Annie's Arrival: Part 1 ("Labor")
Sunday, October 21st
4.5 weeks until Annie is due.
I'd been noticing that my braxton hicks contractions were fairly frequent. I didn't think too much about it - only that they were happening.
2:49am - (yes I have my days at nights a little backwards)
I noticed that the BHs were happening a lot. So much that I started to time them. I wasnt feeling any pain what so ever, so I still wasn't really alarmed. At one point I was doing some hip rocks on my ball and when i stood I noticed that there was some pressure...."down there." Again, nothing that I havent felt, so I wasnt alarmed.
4:00am
These painless contractions are still happening... 3 minutes apart. Again, no pain at all - but lots of tightening. Earlier in pregnancy I was told to call my midwife if there were more than 5 in an hour. These were 3 mins apart.. which is... a lot in an hour.
4:30am
I'd been digging online about the contractions and whether or not you should make a call to your doc. It was the crack of dawn so I didnt want to disturb my midwife for no good reason. My doula, however, nurses her baby - so I sent her a text in hopes that she'd be awake. Lucky for me she was at a birth, so she called me almost immediately. She was a little concerned b/c a few days ago my blood pressure was a tad on the high side. She had to call my midwife anyways, so she said she'd ask her about what was going on.
5:30am
On the phone with my midwife. By now these contractions are 2 mins apart, but still zero pain. She informs me that these are not BHs and that they are legit contractions. I'm only 35.5 weeks pregnant and they do not deliver before 37 weeks. She has me eat a protein snack, drink some water, and call her back in 30 mins.
30 mins later....
Nothing has changed, they didnt slow down. She recommends that I go to the hospital to get checked out because contractions like this should not be happening at 35.5 weeks... especially being so close without pain. She said that they'd probably monitor me for a bit and then give me meds to stop the contractions and that i should be home within a few hours.
6:30ish
I arrive at the hospital and am admitted into the hospital for monitoring. They do as she said and gave me a dose of meds to stop the contractions... doesnt work. 30 minutes later they give me a second dose. Nothing. At this point we'd been there for a few hours, so unfortunately I can't give you exact times because I'm not really sure...
They decide to run an IV of magnesium sulfate, which will relax the muscles in my body. They also make me aware that this IV will make me feel like death. (I've been keeping tabs with my midwife and doula and they both agree that it's an awful, awful drug.) Within minutes of giving me the "boost" shot - which is a lot at once, my skin is on fire, I'm sweating, I'm exhausted, and I just want to sleep - only I cant because I feel like I weigh 1000lbs and my skin is on fire. A little later they start a drip so that it isnt as concentrated, which helps tremendously. The burning goes away, though it does make me feel a little like I have the flu.
Typical protocol for this drug is that you stay on it for 24 hours as the contractions slowly come to a halt. The problem is... mine are now 1 minute apart, still painless, with no rest. They are back to back, no stopping in the middle... and they are happening very frequently. More than they should be - especially after 2 rounds of meds and then this IV. Doctor becomes even more concerned especially since I've dialated to about 2 while on their watch.
To be continued.
4.5 weeks until Annie is due.
I'd been noticing that my braxton hicks contractions were fairly frequent. I didn't think too much about it - only that they were happening.
2:49am - (yes I have my days at nights a little backwards)
I noticed that the BHs were happening a lot. So much that I started to time them. I wasnt feeling any pain what so ever, so I still wasn't really alarmed. At one point I was doing some hip rocks on my ball and when i stood I noticed that there was some pressure...."down there." Again, nothing that I havent felt, so I wasnt alarmed.
4:00am
These painless contractions are still happening... 3 minutes apart. Again, no pain at all - but lots of tightening. Earlier in pregnancy I was told to call my midwife if there were more than 5 in an hour. These were 3 mins apart.. which is... a lot in an hour.
4:30am
I'd been digging online about the contractions and whether or not you should make a call to your doc. It was the crack of dawn so I didnt want to disturb my midwife for no good reason. My doula, however, nurses her baby - so I sent her a text in hopes that she'd be awake. Lucky for me she was at a birth, so she called me almost immediately. She was a little concerned b/c a few days ago my blood pressure was a tad on the high side. She had to call my midwife anyways, so she said she'd ask her about what was going on.
5:30am
On the phone with my midwife. By now these contractions are 2 mins apart, but still zero pain. She informs me that these are not BHs and that they are legit contractions. I'm only 35.5 weeks pregnant and they do not deliver before 37 weeks. She has me eat a protein snack, drink some water, and call her back in 30 mins.
30 mins later....
Nothing has changed, they didnt slow down. She recommends that I go to the hospital to get checked out because contractions like this should not be happening at 35.5 weeks... especially being so close without pain. She said that they'd probably monitor me for a bit and then give me meds to stop the contractions and that i should be home within a few hours.
6:30ish
I arrive at the hospital and am admitted into the hospital for monitoring. They do as she said and gave me a dose of meds to stop the contractions... doesnt work. 30 minutes later they give me a second dose. Nothing. At this point we'd been there for a few hours, so unfortunately I can't give you exact times because I'm not really sure...
They decide to run an IV of magnesium sulfate, which will relax the muscles in my body. They also make me aware that this IV will make me feel like death. (I've been keeping tabs with my midwife and doula and they both agree that it's an awful, awful drug.) Within minutes of giving me the "boost" shot - which is a lot at once, my skin is on fire, I'm sweating, I'm exhausted, and I just want to sleep - only I cant because I feel like I weigh 1000lbs and my skin is on fire. A little later they start a drip so that it isnt as concentrated, which helps tremendously. The burning goes away, though it does make me feel a little like I have the flu.
Typical protocol for this drug is that you stay on it for 24 hours as the contractions slowly come to a halt. The problem is... mine are now 1 minute apart, still painless, with no rest. They are back to back, no stopping in the middle... and they are happening very frequently. More than they should be - especially after 2 rounds of meds and then this IV. Doctor becomes even more concerned especially since I've dialated to about 2 while on their watch.
To be continued.
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