First Bump in the Road

On Tuesday after meeting with our doctor, we found out that I was dilated 1 cm and my contractions were coming more consistently. Our doctor told us that I would need to be admitted to the hospital as soon as we left the clinic in order to monitor my contractions for as long as needed, and so that I could have a round of steroids injected to start the development of the babies’ lungs. We were not sure if I would be staying for just a little while or would be checking in for the long haul.

I was really surprised and upset to hear the news. Everything has been going so well and I just wasn’t expecting anything to happen so soon. At the same time, I knew that the hospital was the best place to be so that they were watching me 24/7 and aware of my progress. One of the doctors at the clinic told me that one good thing about being in the hospital is that the responsibility is off of you, as far as having to decipher what is going on with your body. I tried to keep that in mind as Gray and I drove over to the hospital.

When we got there they put me in a labor and delivery room and started getting me hooked up to monitors and an IV. There was one monitor for every baby and a monitor to track my contractions strapped around my middle. The IV took forever because my veins are hard to find. After two needles and three nurses they were able to get it in. They checked to see if I had dilated anymore and there was no change. They gave me a steroid injection so that the babies’ lungs could start to mature in case the babies are born earlier than we hoped. After all of that, they wheeled me down to the room I would be staying in. They left the monitor on for contractions until late that evening and came in several times to check the babies’ heart rates.

After eating and getting lots of water down, my contractions began to subside and the doctors felt like I could be off of the monitor for the night. In the morning, they checked the babies and my contractions again and everything looked better. They told me that I would either be able to leave that evening after my second steroid injection or the following day. Gray and I were so happy to hear that I wouldn’t have to stay there and would be able to go back home for bedrest. Before we left, we were able to visit the NICU, see the preemies and meet some nurses and doctors that work there. It was unbelievable to see how tiny the babies were, but Gray and I both agreed that the visit made us feel better, knowing what to expect and seeing that they were all doing so well.

Now we are home and I’m on strict bedrest. They’ve told me to lie down except for bathroom breaks and a quick shower. My mother is here taking care of my every need and making sure that I’m constantly hydrated and eating consistently. I am so happy that she is here and that my daddy is coming up on Friday. I don’t know what I would have done without my sweet husband. Gray took care of everything and as always made me feel much calmer about the whole thing. While he was calling relatives with updates, a nurse asked me if he was a doctor. He has picked up all of the lingo and is well informed and she thought that he definitely knew what he was talking about. I love him so much! Last night he made a “Contraction Tracker” for me to use during the day. I’m tallying my contractions so that I am better aware of them and know when to call the doctor.

I’m feeling better today because I got so much sleep last night. I am feeling contractions at the moment, but I’m watching them to make sure that there aren’t too many in an hour. Thank you so much for all of the prayers. The babies’ weights are now:

Broox: 1 lb 11 oz.
Jane: 1 lb 4 oz.
Virginia: 1 lb 10 oz.
Rainer: 1 lb 14 oz.
They are doing great, but we still want to keep it up for several more weeks.