Hospital Practice Run

Well, I wasn't sure if I was going to make a post about this, but I decided that in my attempt to use this blog as a way to reflect and look back on my pregnancy/our child's life I should probably include everything even if it's embarrassing/annoying. So, with that said....

Remember that awesome trip that Paul and I went on to Astoria a few weeks ago? Well, sadly we did not get to spend our entire weekend at the hotel in Astoria.

At around 9PM on Sunday night I started experiencing contractions. I've had Braxton Hicks for the last few weeks and did not think much of it. I got up off the bed and got moving which usually makes them stop. After an hour of consistent contractions and some pretty intense cramps I decided to call the on call doctor at Women's Healthcare Associates. She recommended that I go into Providence Seaside. She said that while she did not think I was going into preterm labor she thought it was a good idea to be better safe than sorry.

We headed to Providence Seaside at around 11 and got checked in. I got hooked up to the monitors and sure enough, lots of contractions going. The OB/GYN who was on call came in and checked me and expressed some concern with the frequency that the contractions were coming as well as the length of my cervix.

It was decided that they were going to administer some medication to stop the contractions and were also going to give me the steroid to help the baby's lungs and brain mature in the event that I went into preterm labor. It was also decided that I was not able to stay at Providence Seaside and that I needed to be taken back to St Vincent's.

Skipping through a lot of stressful drama, at around 3AM, I ended up in an ambulance on my way to St Vincent's.  We arrived at around 5:30AM and I got settled in.

We were pretty stressed out at this point, only to find that the doctor in Seaside pretty much way over reacted, and while yes I was having too many contractions, my cervix SHOULD be shortening at this point in the pregnancy, and that yes while the baby was "lower" than normal, he was not "too low".

Here's the big "Ah Hah" moment of this whole weekend. Because they administered one dose of the steroid to mature our little man's lungs and brain they had to wait and administer the second dose that comes 24 hours after the first. They decided to keep me in the hospital to monitor me all day and all night and then planned to release me on Tuesday morning.

I was released on Pelvic Rest and with the request to "take it very easy" to see what my body would do in the next week. I worked from home for the week and was very thankful for the meals that were brought to us by our friends.

All in all, the doctor said, I may end up going into labor early, or I could still make it to full term. He said to take it easy and we will just see what happens.