Preterm Labor... Are you kidding me?

Boy am I glad to be home! Rocco and I just spent our weekend in the hospital. NOT FUN! So here is the story....

Last week was just like every other normal week. My days consisted of going to school, fitting in a work out a few days, running some errands and 2 nights of childbirth class. But during the week I was growing more concerned about some pain in my right leg that started by my groin area and went down behind the back of my knee. It scared me because of my history of blood clots and being in my 8th month of pregnancy I know my hormones are going nuts and can cause blood clots to form even though I am taking my daily dose of Lovenox shots. As the week went on I also was feeling a little crampy, but didn't really think anything of it because I am 33 weeks pregnant and it's not time for Jack to come yet! I just figured they were Braxton Hicks or my body telling me to slow down. On Friday I came home to meet Rocco for lunch because he was going golfing and I was supposed to be going to the beach for the weekend with my friends Vicki and Tracy to celebrate Vicki's birthday, while I was home I told Rocco about my leg bothering me and we decided it would be best if I call the doctor and let him know what was going on. Well, my doctor made me go straight to the hospital! I tried to talk him into letting me finish my last class period of school, but that didn't work. So on to the hospital we went. When we arrived at the hospital we had to register and do all that fun stuff and they took me into the ER where they drew blood, did an ultrasound of my leg to look for blood clots and hooked me up to the fetal monitor and contraction monitor. After all the tests were back the blood clots came back negative (THANK GOD!), BUT they told me I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes. WHAT?? I was in total shock because I hadn't felt a thing! I guess I just thought it was the baby moving around since he really doesn't have much room to move in the first place and they didn't hurt at all. Since I was having contractions they had to admit me to the hospital. My doctor checked me and I was already 1 cm dilated and my cervix had started to thin. Oh Joy!

Once I was admitted to the hospital they hooked me up to 24/7 fetal monitoring and contraction monitoring then started me on an IV of fluids and a medicine to slow/stop the contractions. I was also given a steroid shot to help the baby's lungs develop in case the labor progressed and I would have to deliver. I was told I would have to stay for at least 24 hours since I would need to have a second steroid shot 24 hours after the first one. Well, when my doctor came in on Saturday morning to check on me my cervix had thinned some more so he was concerned and made me stay another night. 

On Saturday, Rocco showed up at 6:45 a.m. with a bag full of breakfast tacos for us and for the nurses. Man, did he win some brownie points with the nurses on that one! You could here them all out in the hall way when he gave the tacos to them. He is so sweet and he was great throughout this whole weekend. One of my best friends down here in the Valley, Vicki came by to visit for a few hours too.  She also stopped by our house and grabbed a few items for us. It was great having both of them there with me because it made the time pass by so quickly. Rocco some how managed to get me to eat the hospital food too! If you all know me well,  you know I wouldn't just eat anything they put in front of me, especially if it doesn't look healthy! It actually wasn't as bad as it looked. Rocco decided to stay the night on Saturday night with me. That was so much better than Friday night. I think we both slept better at the hospital than we did apart.

This morning my doctor came in around 9 a.m. and checked me again. There were no changes in my cervix today so he sent me home. What a relief! I would much rather be at home on bed rest than locked up in the hospital for Lord knows how long. So no more school for me! I am only allowed to get up to go to the bathroom, eat and shower. This is going to be a challenge for me since I can be little Ms. A.D.D! I have to keep taking the medicine every 6 hours to stop the contractions and visit the doctor on Wednesday to see how things are going.

Keep your fingers crossed that baby Jack decides he would like to stay inside Mommy for a few more weeks. At least one week just so his lungs are considered fully developed. I am supposed to have a baby shower down here this coming Saturday, too, so he better stay put! We are not quite ready for our little man to come just yet even though we can't wait to meet him.

Thank you to Vicki and my awesome husband, Rocco for helping me through this ordeal and making my hospital stay as painless as possible. You both are amazing! Also, thank you to my friend Amanda for helping me get things straightened out at school for the next week and half. I owe you all big time. Thank you to everyone else for the prayers and support.