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PR: When to go? - small update
We are an hour or so away from DM now.
I've been having contractions since around 4 this morning. I've had constant back pain too, but the intensity of those pains comes in waves; they are much stronger around a contraction. They started around 30 minutes apart and gradually became 20 minutes apart, with consistancy. There were a few that were more like 10 minutes apart. (I'm horrible about watching the clock! I have no attention span.)
My water may or may not have broke. I was on the exercise ball, bouncing away, when I needed to pee. I looked down at my shorts and they were wet - but I never felt any leakage or anything.
For about the last 90 minutes though, they haven't been consistant. The intensity is still the same as it was this morning though - if I was sitting, I needed to stand. I couldn't really walk through them though, but could talk through them.
I don't want to go to DM too early for several reasons. My H worked the early morning shift (4:30-8) and is sleeping. My sister is working (although she would be anyhow if I went during the day) and I don't want to just spend the day walking around the mall if that's all it comes too. It's an extra trip to DM, when we have a scheduled one tomorrow. And I just don't want to look like an idiot if I'm not really in labor yet!
For reference, I'm 39 weeks and dilated to 4 cm (on Tuesday). I'm scheduled for an NST tomorrow and an appointment to schedule an induction next Tuesday.
What do you ladies think?
Re: PR: When to go? - small update
I know this is gross - but smell the shorts. Does it smell like pee? Amniotic fluid doesn't smell like urine.
Also - as someone who has never been in labor but did my nursing internship in L&D we had women come in often for "rule outs" we would rather you come in and get sent home than not come in. It's common, they have a few tests they will do (they will put you on the monitors, plus do a "ferning test" to test if the fluid you feel is amniotic fluid) to see if it's "true labor". And if you have a NST tomorrow and you are here, just ask if you can bump it all up to today? Send you over to Maternal Triage across the hall? Just an idea.
If there's any chance it's your water, you should go. Mine broke at home with Maya. At first I thought it was just urine or discharge, but the trickle didn't stop, so I went in. It does sound gross, but I would smell it. They *usually* want you to deliver within 24 hours, but they let me go much longer than that because I was making progress and not showing any signs of infection or stress on the baby. I went 36 hours after my water broke.
My vote is to go in. I'd rather be turned away than to not make it in time
Riding in the car is the most excruciating thing when you're in active labor, so I guess I'd probably go earlier rather than later. Also, if you move around do you leak more? Try laying down for a few minutes and then get back up. If you're wet again then the baby's head is probably plugging the leak but your water broke some.
Maybe you could give your OB a call and see what they think, letting them know you're an hour away, and see if the NST can be moved to this afternoon. DH will have to get used to losing sleep.
lol
Good luck!!
I totally fell asleep within 5 minutes of posting this, ladies! I slept until 1:30 or so when I had some discomfort. I wouldn't really say it was a contraction - it wasn't strong by any means. I got up from the couch and didn't make it to the bathroom before I started leaking. Every time I moved, it leaked more. It didn't smell like pee, but I have no idea what Comet smells like so no comparison there.
I haven't had any contractions since I woke up, but I did call Mercy Nurse and they want me to come in. My sister and mom run a daycare together and Mom is taking care of an errand right now so we are going to wait until she is back so my sister can leave with us. (H may pass out so I want someone there to support me!)
How exciting!
I'm a little different than the others. I wouldn't go in yet. Even if your water has broken, it's okay. I would wait to go until contractions were following the 5-1-1 (5 minutes or less aprt, 1 minute long, for one hour). In my opinion, the less time in the hospital the better.
But, YOU need to do what YOU feel most comfortable with. :-) Enjoy your labor and delivery!
Neena Mae. 1/7/10
"A baby nursing at a mother's breast is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature." - David Suzuki
IVF w/ICSI - transferred 2; froze 3
Beta #1 150 Beta #2 320 - 7/16 124 bpm (6w5d) EDD 3/6/13
Our team green baby was a girl! Emma Lynn born 2/23/13
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