Monday, March 31, 2008

Back to the nethers

Five-minute OB visit for me this morning (not including the hour wait). I told Dr. Pro I'd been having contractions on and off for a week, and she made the frowny face at me, but reminded me there's nothing to be done about uterine irritability at this point. We discussed 17-hydroxyprogesterone shots down the road, but those aren't even an option for another four weeks.

I'm not actually all that panicked about it yet. I'm expecting to experience at least one bout of preterm labor -- I think contracting is just what I do -- and to spend some time on bedrest and perhaps in the hospital. It'll be scary and un-fun when it happens, but I also expect that they'll be able to shut it down, as they did last time. With just one baby, it may not even happen until I'm far enough along that labor wouldn't be stopped. While it would be nice to take home a full-term baby, I've had near-term babies before, so it's maybe not quite as frightening a prospect as last time.

I do worry about not going to L&D until it's too late, because I'm so used to ignoring contractions. If I called my doctor every time I had four contractions in an hour, I'd be in her office every single day of my third trimester. Last time, my personal rule was that we went to L&D when they'd been five minutes apart for two hours, and the first-line remedies like drinking water hadn't worked. Since you dilate quicker in second pregnancies, I'm mildly concerned that I will cross the threshold of "active labor" before going in, and wind up having to have the baby. We'll see what my doctor sets her threshold as later on in the pregnancy.

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In other news, we bought potties for the girls on Saturday. We're doing more potty familiarization than potty training at this point -- we sit them on the potties before baths, and if they should happen to use it, wonderful. They seem to get a big kick out of sitting on the potties, and both girls have peed in them. It's coincidental at this point, but that's how it starts.

I don't expect them to be fully potty-trained any time soon. I think they'll get that potties are for peeing and pooping pretty quickly, but I expect they'll be slower to catch on that we *only* pee and poop in the potty. In my ideal world, I'll have them day-trained by the time the new baby gets here, with pull-ups for naps and bedtime and maybe outings. I don't think that's completely unreasonable, and every diaper I don't have to change will be a win.

4 comments:

Eva said...

I remember so well the frequent contractions of my pregnancy (starting around 16 weeks?). And as you said, not following the 4 in an hour rule because that's what my body did. One time I went to the hospital they were 2 minutes apart (maybe that was at 24 weeks?). In the end they had to cut me open because, as the OB said, I had the cervix of steel. I'm glad it's a little less stressful this time, and I hope your body handles this pregnancy easily and that those babes stay in there a long time.

You didn't mention nausea, so I'm hoping that's improving!

Stacey said...

You'll have to tell me how the 17p shot is. Dr. M said it was definitely on the table.

screamish said...

Just came across your blog. its nice to see someone dealing so well with twins (i recently found out I'm expecting them)!

fun posts...

the folkemers said...

I just came across your blog as well. Finally someone else who knows what HG is, let alone a Reglan pump. Glad to see you are doing well. My due date is a few days before you and I am still on the pump. Hoping to be untethered in a couple weeks!