The contractions started last night around 7:00.
I had gone to the grocery store and it wiped me out, so I laid down for a nap while M fed the kids and got them ready for bed.
They were painless. I remember what the contractions felt like when I went into labor, and these weren’t them. These are the subtle kind. A tightening you might attribute to something else. The feeling like your stomach is dropping as when you drive over the crest of some rolling hills. I’ve had them off and on for weeks, now. No big deal.
Except, there’s another one. And another one.
Better go drink some water. Two quarts in an hour. Tightening still subtle, but still there. Watched the clock. Three minutes apart. OK, fine, I’ll call the OB. Contractions at 31 weeks? Don’t mess around. Get your pregnant ass to Labor & Delivery.
Off I go, 9:30 at night, by myself since they frown on leaving two sleeping preschoolers at home alone. Hooked up to the monitors, baby girl is hard to track because she’s having a raging party in my belly. She looks great, happy as a clam. Contractions are showing up on the monitor, not big, but 2-3 minutes apart. If I’m distracted and talking to the nurse, I hardly notice them, but there they are.
Pee in a cup, swabs, internal exams (dammit). Shift change, waiting for labs to come back. Group B strep and fFN negative. No UTI. Cervix of steel is in full effect, no changes. Doc is delivering a baby or two, wants me to stay on the monitors for a while longer. Baby is hard to keep on the monitor since she keeps moving around (so much space in there!), so I’m stuck in an odd position, trying to hold on to her tracing. Uncomfortable bed, warm room. Back is killing me. 2:00 in the morning, tired and want to go home. Finally, doc comes back. Another exam, all is well. I can leave.
Diagnosis: Irritable Uterus.
Treatment: None. Stay hydrated. Take it easy. Tell us if they turn into real contractions. Most likely course of action? Suck it up, see you in March.
Oh, I’m irritable, alright.
I had contractions for the last 8 weeks or so of my 2nd pregnancy. It just sucked. And then the baby had the nerve to be born 5 days late. At least she came out healthy and cute! Hope the rest of your pregnancy is uneventful!
Big hugs to you.
Elise recently posted..Still Here
It’s bad enough to be uncomfortable and unable to sleep in the third trimester, but to have to do it all at L&D and until all hours of the morning, just sounds beyond unpleasant. But, of course, it was the right thing to do. Better to know exactly what’s going on and what course of action (or lack there of) needs to occur, than to be worrying alone in the middle of the night about what might be happening. Glad to hear that you and baby girl are still doing okay. And March is just around the corner, right?
reanbean recently posted..Look- Ma! No Cavities!
“Irritable uterus” is a new one for me. I had near-constant Braxton Hicks contractions the last month before my girls were born. I guess that means I was having them for the entirety of my third trimester.
Hang in there. Anything we can do to help?
You might want to line up some babysitting help for the next couple of months so you can rest more since I imagine you aren’t sleeping well at night. Hang in there – and I’m sure Baby #3 will too!
Mommy, Esq. recently posted..The Cast is Past
Bugger. Not fun at all, I am definately empathizing with you here.
Ok baby girl- give your momma some rest!
Anne (I should be sleeping) recently posted..Pay it Forward 2011
Glad you are ok and that baby G didn’t make her appearance in time for the snow. Seriously, irritable uterus? Sounds like a marketing ploy.
Hang in there, good warm thoughts as Campy Mommy x 2 is in full swing. Hope there are naps all around in the future.
heather v recently posted..The Germ Jail and other thoughts on Preschool hygiene
That’s rather scary. May baby stay in for at least another 5 weeks!
Barefoot Liz recently posted..Storm Update
Ugh! That sucks! I second the person who said try to get some extra help if possible so you can get a bit of rest. Easier said than done, I’m sure. Hang in there! Just think, you’ll never have to do this again, right?!
Tara recently posted..Back to School & New Dos
Lol, it’s something I say to patients EVERYDAY and I almost always that same response… “I’m irritable alright”! Loved this post, even though I am sure it was no fun!
Oh, boy. I hate that term!
Hang in there and definitely heed the advice to get some help if you can. And, as you know: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!