Day 1

Well folks, my time has come.

Bed rest has come my way. I started today excited to go to the doc and then head to the theater to watch Eclipse. After learning my cervix had thinned significantly from over 40mm down to 23mm, the doctor talked briefly about how he recommends hospital bed rest when the cervix length is less than 25mm. Then he left the room. Clark and I were really confused as to what was happening. He went and called my doctor and they decided on a plan of action. I was not dilated at all luckily but because I was also starting to have some 'funneling' of my uterus, as they call it, the docs told us to head down the hall to the antepartum unit. Then....I took my rightful place in bed. My pernatiologist ordered a FFN (fetal fibernectin) test to be done right away. This detects the presence of a fibernectin protein near your cervix. This protein is essentially a 'glue' that holds the sac/sacs of water to the uterine wall. Near week 39-40, this glue starts to break down allowing the sac/sacs to loosen from the wall thus preparing for delivery. Obviously this would not be ideal as I am only 23 weeks. If the test is positive (protein is present), there is a high likelihood of delivery within the next two weeks although it's not a guarantee. If negative, I would be in the clear for a while. So although my OB is not an advocate of the test because of the inconclusiveness of the results, he followed through with the peri's order. Surprise, surprise...my test was positive. Now we're nervous even though, like I said, it's not a guarantee of imminent delivery. Either way, Doc says I have a ticket here for the duration of my pregnancy.

My privileges include getting up and going to the bathroom......that's it!! You read right, no showering privileges for the time being. That should be interesting.

I got hooked up to a contraction monitor to see if there was any activity going on. There seemed to be a lot of 'uterine irritability' as they called it but no clear or consistent contractions. The nurses still felt that I needed a shot of Terbutaline to calm things down. This was probably my first of many shots. After 20 minutes there didn't seem to be a change so I got a second shot. That seemed to do that trick. As great as that medication is to get things under control, it makes my heart race and gives a feeling of breathlessness. I felt I had just ran a marathon for a couple hours and was very shaky. I tried to eat a waffle and couldn't control the shakiness enough to even put a fork to my mouth. That seemed to be when reality set in that I was at the hospital and things were serious. Luckily Clark was there to help feed and calm me. I imagine he was just as frazzled as I was.

While being monitored for contractions I also had my first round of fetal monitoring. Basically the nurses find all the babies heart beats and monitor their activity. All babies cooperated and gave a good show. I'll be monitored for 20 minutes, twice a day. All the babies were measured at the peri's office this morning. They are weighing in nicely.

Baby A: 1 pound 4 oz
Baby B: 1 pound 5 oz
Baby C: 1 pound 8 oz

Some good to the day is that I've already ordered two meals and they were brought to me in bed!! Also, I'm not in active labor so it wasn't an emergency situation. Now it's just a matter of keeping those critters in there. I'm certainly not excited to be here and frankly am quite surprised. I expected it eventually. Just not today and not so suddenly! So Eclipse will have to wait. Clark and I decided we want these babies to have a September birthday. That would put them at 32 weeks Sept 4th. So let the countdown begin!

64 days left...