Monday, October 31st, I worked a full day of school but was getting around much slower and even complained a few times about what felt like menstrual cramps. We had spent the last 3 weekends traveling to Kansas City, then Nashville, TN for Uncle Kris & Aunt Kelsey's Wedding, then back to Kansas City again for a Halloween party. I just assumed that I had been doing too much and just needed to rest. I knew that things were starting to slow down in our life and I was looking forward to spending some weekends at home.
During my pregnancy, I had been pretty good about walking several times a week for about 30 minutes. With all of these out of town trips, I hadn't been walking very much so I was looking forward to getting back into the habit. On Monday, I stayed after school to tutor some Geometry students until about 5:00pm. I really didn't feel terrible and the cramping was not constant so I didn't really think anything of it. On my way home, I decided to stop at the gym to walk on the track for 30 minutes which went fine. I had been craving some Subway so after the gym I stopped to get dinner!
I spent the rest of the night with my feet up and talked to both our Moms on the phone. With Josh's mom, we talked about when she would be flying here for Farah's birth and decided after Christmas but before New Years. Then I called my mom to ask her about if she had ever had Braxton Hicks contractions when she was pregnant. I told her that I was feeling some cramps but it didn't feel like Braxton Hicks. I also ordered the travel system and extra car seat base which was scheduled to arrive November 2nd. Then. I took some Tylenol and went to bed.
In the middle of the night, I woke up a few times because I was leaking fluid but it wasn't much. At 4am, I noticed a pinkish tint but I think I was too tired to think about it. I remember thinking that it probably wasn't good. When I woke up for school at 6am, it was definitely pink. So, I got out my pregnancy book to look up signs of Pre-term labor. I realized that I was experiencing 3 symptoms of pre-term labor; menstrual cramps, watery pink discharge, and low backache/pain. I was incredibly calm. When Josh woke up, I told him that I thought I was having signs of pre-term labor and that I was gonna head to the doctor's office and that I would keep him updated. I finished getting ready for school, packed my leftover 6 in sub and left about 7:00am.
I called my nurse friend, Lauren, and told her my symptoms and she said I should call the doctor's office and talk to the doctor on call. So, I did! I told my symptoms to the operator who told me that it sounded like labor to her! (not helpful!) The doctor on call asked about my symptoms and then asked what I was doing that day. I told her that I was on my way to work which is also on the way to the clinic. She said I should head straight to the clinic and the first doctor there would see me and decide what to do.
I wasn't having much cramping and no more watery discharge, so I figured that if I was having pre-term labor then the doctor would take care of me and if I wasn't then I would go on to work. I had the teacher next door to me cover my 1st hour class in case I was late.
The doctor I ended up seeing had previously told me how well I was doing and that I was having a "model pregnancy". I sat in the room for what seemed like Forever! The doctor finally made it to the room to check my cervix and told me that I was dilated to a little over 1 cm and 70% to 80% effaced. He said that he wasn't so worried about my being dilated but that my cervix was a little softer than it should be. He also told me that my water had not ruptured. He told me that he wanted to get an ultrasound done and then send me down to the emergency room to be monitored for a couple of hours.
I was in the emergency room and talked to the doctor on call who said she wanted to admit me and keep me overnight so that she could give me a steroid shot that would mature Farah's lungs. I had been in the emergency room about 30 minutes when my water broke! After a while, they took me to my own room to monitor contractions and give me magnesium to help slow or stop the contractions. The doctor also told me that my water breaking would change the game plan a little. They would try to keep me pregnant for as long as they could and the goal was 34 weeks at which point they would deliver Farah. I asked the doctor what the chances were that I would deliver within the next couple of days. She said that the majority of women deliver within 72 hours of their water rupturing, so my chances were pretty good.
Shortly after I was moved to my own room, Josh showed up! I had called him twice to give him updates but he was unable to answer because he was working in a metal building which left his phone with NO signal! Thank goodness our friends, Lauren and Austin, were available. I would call Lauren with an update and she would call Austin, who works with Josh, and Austin would instant message Josh on the computer where he was working.
The nurses started my magnesium which they told me could make me nauseous or very hot; and just like my pregnancy I was very hot not nauseous! Another thing that added to the complications was that Farah was breech and there was concern that if I continued to dilate the umbilical cord might come out first. She said that if I continued to dilate that we would have to do an emergency Cesarean section.
Around lunch time, josh decided he needed some food and it might be a good time to run home to pack somethings for us to spend the night in the hospital. Soon after he left, the doctor came in and said that the magnesium was not slowing my contractions like they hoped. The doctor checked my cervix again and said that I was dilated to 3 cm and approximately 90% effaced. In surprise, I told her to shut-up but not in a malicious way. I just couldn't quite believe what she was tell me! She laughed and asked where Josh was saying, "Don't tell me he went home." which is exactly what I told her! She said that I needed to call him and tell him to turn around and as soon as he got there they would be taking me in for the c-section. She also asked me how I was handling this news because I seemed to be very calm about the whole situation. I told her that I would rather get her out then sit here having contractions!
I was wheeled into the emergency room about 2:45pm. While waiting for my spinal to be administered, I was about to ask the nurses if they knew a friend of the family who was a nurse that was present in many Cesarean deliveries at this hospital. Right after I had this thought, in walked our family friend Susan who would be my scrub nurse for my delivery! She was shocked to see me and immediately asked about Josh. I told her he was out getting dressed for the delivery, so she went to check on him. The delivery went smoothly! Josh watched most of it so you will have to ask him about the details. He said later that it looked like a war movie! He also told me that as soon as she was out, she opened her eyes real big!
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| Our first family picture |
I have a similar story with my second child! He was born at 36 tried to come at 32. I am so excited for you enjoy motherhood it is wonderful!
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