Adventures In Pregnant Land
I never really want to call my doctor when I have questions or concerns... even seemingly important concerns. I feel like a hypochondriac. Being that this is the first time I've been pregnant, I never quite know what's normal and what's gone horribly wrong. Yesterday was a perfect example of that.
My adorable cousin and her polite boyfriend were visiting, so we took them to Napa. We had a lovely picnic in the 90+ degree heat, but I felt fine sitting on the ground in the shade of a tree. They shared a bottle of wine, and I drank my little fizzy grapefruit juice (a treat, since I generally just have water). Peachy, fabulous, superfun time!
Then, I stood up. Shazam! Knives stabbing me in the gut. What the heck was that? Wait. It's not gone. It was like someone took a 5" rusty nail and jammed it into that soft space below my sternum and jaggled it back and forth under my ribcage... for the next three hours. Well, that can't be right.
So, when we got home, I looked this strange new pain up online. Let me say right here that if I am a hypochondriac, I blame the internet. Seriously. Nobody ever just gets a little sick on the internet and all symptoms could potentially lead to death. The internet told me that any upper abdomen pain could be a sign of preeclampsia. I had no other symptoms, though, so I wrote that one off. (Pats self on back for not overreacting.) The other thing it said about abdominal pain was that if it doesn't get better, to seek medical treatment immediately. Damnit.
We called the on-call nurse at my practitioner's office, who said I should get checked out. Twenty-five minutes later, I was checked in at OB emergency reception and wearing a hospital gown and a spandex girdle. They monitored the baby's heartbeat and my contractions for about 45 minutes. Apparently, the rusty nail pain I felt (it had faded significantly at that point, making me feel like even more of a hypochondriac) was not contractions because the nurse pointed out that I was having quite a few, which I didn't feel at all.
This created a new issue, now unrelated to the pain. I was having "on the borderline" too many contractions. So, the nurse unplugged the monitor, slung the cords around the back of my neck like a Versace scarf, and told me to pee in a cup. Gown a-flappin', I went into the bathroom to comply. Peeing in a cup while your stomach hurts and your wrapped in electrical cords and stuffed into an elastic girdle is much more difficult than you might imagine. I'll spare you the details.
And the verdict? I was dehydrated, causing too many contractions. Cervix? Happily, still closed. Pain? No idea. Likely, it was what I first assumed before the internet got me all screwed up. My abdominal muscles just under my ribs are stretching like a hot air balloon to accommodate baby. Nobody ever mentioned this to me. There's all this stuff online and in friends' stories regarding "round ligament pain", but that's generally low in the abdomen.
Well, now I know... and I'm glad because the rusty nail is back today.
The good news is, it wasn't an unpleasant experience (except for the cervix check, which is never a cause for celebration). Two great things came out of it.
1) We got a little preview of what it will be like in a few months to show up when we're actually having a baby. The nurse was nice, the doctor was fast to arrive, and the facilities are clean and quiet.
2) While on the fetal monitor, the baby got the hiccups, which was adorable because he would bump the monitor with his little spasms, making it sound like he was testing a microphone at a party. Without hiccups: thumpa-thumpa-thumpa-thumpa. With hiccups: thumpa-thumpa-TAP-thumpa-thumpa-TAP-thumpa-thumpa-TAP.
3) (Okay, there are three things.) Without me even knowing, Bryan had packed me extra socks, underwear, and a t-shirt... just in case, reminding me that I have the best one and he loves me. *swoon*
My adorable cousin and her polite boyfriend were visiting, so we took them to Napa. We had a lovely picnic in the 90+ degree heat, but I felt fine sitting on the ground in the shade of a tree. They shared a bottle of wine, and I drank my little fizzy grapefruit juice (a treat, since I generally just have water). Peachy, fabulous, superfun time!
Then, I stood up. Shazam! Knives stabbing me in the gut. What the heck was that? Wait. It's not gone. It was like someone took a 5" rusty nail and jammed it into that soft space below my sternum and jaggled it back and forth under my ribcage... for the next three hours. Well, that can't be right.
