Last week this time exactly I started getting painless but strong contractions. I got in bed, settled on my left side, drank a glass of water, and began timing. 15 minutes apart the first hour. 10 minutes apart the second hour. Finally I called my doctor. She felt that it was probably nothing, just good old Braxton-Hicks, but told me to wait another hour and call back if the contractions continued. They did continue, at 5 minutes apart. I could predict the buggers by the end. At that point I was advised to go to Labor and Delivery, where I was hooked up to all sorts of contraptions and pumped full of fluids. (For the record, I wasn't even dehydrated--I've been drinking water nonstop).
The babies were doing well and bopping all about during the 3-hour monitoring session, and eventually the contractions tapered off. My doc did the fnn(?) test to confirm I wasn't going into pre-term labor (I wasn't), checked to see that my cervix was good and closed (it was) and took some blood and urine samples. Then she sent me home, with orders to go on modified bed rest. H and I slowly allowed ourselves to breathe again.
The next day the urine test showed I had a bladder infection and I was put on antibiotics. The B-Hicks have continued, however. My doc says that this is just a new phase of the pregnancy that I'm entering. As long as they aren't painful and I am resting and getting plenty of fluids, I'm told I shouldn't worry. Right.
I'm at 28 weeks. This is too early for my taste to have these types of problems.
So, modified bed rest really isn't a bad gig. For every 4 hours I'm awake, I need to lie in bed for 2 and preferably sleep. I'm still able to work from home remotely in two 4 hour shifts, thank goodness. My work was amazingly understanding and supportive... such a relief. I'm glad to be able to still work too because otherwise I would go stir crazy being home all day. I'm not a big soap or talk show fan.
I did go into the office briefly on Monday to pick up a few things, and my co-workers surprised me with a lovely shower. Turns out they had been planning it all along for Tuesday. It was a great morale booster, but when I got home I was exhausted and could tell that I was indeed now a prisoner of my house for the duration.
Remember how my MIL didn't want to have my family shower the first weekend of March because she thought it was, in her words, "Waaaay too early"??? Well, look at me now. I'm the breathless, barely moving whale that the peri predicted, right on schedule. The good news is that my weight has stayed steady for the past two weeks. I've gained 37 pounds total and seem to be staying there.
My family shower is this weekend--a massive gathering of my relatives, H's relatives, and my closest girlfriends. Luckily it is at my house, and the carrot cake plot has been thwarted. Will I survive? Stay tuned...
9 comments:
Oh Emmie- please do take good care of yourself. I am glad you can work from home. Commuting alone can be exhausting!
I hope you enjoy your shower and there is nary a hint of carrot cake anywhere! Keep us posted!
Oh,I would have been terrified. I'm so glad for you that it was B-H. I hope the shower goes well. Aside from the carrot cake, did you manage to get food that is approved for pregnant women onto the menu?
Take care of yourself and your little bundles.
here's to no carrot cake! Have a wonderful shower.
I'm glad the contractions were not serious, but do take care of yourself! I hope no one causes you stress at the shower this weekend...and that there are no surprise carrot cakes.
(Incidentally, my mom was told by the host to bring a carrot cake to a shower for me this weekend - I don't dislike carrot cake, but it made me laugh. Why are people so specifically into carrot cake? Also, the hostess wanted my mom to decorate it with a garden theme.)
I hope you are doing OK on your bedrest. I am preparing myself mentally that this may be in my future too, so I'm eagerly reading your tips on how to handle work while on bedrest.
I hope your shower goes well, without too many annoying comments, and of course, no carrot cake. I wonder if it will get mentioned at all?
Count your blessings at this point that everything is okay, it's only modified bedrest, and you are one of the lucky ones who can work from home!! I know this sort of thing is expected in a twin pregnancy but it still has be difficult. When you start to go really stir-crazy know that we are all here for your amusement and to amuse you! Hang in there!! The finish line is drawing near!!
P.S. And I'm glad the carrot cake situation was resolved :) I hope your shower goes beautifully this weekend!
Hi Emmie. I'm 28 weeks today with twins, and I started noticing BH at 13 weeks. They have been getting wworse and worse recently. My doc does ffns every two weeks and checks cervical length, but basically, this is something my body does, and I can only hope it won't trigger the real thing. Hang inthere! I'll be thinking of you with each contraction!
Wow you can totally clutch your side and open your eyes really wide and scream and everybody will have to do your bidding! Sorry, I find that idea irresistable. I almost want a huge family baby shower just to try that out.
Seriously though, don't let anyone stress you out or keep you on your feet. Lay down the law! Or get a pal to lay it down for you and be your 'stressor police'.
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