Friday, March 25: 30-week OB appointment with Dr. Y (though technically I turned 31 weeks the following day; my appointment days got messed up by the trip to L&D on the 8th).
I told the nurse that I was due to have a fetal fibronectin test done, along with a cervical check, per instructions of the perinatologist. She got the fFN test out for the doctor, but turns out Dr. Y didn't do it, because she said it was too soon. My last fFN was done on March 15, and so two weeks wouldn't be until the 29th (this coming Tuesday). Ah well (though I'm wondering if this stricture had more to do with insurance than the test itself).
Anyway, Dr. Y did check my cervix, and found that it's further dilated than last time, at about 2 cm. Oh dear. Doc decided to put me on the fetal monitor again, to check whether I was actively contracting. I wasn't, but my uterus was definitely irritable, showing small peaks and valleys on the graph.
So guess where I went next? Yup, Dr. Y sent me over to L&D for monitoring (I confess I stopped at McDonald's on the way because I knew they wouldn't let me eat once I got there). But here I go, yet again (this is the fourth time now). I'm glad they want to be careful and all, but geez. I mean, this time, one of the nurses and the resident remembered me, and I them. Well, I suppose it can't hurt to build up a rapport for when it really counts.
I spent a couple of hours there, hooked up to the monitors. I'd brought a couple of books, including, this time, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, but found it was too heavy to prop up or rest on my belly, so I turned on the TV instead, and watched the first hour or so of Unbreakable (M. Night Shyamalan's 2000 flick starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson).
Eventually, the resident came back in and checked the graphs -- nothing of note save a bit more irritability. She also did another manual cervical check -- still holding at between 1-2 cm dilated (whew!). Then she did a biophysical profile on the baby via ultrasound, and it only took her about 10 minutes to see all the signs she was looking for. Yay for baby!
After running her findings by my OB, the resident discharged me back to "house arrest," telling me that my OB wanted to see me in a couple of days. Well, I already had an appointment set for Wednesday, was that soon enough? Yup, that would be fine.
Wednesday will be telling, as I expect to find out (at least) three things:
1. Did I pass the 3-hour glucose tolerance test?
2. Do I have another two-week reprieve from pre-term delivery (will this next fFN come back negative too)?
3. Can I attend the baby shower the folks at work are throwing for me and two others this coming Thursday?
I hope the answer to all three questions is YES! Wish me luck!!!
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