Eventful Day

28w5d

What a day!! Long story short, everything is fine BUT I spent my morning in the Labor and Delivery ward.  Allow me to explain.

I woke up at midnight with a sharp pain in my lower uterus. I thought that maybe I needed to use the bathroom and that I was just going to have a big 'ol bowel movement, but that wasn't the case. It went away and I went back to sleep only to be awoken again an hour later. It felt like the worst menstrual cramps ever, but nothing that I had ever actually felt before. And in addition to the abdominal pain, there was radiating pain down my legs (which I sometimes get with my period) and radiating back pain.  The pain came in a wave that lasted maybe a minute and then was gone.  It came back an hour later and then 4 more times, about 60-90 minutes apart and it was pretty clear that they were contractions.

So I called my OB as soon as the office opened and they wanted to see me ASAP.  At this point I hadn't had any pain for almost 3 hours and was relieved but as I was walking into the hospital (where my OB is), it came again and then lingered. I felt like I had my period - mildly crampy and just icky in general. They checked me out and my cervix was perfectly tight.  They did that test (can't remember what it's called) where they check your level to see if you are going into labor anytime soon - it's just a vaginal culture. 

THEN she says she wants to send me to labor and delivery just to be sure! I have to say that I was a little freaked out.  I was alone and this is the first time Russ didn't come with me to an appt.  I was so sure that it was nothing...  So I'm walking through the hospital trying to find where I need to go and I'm trying not to cry. And then I get there and realize they basically have to admit me! I get a wristband and a room and have to wear a gown and everything! They could tell I was anxious and were really good at calming me down.

They hooked me up to monitors for baby's heart and contractions.  I sat there for a a couple hours and they let me go. The test came back negative which means there's a 99% chance that I WON'T go into labor in the next 2 weeks (thank goodness!). Russ was on the way into the hospital when they released me so he didn't get to see the whole thing, but I have to say I am impressed with the rooms and the nurses and am glad I'm delivering there.

So basically I'm fine and they chalked it up to maybe I was dehydrated or maybe it was for no good reason at all.  I'm supposed to "take it easy" for the next few days.  I wonder if that means host a shower for 75 people? =)

What did I learn? Well.......if the pain I felt last night is anything like labor pain, my whole unmedicated birth plan might be out the window. I have to remember thought that when I'm really in labor, the pain will be purposeful and I won't be scared like I was last night so maybe I can make it through.  We shall see.

My day ended at the endocrinologist (same building as my OB/hospital) where I got my glucose monitoring kit so I get to start poking tomorrow.  Fun, wow.