Little Visit to the Hospital

It’s been a crazy week for us. DJ had to take me to the hospital Wednesday night because I started having contractions that wouldn’t stop. I had some earlier at work, so I came home and drank some water and laid down (like a good patient because that’s what I was told to do). I drank 3 bottles of water in an hour so of course I had to pee HORRIBLY. But, I kept telling myself that I was supposed to lie down until they stopped and if I could just hang in there a few more minutes it would be over, and then I could get up and go to the bathroom. They didn’t stop. They were coming about every 4 minutes. I was scared. So, I called my midwife and she told me that I needed some medication to make them stop so I should go to the hospital. She said I probably just had a UTI or something little causing it, but I still needed to get there immediately. She called ahead and they were waiting for us to arrive (THAT was scary!!!). The first thing they had me do was give a urine sample, then they strapped me to the baby and contraction monitors - but the contractions had almost stopped completely. Maci was dancing around like it was a party – they couldn’t get more than a 10 second strip of her heartbeat because she was too fast (that was such a GREAT noise to hear – her moving and kicking against the monitors). So, after being subject to some very uncomfortable tests and inspections, they determined that my full bladder had caused my contractions. I was not in (or at risk for) pre-term labor. HALLELUJAH!! I do not need bed rest. HALLELUJAH!! I do not have a UTI. HALLELUJAH!! I just need to pee when I feel the urge and continue to drink lots of water and put my feet up when I do have Braxton-Hicks...knowing that my rest should be interrupted if a full bladder occurs. :-) They gave me a sleeping pill (baby-safe, of course) and sent me home to get a good nights rest. I think they thought I was crazy. DJ was great. He was so supportive and helpful - he had just roasted asparagus to go with our leftover dinner when we were told we had to leave, he gave that up and ate hospital food (once I got all settled in), and he called our family and spoke to everyone multiple times while I tried to get some rest. He's a really great husband. I'm a lucky girl. They sent us home a little before 11pm and I was wheeled out in a drugged state of semi consciousness, slept for 6 hours, then back to work yesterday. Thank you all for your calls and e-mails. And thanks for not thinking I was crazy...I WAS having contractions - how was I supposed to know a full bladder was the reason? :-)

PRAISE:
The good news is that Maci is doing great and I'm fine!!!! And DJ passed his Supportive Husband Test and will now be given full reign while I'm in labor for real.

CONTINUED PRAYER:
I did have to rest for a while at work yesterday because I started having them again (with an empty bladder), but they stopped after a few minutes of having my feet up – please pray that they stop completely. My midwife is pretty aggressive with the bed-rest order and that would really STINK. I go see her on Monday.