The Middle Chapters

Remember those contractions I was having? Well, they still haven't led anywhere but a softened cervix, but they got a lot more regular and a fair amount more painful. I ended up at the doctor's on Tuesday to see where things were. I've had several non-stress tests now - it's where they monitor both the baby's heart rate and the uterine activity level. The baby has always done fine and, with one exception, I'm always contracting. This time the contractions looked huge on the print-out, which led to a shot of terbutaline and new medication - nifedipine. The terbutaline stopped the contractions and the nifedipine seems to be keeping them general down to a dull roar.

Yesterday was unfun. The initial side effects of the nifedipine - nausea and headache - had kicked in and the contractions were still very present. Today was much better. No nausea or headache and contractions generally only when I'm standing or walking.

I lasted a whole 4 hours at the office before I totally ran out of steam. (Which is better than the crying on Tuesday.) I feel like a serious wimp, but I just can't handle a full day at the office and may have to stop short of next Friday when I had planned to start my maternity leave. I've finished or passed on most of my current projects. And am getting over the feeling that I'm leaving the team in a lurch. (As of yesterday, we have - without me - 2 full time people and 4, count them 4, part-time people working on these clients' projects.) They can handle things without brain-addled me.

I keep thinking that I'm so close to being at term, but just realized that if the wiggler is born soon, it still likely means weeks in NICU. That's why I'm happy to be in bed right now and plan to stay here in general for the forseeable future.