First trip to Labor and Delivery

Friday started off as a very normal day. I had my scheduled 2 week check up that morning and went in thinking it would be a quick in and out visit. My doctor asked me the normal questions - and when she asked about me feeling the baby move, I told her that I don't really feel her a whole lot, unless it is a strong kick or punch. But that we saw her in the ultrasound and she was moving quite a bit without me feeling her.

She decided to set me up for NST (non-stress tests) twice a week either until I start to feel her move more or until I deliver, just to make sure everything looks fine with the baby. However, after she listened to the heartbeat, she was a little concerned that the heartbeat wasn't accelerating or slowing down - it was pretty consistent, so she sent me over to have an NST that afternoon.

I was hooked up to two monitors, one for the baby's heartbeat and one to detect any movement. Everything with the baby was completely normal - strong heartbeat, movement, etc. So no concerns there. But then the nurse mentions that I'm having contractions and can I feel them? I tell her no. She calls the doctor to let her know the results, and comes back to tell me she's taking me to labor and delivery where my doctor will meet me.

I get wheeled through the hospital to labor and delivery, where they hook me up to the same monitors. I'm told that I have ketones in my urine which means I'm probably just dehydrated. So I start drinking (LOTS OF) water.

My doctor had come in by this point - and let me tell you how much I love my doctor. I had left my cell phone in my car, and I didn't have Jon's work number memorized, so she went out to my car to retrieve my phone so I could reach my husband. How awesome is that??

I wasn't dilated, but the contractions were getting stronger (I could now feel them) and very regular (at their worst, about 4 minutes apart - we could predict them on the monitor). I was hooked up to an IV to help get more fluids. One and a half bags of fluid later, I was still having contractions but luckily still wasn't dilated.

I was given to medications to relax my muscles with the hopes that once the contractions went away, they would stay away. So finally at 6:00 pm (after 5 hours in the hospital), the contractions had stopped and I was sent home, but put on bedrest through Monday when I go back to the doctor.

The best news is that the baby is absolutely fine - she was moving so much in the hospital the nurse had a hard time keeping the heartrate monitor on her. We may have a pretty active child if this is any indication :)

And now I know what I should watch for, and I feel so much more comfortable knowing that when the time actually comes for this little girl to arrive (let's pray for 8-10 more weeks) that I am in great hands.