Preterm Labor

It is all too common with multiple births...preterm labor. I was thinking I was going to avoid this since my pregnancy was going so well.

Just a quick update since Monday. I started having more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions. They were not painful, just a stomach tightening. I usually have 5 or so a day, when I walk up the stairs or pick up Jack (which I am not doing all that much these days). I noticed on Monday I was having them just walking around or standing up. I had quite a few in the morning while showering and getting ready. They seemed to slow down once I sat down. Thankfully, Sarah took Jack to the zoo for the morning and I rested. I started to notice them while I was sitting and around 3 pm, I laid down and I had 3 within 15 minutes. I waited for more, but I didn't have anymore in about 30 minutes. I called the doctor around 330 pm and they wanted me to be checked at the hospital. I headed downtown around 415 pm and picked up John on the way. Once we got to L&D, the resident quickly checked me and told me I was 0 cm, but I was having irregular contractions. They told me to drink water since sometimes dehydration can cause contractions. My doctor came in around 7 pm and told me he would check me in an hour, and if I had no change, we could go home. At this point, the contraction intensity and frequency increased. I had minor cramping as well with the contractions. At 8 pm I was dilated to 1 cm. My doctor came back around 9 pm and checked me himself and he said I was 1.5 cm. So he decided to admit me, give me steroids (betamethasone) to help develop the babies lungs and some medication (indocin) to slow down the contractions and give time for the steroids to work (48 hours). I received the medications around 10 pm and at midnight I was at 2 cm. They gave a second dose of the indocin to slow down the contractions more and at 2 am I was still at 2 cm The contractions had slowed down from 30-40 seconds to about 3-5 minutes apart. Throughout yesterday morning, they slowed more and now, almost 48 hours later, I only have them when I get up and move around and just a few when I am sitting or laying down. The goal of the indocin was to give the steroids 48 hours to work on the babies lungs, which it did. That will be around 10 pm tonight. So we are really thankful for it to have worked. My last dose of the indocin will be later this afternoon. Because of the side effects, I can only have the indocin for 48 hours. They plan to monitor me until tomorrow, check me and if no change in dilation or contraction frequency, send me home. I will probably be on some sort of bed rest, depending on the contractions. I'll be 30 weeks tomorrow, I hope I can make it another two weeks at least. Thanks everyone for the prayers. I'll keep you updated.