So, when we got home, I looked this strange new pain up online. Let me say right here that if I am a hypochondriac, I blame the internet. Seriously. Nobody ever just gets a little sick on the internet and all symptoms could potentially lead to death. The internet told me that any upper abdomen pain could be a sign of preeclampsia. I had no other symptoms, though, so I wrote that one off. (Pats self on back for not overreacting.) The other thing it said about abdominal pain was that if it doesn't get better, to seek medical treatment immediately. Damnit.
We called the on-call nurse at my practitioner's office, who said I should get checked out. Twenty-five minutes later, I was checked in at OB emergency reception and wearing a hospital gown and a spandex girdle. They monitored the baby's heartbeat and my contractions for about 45 minutes. Apparently, the rusty nail pain I felt (it had faded significantly at that point, making me feel like even more of a hypochondriac) was not contractions because the nurse pointed out that I was having quite a few, which I didn't feel at all.
This created a new issue, now unrelated to the pain. I was having "on the borderline" too many contractions. So, the nurse unplugged the monitor, slung the cords around the back of my neck like a Versace scarf, and told me to pee in a cup. Gown a-flappin', I went into the bathroom to comply. Peeing in a cup while your stomach hurts and your wrapped in electrical cords and stuffed into an elastic girdle is much more difficult than you might imagine. I'll spare you the details.
And the verdict? I was dehydrated, causing too many contractions. Cervix? Happily, still closed. Pain? No idea. Likely, it was what I first assumed before the internet got me all screwed up. My abdominal muscles just under my ribs are stretching like a hot air balloon to accommodate baby. Nobody ever mentioned this to me. There's all this stuff online and in friends' stories regarding "round ligament pain", but that's generally low in the abdomen.
Well, now I know... and I'm glad because the rusty nail is back today.
The good news is, it wasn't an unpleasant experience (except for the cervix check, which is never a cause for celebration). Two great things came out of it.
1) We got a little preview of what it will be like in a few months to show up when we're actually having a baby. The nurse was nice, the doctor was fast to arrive, and the facilities are clean and quiet.
2) While on the fetal monitor, the baby got the hiccups, which was adorable because he would bump the monitor with his little spasms, making it sound like he was testing a microphone at a party. Without hiccups: thumpa-thumpa-thumpa-thumpa. With hiccups: thumpa-thumpa-TAP-thumpa-thumpa-TAP-thumpa-thumpa-TAP.
3) (Okay, there are three things.) Without me even knowing, Bryan had packed me extra socks, underwear, and a t-shirt... just in case, reminding me that I have the best one and he loves me. *swoon*
posted by Bert at 12:54 PM
3 Comments:
Yikes, that sounds really uncomfortable. The contractions I could have called -- being out on a hot day it seems like it's IMPOSSIBLE to stay hydrated enough not to start having them. My mom sees that all the time in Labor and Delivery.
I don't know that I've had the exact pain you had, but I have had lots of cramps in various areas of my midsection, often, like you, coming on when I stand up. For awhile I had to roll myself out of bed in a bizarre crouch to prevent very ouchy cramps. Seems like those were right sort of on my panty line in front.
Glad they treated you well at the hospital, and I agree -- it is kinda nice to get a preview.
ugh, round ligament pain is the WORST. i had it worse with grace than i did with harrison, and the first time it hit with me, i too called my practitioner right away. yeowch. so thankful it wasn't something much worse...
and kudos to bryan. that one's a keeper. :-)
Well I'm glad everything is okay, and that you're having fun with Katie and Max. Seriously though, how do you not know that the internet is horrible for hypochondriacs? I'll get an ache in my side, go to WebMD, and suddenly it's "What?! I have Chlamydia?! Where did THAT come from?" I love the idea of your baby emceeing a party by the way. I like to imagine it's a roast of someone.
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