Friday, October 28, 2011

False alarm

Yesterday morning, I noticed areas of my uterus were tightening and relaxing intermittently. Oddly, it wasn't painful, but after it continued for an hour, I became concerned enough to call my OB. (One of my biggest fears is preterm labor.)

It took my OB's nurse two-and-a-half (!) hours to call me back. During that time, I lay down on my left side for 45 minutes (I have a cot set up in a vacant office for this purpose) and drank some extra water. The tightenings became less frequent but didn't completely go away. I explained to the nurse what I'd been feeling, and she more or less suggested that I go to the hospital's OB triage unit. (She said they could be Braxton Hicks contractions but were more frequent than they are comfortable with.)

So I went OB triage. They put me on a monitor to check for contractions for two separate 15-minute periods. They got a urine sample and tested it. They checked my blood pressure, and I had my first internal cervical check. (Side note: not fun. Going through ART, I've had plenty of things placed in my vagina over the past few years, but never someone's whole hand.). Eventually they did a quick u/s to check the babies' heartbeats.

At the end of all this, the babies were fine, and the monitor had detected no contractions. (I was no longer feeling them by this point.) My urine sample was clear, and my cervix was long and closed.

So my visit ended up being for nothing, but at least I was reassured that everything was ok. I'd rather go in for nothing than ignore a potential problem.

That was my "excitement" for yesterday. ;-)

9 comments:

  1. I am so glad that you had a false alarm! I am a mom of twins so I understand your fears of preterm labor. My Braxton Hicks started at 26 weeks and continued frequently until I delivered the babies at 39 weeks 3 days. I stopped working at 28 weeks as per my doctor and I am so glad that I did. I was never on bed rest, but I took it real easy once the contractions became an hourly event. The one thing I will tell you is never hesitate to call if you feel uneasy about anything. Triage is there for a reason and you have every right to utilize it as much as necessary. Take it easy and keep up the good work!

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  2. That's a little scary, given how you are only 22 weeks. Glad all is ok and that you are taking care of yourself.

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  3. Glad everything is okay! I agree...better safe than sorry!

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  4. I'm so glad that your babies are ok! I had that happen to me, too. It was so scary but everything checked out just fine.

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  5. Glad to hear everything checked out.

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  6. Whew...I would have done the same thing. Glad everything is okay!

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  7. Hardly call that excitement, S! Ugh...this pg can be at times a white knuckle ride as well! Sure hope this is the LAST scare for the rest of the ride. You did the right thing by going in.

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  8. Oh no. I am so glad you got checked out and everything was okay. You can never be too careful with your boys.

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  9. You made every move just right. So very relieved all is well. Huge understatement.

    Dude. I did not know that was the whole freaking hand going in. Thanks for nothing!

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