30 Weeks Along

And let me tell you, I am feeling extremely blessed to have made it to 30.  I went into preterm labor on Sunday and it hit hard and it hit fast.  I started having contractions during church and decided by the time I took the roll in RS that I needed to get home (and I think I may have worried those out in the hall with my tears and actually doubling over from the pain).  The pain was way too intense for normal contractions.  In fact, it was way more intense than I had experienced in preterm labor with Isaac and Adam.  I couldn't actually distinguish one contraction from another and I had a band of pain wrapping around my lower abdomen and back. 

Once I got home, Zach (who was already there with sick kids) helped me get into some pjs and lay down on my side.  I got a big glass of water and waited to see if things would slow down a bit.  My sister came to pick up the kids in case we needed to go in.  After a brief easing, the pain started up again and we headed to the hospital.  Despite hurting with every bump in the road on the way, I kept asking Zach if he thought I was just being a big wimp.  (I always have that fear, though I don't know why it should matter:)

At the hospital, they had me get into a hospital gown, hooked me up to monitors and immediately gave me the first shot for the baby's lungs.  I was contracting every 1-2 minutes with a 15 second break, and they peaked right off the charts (so . . . apparently I wasn't just being a wimp.)  By this time, it had been 4 hours or so and they needed to get it stopped ASAP.  I got 3 shots of tributalene in 15-30 minute intervals and I can't even tell you how relieved I was that within 5 minutes the contractions had slowed and the pain had eased up a bit.  After the shots, we did a quick check and I was dilated to a 3 and 75% effaced.  So we started a longer term medication, nifedipine, to keep contractions at bay.  I apparently was a little dehydrated as well, because it took 7 tries to get the IV in.  They finally had to call the anesthesiologist to put it in and he got it on the first try.  My arm somewhat resembles a pin cushion right now.

Fortunately, the contractions (mostly) stopped and we met with a perinatologist on Monday.  The u/s on the baby looked really good, but she wants to keep a close eye on things.  My fetal fibronection test came back positive (we were hoping for a negative, which is 99% accurate in telling us I wouldn't go into labor in the next two weeks).  Even with the positive on the test, and the baby's heart rate doing a couple of things they didn't like, they let me come home yesterday afternoon.  Now I'm on strict bedrest for the time being, and I'll be on the medication for the next several weeks. 

I have a follow up with my doctor next week and if things continue to look good, he might upgrade me from strict bedrest to taking it easy.  Here's hoping.

Blessings: 

• I am soooooo grateful I went into labor at home instead of in TX.  I had flown home Saturday from a few days there visiting family.  Less than 24 hours later, I was in the hospital. 
• I am thankful for modern medicine.  Because of it, I am 30 weeks pregnant right now, instead of having a baby in the NICU.
• I am thankful for all of the wonderful friends, neighbors, and family members who rushed to the rescue, helping with kids, meals, and especially for their prayers.  I truly believe that all of the prayers directed our way allowed us this particular blessing right now.
• I am thankful for the blessing that Zach and Ben gave me at the hospital, which reminded me (4 times) that this baby would come according to Heavenly Father's will and plan.  (And not necessarily mine.)