update -- L&D at 29 weeks
Peanut Butter and Jelly!
<a href="http://s568.photobucket.com/albums/ss122/AliceNP/?action=view
Me: PCOS, DH: normal
Started seeing RE 11/10/2011
8/31/2012 = BFP!!
First Ultrasound... TRIPLETS! EDD 5/11/13
Baby w/ no HB @ 10w4d - We love you angel baby.
Baby A & B doing great. A/S 12/10/12 - Healthy BOYS!
Sawyer & Silas born at 33+6 on 3/29/13
Thank you for sharing your story.
Unexplained Infertility
After two Clomid cycles, three injectable IUI cycles, two IVFs, two miscarriages, and one lap surgery, IVF #2 has brought us our little boy!
TTC #2
After months of being postponed or cancelled, FET #1.3 (Natural FET) brought us twin girls!
We have to be the best advocate for ourselves! I didn't feel any of my contractions, even during my ptl stay I was looking at the monitor if I felt anything and would then see if it was imaginary or a real contraction lol. Do the best you can at following the instructions. I wound up being able to do a little bit more and couch rest after I went stir crazy in my bed after the first few days lol. Glad your mom and dh are both helping!
6 year old daughter
Fraternal boys born on May 11, 2013 at 36 weeks 4 days