NO preterm labor yet!

Yesterday was quite a long, suspenseful day…but overall turned out pretty good!  Throughout the weekend, my monitor was showing 5-6 contractions an hour.  That’s up to the threshold for preterm labor, so when Dr found out Mon. morning she wanted me to go on into the hospital’s labor & delivery testing center. Of course this worried me (being at 28 weeks now), but I wasn’t feeling many other symptoms, so I wasn’t thinking they’d arrive yet!

   At the hospital, they 1st  did a fetal fibronectin test which would tell them if they babies were coming within the next 2 weeks….and it came back NEGATIVE yay!!  So I’ll most likely keep them in till at least 30 weeks!!

Over the next few hours, they did a non-stress test on the babies (they passed with flying colors!!), and continued to monitor my contractions (they weren’t too bad!).  So I got some meds, ordered room service (the fajitas were actually really good!), and waited for a bit longer on the monitors.

Next, doctor wanted to see me so we headed to her office.  Babies all looked right on schedule:  2lbs 4oz- 2lbs 9oz.   And cervix had no changes yet which is also a good sign!  She said overall, she is NOT worried at this point, BUT  (there always seems to be a but right?!)  the problem is that i'm really limited with options to stop preterm labor once it starts!  Here’s why:    

--the main drug that has been used effectively for many years to help stop labor was JUST banned (3 months ago…crazy!) and dr. is not happy with that…it was  always their biggest defense in the past (and what I'd always assumed I'd be able to use too!)

--the next drug option she would normally use won’t work for me b/c she said I’m petite (not quite ha!) and my blood pressure is too low to handle it, so that’s out

-- 3^rd choice (Procardia) can’t be used long term, so she doesn’t want to start it now then have to go off since they're not coming too soon

-- next would be Magnesium, but you must be on hospital bedrest and it has really bad side effects--doesn’t think that’d be worth it yet either

SO, I’m left with only 1 option for now, and it’s a drug to slow contractions called Ventalin.  I’ll be taking that at home, along with coming in for progesterone shots each week.  Also, will be going back to testing room occasionally to do more monitoring, FF test, etc.    Not bad at all!

In the end, she said I get an “A” for this visit, and can even still move around the house and get out occasionally depending on how I feel (and avoiding the heat).  She could tell I looked more tired and run down, and said I’ll be the one to make adjustments as needed (which I’m already doing given the fact I have to lay down after just showering, and get out of breath walking to bathroom!)

Thanks so much for all the prayers and sweet thoughts!  I can promise you they are helping more than you know!!  Love you all!