Annti-cccontraction mmmedication SSSSUCKKS (or, went to L&D and all I got was ANOTHER shot)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

On Monday, I went to the hospital having contractions every 7min…I was barely 35 weeks pregnant. (I wrote a thread about it here.) The contractions weren’t regular, the cervix was very soft but not dilated or effaced, and so we chalked it up to false labor and let it be.

Tuesday-Wednesday I felt…odd. No appetite, queasy-ish, overall feeling like Something Was Changing. Thursday was my OB appointment, and I was 1cm dilated and 50% effaced–not too bad, but interesting as I was at 0cm and 0% just two days before. I felt odd then–crampy, light headed, and just off, so he gave me a prescription for terbutaline. I took one and it gave me the shakes, but seemed to calm the contractions I started having.

Then yesterday, I started having regular, painful (though not too bad) contractions from first thing in the morning. They were 6min apart at first, 5min apart at lunch, and 4min apart by the time hubby took me to the hospital. (Oh, and the terbutaline? I, erm…couldn’t find the bottle. Derrrrr.)

Now, I was 3cm dilated, having regular contractions, and 60-70% effaced. Doh. Sucky thing is, they have my due date wrong by just two days–it’s January 2, not January 4. So while I say I’m 35 weeks 6 days, they say, “Gee, you’re only 35 and 4/7 weeks.” The OB on call says this is too soon, despite my dilation, despite the effacement, despite the contractions, and most notably, despite the fact that in my family we make 'em big and we make 'em fast. My sisters delivered an 8lbs 10oz boy and 7lb 12oz girl at 37 weeks, I had a 7lb 11oz boy at 37 weeks, and my sisters and I were all 8lb babies born just shy of our due dates–and all of these babies were fine. My baby is about 7lbs now–right in keeping with the family tradition. (My OB’s words when he saw the measurement estimatino on Thursday: “Oh my God, he’s HUGE!”)

When the shot didn’t calm the contractions completely, they gave me 5mg by pill. By the time I was disharged, the contractions had quieted, but I felt like I’d had about 6 shots of espresso. I hate this shit.

The doc wants me to try and hold out for 37 weeks (which by my calendar is a week from today), but again…I have serious doubts, terbutaline or not. I’m going to call my OB on Monday–when by both of our calendars I’m 36 weeks–if I can stop taking the terb and let my body finished what it started.

But–big but–is if baby is born and has lung trouble, he’d have to go to another hospital (mine doesn’t have a NICU) while I recover in my own. NO. FUN. So…we shall see.

Meanwhile, I’ll just lie around here and vibrate.

2

Damn, Ruffian, this little guy is already giving you quite a workout! Sounds like you’re getting into the home stretch, at any rate! Could you be getting the same effects by simply drinking the 6 shots of espresso? Because then, at least, mmm, espresso.

Did your son have any lung issues due to being born at 37 weeks? Or any of the other babies in the family? (I know you said they were all fine, but just to clarify.)

It sounds like it would be a good idea to have your hospital bag all packed up, like I’m telling you something you don’t already know. Good luck!

3

Hey shantih. Nope, neither my son nor his cousins had any lung issues at birth. One cousin had severe jaundice and some complications relating to being a different RH factor than his mother–but no lung problems. The other cousin was born at 34 weeks, and while he could breathe fine on his own, he had lung scarring that made him susceptible to illness for his first year of life. But the 37-weekers? No such issue.

And the hospital bag has been packed and secured in hubby’s car trunk since Monday. You bet your Boppy pillow.

I’ve had several contractions despite the meds today, but they aren’t as strong or consistent. I had my emotional breakdown where I just want to let my body do what it is so clearly saying it is time to do, but after that sobfest, I still took my medication like a good girl.

Weird thing? Terbutaline is not FDA-approved for inhibiting contractions. It’s an asthma medication (explains the jitters; my inhaler does the same thing to a lesser extent). Not FDA approved, yet widely used by OB/GYNs “off label” to stop contractions.

Whuh?

4

Oh,** Ruffian**, what a roller coaster. Make sure the car is gassed and ready to go, and I’m sending you calm, soothing, sticky vibes for the next two weeks!

5

Yecccch! I never had terbutaline for labor (preterm labor wasn’t my problem) but I have had it for asthma and I remember it made me feel shaky - probably at a much lower dose than you’re getting! None of the labor-stoppers are much fun, I gather.

Hang in there. At least you’re 36ish weeks, which means baby has cooked nearly long enough and will probably not even need extra time in the hospital by the time you do deliver.

Would this be a good time to learn to do handstands? You know, use gravity to keep the critter where s/he belongs a bit longer? I see no reason this would be at all difficult :slight_smile:

6

I had to have a couple of shots of terb, and you’re right, it sucks.

I do recommend that you try to keep him in as long as you can. If there’s serious doubt, ask if they can do an amnio to assess lung maturity. I was on hospital bed rest for nine weeks - and I would have done the whole thing over again cheerfully if it meant I could have skipped the one week that my baby was in the NICU. (He could breathe, but he had to work so hard at it that he didn’t have any energy left to eat. So we had a CPAP and an IV, followed by a NG tube, eventually learning to nurse well enough to be discharged.) This was at 37 weeks, despite him also being huge and despite my daughter having had no problems at all when born at 35 weeks.

Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl? Boys seem more likely to have breathing problems.

Good luck!

7

Holy monkey, you’re going through a lot! Best of luck to you - any idea how long you have to take the drugs? Hopefully not through the rest of the pregnancy. Still, there’s a definite end in sight, and probably sooner rather than later.

8

Doctors do this all the time. Most of the medicines I’ve taken are not approved for the reason I take them.

9

Ouch! I’ve been following your saga and it just sounds… not like much fun. But here’s to a healthy boy and mom!