Unexpected Happenings

Let me start this post by saying I'm okay and the babies are okay. Now that I've stated that fact, here's what I've been up to the past 6ish hours.

Around 11ish this morning as I was rocking a baby at work I noticed a contraction happen. It wasn't painful, but I definitely noticed it taking place. Hmm...  About 7 minutes later I felt another one. This happened a few more times when I decided to do something about it. 

Having a bit of experience with preterm labor, I did what I knew my doctor would tell me. I drank a huge cup of ice water (25oz), changed my position from sitting to standing and finally laying down, I ate some food, and I started timing these silly contractions. 

11:51

11:58

12:02

12:04

12:06

12:14

12:16

12:19

12:22

12:27

12:35

It was somewhere around the 12:02, 04, 06 part that I started getting concerned. I called my doctor's answering service (they are only in the office a half day on Fridays) and told them what was going on with me. 

Meanwhile, my director arranged for me me to leave work and she covered my class. As I was packing up my daughter I received a call back from the on call doctor.

After the preliminary questions, what's going on, for how long, how far apart, what have I tried, etc, she told me to go to the maternal assessment at the hospital.

I'm going to skip past the phone calls to my husband, B, someone to watch my kiddos, and a couple others on the way to the hospital. Let's just say that in the 25 minutes to get to the hospital, people were notified of the situation.

Once I arrived, I was quickly hooked up to a monitor to track the contractions which were still every 2-4 minutes apart, asked to give a sample, and arrangements made to have an ultrasound to check my cervix for any progression.

During the ultrasound I mentioned to the tech that I didn't know the genders and I wouldn't complain if she happened to peek. (She wouldn't, darn it!) Instead, she concentrated on their heartbeats. I'm happy to report that baby A on my left is beating at 138 beats per minute, baby B on my right is beating at 140 beats. Both babies are head down, which could explain why I'm feeling lots of kicks up high!

Anyway, the cervix looked good, long and thick like it should be at this point in the game.

When I was back in my triage room, we had the test reaults back. Apparently, I am getting a bladder infection. Thankfully, I haven't had any symptoms at all (bladder infections can be really painful!). My nurse told me that bladder infections are one of the most common causes of pre-term labor. I knew that infections could cause that, but hadn't experienced that yet. 

The bladder infection was the cause of my contractions. The treatment for this is to put me on an antibiotic, encourage me to increase my fluids, and use the bathroom more often. 

I was told to go home with a prescription for an antibiotic, take it easy tonight, and the contractions should stop sometime in the next 24ish hours.

I'm currently home reclined on my couch in the family room. My two little girls requested some of their favorite Christmas shows to watch, my husband is on his way home with a Chipotle burrito for me, and I'm still having contractions. 

I can deal with the contractions as long as I know the babies are okay. They've been busy kicking me pretty steadily all afternoon, but as long as they are okay they can kick all they want!

Busy little miracles!