Week 31
This new week started with a slight bit of drama. I woke up not feeling comfortable. As I started to move around I was getting several painful cramps. This got worse after The Accountant left for work and while I was making J Boy’s kindy lunch I was getting painful (not severe) contractions every ten minutes or so.
I went and lay down on the couch, but they continued. Luckily Mum came early to pick up J Boy for kindy, because she was able to dress the boys, and help pack the kindy bag, since I hadn’t got around to that yet.
The contractions continued, they weren’t bad enough to make me concerned that I was in full blown labour, but I rang the doctor’s office straight away at 9:00. The receptionist told me Dr G was in surgery, so she would contact him and get back to me. She rang back in a few minutes saying to come straight into the hospital and have them monitored in the labour ward.
Mum went and dropped the kids off and then came back and picked me up. During this time, the contractions started to ease. During the trip in they pretty well disappeared.
I was taken into the exact same room that I had given birth to J Boy in. A trip down memory lane that I certainly didn’t want to repeat that day! I was hooked up to a machine which monitored the babies heartbeats and my contractions. It took a bit of patience on the part of the midwife to find the three heartbeats. The fraternal triplet up the top didn’t make things easier by constantly squirming around and knocking all the monitors off! There were some minor contractions recorded, which didn’t surprise me, because I couldn’t feel anything anymore. (Apart from the babies moving.)
Dr G came in dressed in scrubs and decided to take a fibronectin test. This test can be a predictor as to whether labour may begin in the next two weeks. It’s most useful result is a negative, because that will pretty solidly indicate that unless some outside factors are introduced, (like if I decided to go water skiing) the onset of labour is very unlikely in the next fortnight. Unfortunately I had a positive result. This result isn’t as useful, because it is not conclusive that labour will begin in the next two weeks. Dr. G treated it as a fairly useless result. For me though it was a good motivator to really take things easy since there was a higher possibility that I could be delivering pre-term babies in the next two weeks. The positive result also prompted my first hospital stay for threatened premature labour for observation and ‘to get some rest’ I concluded that hospitals are not restful places at all with nurses coming in, uncomfortable beds and rock hard pillows that prevent sleep. I hardly slept at all that night. However, I had no further contractions, several checks of the babies heartbeats were all satisfactory so I was relieved to be allowed to go home.
When I came home it was Mrs S’s first day doing In Home Care. It was stressful for me. Coming home from hospital, I was tired and wanted to maintain the level of sleepless rest I had achieved that had helped the contractions cease. However, since Mrs. S is still settling in and getting to know how to do things, and Toddler T was very clingy, I was getting up and down all day. I was exhausted by the end of the day and having contractions once again.
At least I know at this stage that they are Braxton Hicks and not early onset labour. I had some Braxton Hicks with Trent’s pregnancy, but nothing as constant and intense as these are. The concerning thing is that I never know when or how they will turn into actual labour. Since I had a 2 hour labour, (from the first contraction until delivery), with Toddler T, I’m very conscious that I need to get to the hospital as soon as possible so we can halt labour if possible. Or worst case scenario, be ready to have an emergency Caesar.
It was the Carnival of Flowers over the weekend. The Accountant took J Boy and Toddler T to see the parade. They came home happy and full of stories. I had a very restful day at home.
I’ve had a few stretch marks start appearing on my tummy. I knew it was likely, but I was still hanging out hoping that maybe I’d avoid them. I only had one tiny mark from the previous two pregnancies, so I’d been lucky up until now.
On Monday, I completely forgot that I had a doctor’s appointment. I was thinking the appointment was on Tuesday, the day I normally have appointments. It was re-scheduled for the next day. Things are going well, but hearing that contractions are still occurring and that I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure down below, Dr. G expressed his doubts that he will get to deliver the babies. It’s awfully disappointing, but he is going away on a holiday for three weeks. It will be in between weeks 33-36, a highly crucial time for us. Dr Mac will be filling in, and I know he is an excellent doctor, but there’s nothing like the security of having your own doctor deliver your baby. I told Dr. G that this would be a shame and that we’ll wait and see, I might be able hang on. He said he’d love to do the honours, but it would be truly miraculous if I went that long. I agree with him, it seems very unlikely. But I also know that there have been so many miracles occur, right from conception, that it is possible. I read a great quote the other day. “I’m a realist. I believe in miracles.”
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| 31 weeks |
7 Comments
You’re carrying three babies and you’ve only JUST got stretch marks? I’ve never been pregnant and *I* have stretch marks! (Admittedly they’re on my thighs, but still… that’s depressing.)
You’re looking gorgeous and I’m praying the babies will sit tight for a while longer. (Also, the knitting thing? Not really happening at the moment… but don’t worry; there’ll be something coming their way. It’s not every day a girl gets to be Blog Aunty to triplets!)
Thanks Emily Sue. It was a surprise with the stretch mark thing, because I did get them on my thighs since my teenage years, but for some reason, just wasn’t happening during pregnancy on stomach, although should admit that there were a few more silver slivers on my thighs during pregnancy. Just lucky I suppose.
And the knitting thing – no mind. Your excitement has been the perfect gift no matter what!
Hi Caitlin,
Wow! You are looking really great. But you must be feeling the strain of it all by now. I went to 38 1/2 weeks with my twins and by that time I was finding it hard to walk, lie down, sit up, stand up, sleep, etc. You would know that feeling more so. I was having those mild contractions for weeks prior to their birth also, so maybe you will hang in there until your doctor returns. But by the time it came to birth them I was exhausted (they were 6lb and 7lb when born. Are you 31 or 33 weeks? Only ask because your post mention arnival of flowers parade.
Michelle
Look at you! A gorgeous, skinny woman with a basketball up her shirt.
You’re fabulous.
You are doing so well Caitlin! Let’s believe these little treasures can indeed ‘bake’ for a little longer 🙂
…..and I’ll be dropping off a meal tomorrow. Can’t get onto FB for some reason to message you! Either around 11ish or after school.
Yes Michelle, I’m always slow at posting my journal updates. In reality I’m 33 weeks. Which means, Crazy Sister that I’ve surpassed basketball size and now heading toward beach ball territory.
Michelle, that’s so awesome that you were able to get so far with twins. Very encouraging for me to hear, especially with the contractions still continuing.