...I went back to the high risk doctor to see how my cervix was doing. I had a different doctor this time, Dr. W. First though, the ultrasound tech brought me in, and she took a look at the baby to make sure everything was okay with him/her. I'm not really sure what the tech was looking for or measuring; it wasn't a growth ultrasound. Had a very faint hope for another attempt to see the baby's face, but alas, twas not to be.
Then Dr. W. came in and introduced herself (cool, I wasn't expecting a female doctor!) and then proceeded with the exam. She did another fetal fibronectin test, and then a manual check of my cervix. After that, the tech did an internal ultrasound to measure my cervix.
The good news: my cervix was no shorter than last time, still around 1.8 cm.
The bad news: my cervix was now dilated 1 cm.
*blink*
*blink*
Um, yikes?!
Needless to say, Dr. W. said that bed rest should continue, and her big goal was to get me to 32 weeks (April 2). At 32 weeks, a fetus has the same survival rate as a full-term one (though it will need some time to get acclimated in the NICU). Dr. W. said that she would even consider letting me go back to work once I reach 32 weeks (and see what happens).
Really?? I'm sorry, but my goal is to let my baby get as close to full term as possible, thankyouverymuch. Plus, the way I am feeling, and my distractedness over the possibility of going into labor at any time, was likely not going to make me a very effective employee. At this point, I was feeling very glad that my OB had already made the call that I wouldn't be going back to work. And Dr. W. even said that as the high risk doctor, it is up to her to make recommendations to my regular OB, but my regular OB is the one who calls all the shots. So there.
Anyway... my next instruction was to see my OB again on Friday for my weekly check-up (30 weeks) and to have a manual check of my cervix (Dr. W. said that ultrasounds would no longer be as effective). Then the following week, week 31, provided that day's fFN came back negative, I should have another one done along with the manual check. And then I'd see the peri again at my usual growth ultrasound at 32 weeks (4 weeks since the last).
All righty then.
Later that afternoon I got a call from the nurse to say that the fFN had come back negative... YAYAYAYAY! Another reprieve, we have at least until March 29 (or something)! I got another call, this time from Dr. W., the following evening, double checking to make sure I'd gotten the fFN results (she was on her way out of town and wanted to be certain someone had contacted me -- very nice of her).
And so it goes... ONWARD!
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