My last post was created early Thursday of last week, before Friday came to pass. I mentioned that Fridays are always exciting, and mine did not disappoint...
All day Thursday my uterus seemed a bit more active than usual, in spite of the Nifedipine. I was skating the line of breaking the "4 or more contractions in 2 consecutive hours" rule, but eventually was able to fall asleep around midnight or so. I woke around 2:45am to use the restroom and noticed that my contractions were quite frequent; I had six in the first hour and four in the following 45 minutes. So we got up around 4:30, called the doctor and were on our way to the hospital for more monitoring. When we got there, the nurse informed me that my contractions were actually closer to about five minutes apart and relatively regular. They were not painful - I could carry a conversation normally through them, but they were far too frequent for medical comfort. So I received an injection of a strong medication to stop the contractions, terbutaline, followed by a tiny green pill I can take by mouth called Indocin. Gratefully, they were effective at essentially stopping the contractions. And more gratefully, our little one showed no signs whatsoever of distress; to the contrary she was showing off her mad martial arts skills for most of the time. (Maybe she was trying to do her part to show the contractions who's boss...?)
So, I was sent home Friday night on Indocin, my new contraction-bashing monster. Like the Nifedipine, it has to be taken every six hours, so no changes there. Unfortunately it has a well established side effect of decreasing the amniotic fluid in the uterus. So I now need to have an ultrasound weekly to ensure the fluid levels are ok. Additionally, it can only be taken up to the 32 week mark, so after that I will have to switch again. However, by that point, while still suboptimal we will be at a much better place if things weren't able to be stopped and the baby came early.
For reassurance, the doctor's exact words were that indocin is like the "atomic bomb" for preterm contractions. He also said it's nearly "a guarantee" that we will make it to at least 32 weeks. I am also grateful that the Nifedipine lasted as long as it did, otherwise it may have been necessary to start Indocin much earlier.
Since coming home, the contractions have noticeably improved. I still feel some uterine activity every now and then, especially in the evenings. However, I have not lost sleep due to contraction counting in three days. I don't know how long it's been since I could say that! I have received a bit of a sanity break; in fact on Saturday I found myself truly and unabashedly enjoying being pregnant. It dawned on me that maybe that's how other women get to feel the whole time, how I should strive to feel every day. No contractions to remind me of the precarious nature of the situation, no doubts or lingering dread over my week number, no struggle through hour after hour, no countdown. Just simply being pregnant, being normal.
As I write this, I lay on my side with the computer propped up on my hip and leaning ever so slightly against the side of my belly bulge. She keeps using the computer as a brace to push her head into my bladder. I wonder if it's her way of reassuring me that she will be fine, and not to worry so much, to laugh more at her because she is so silly. Or maybe she is just annoyed at the computer taking up her precious space. Either way, she seems lively and happy as ever. And today, I am enjoying every moment.
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