Is it possible not to know....

Your water broke or you passed your mucus plug? I've heard of this happening and fear this will happen to me. I went for my regular OB visit the other day and after telling my doctor what I've been experiencing lately they quickly did an internal and noticed I'm a fingertip effaced (still don't know what this means). Next step was to monitor me and the baby. As I sat there for 30 minutes being monitored all I felt was the baby moving around here and there and watched her heart rate go up and down (that was fun). When the dr. came in to check on me, she said.... LISA.... girl you are having contractions! Well what the heck do I know, I figured contractions would hurt So she said that I need to go to the hospital now to stop the contractions.... I started to freak out since my husband wasn't due back in town until the next morning and our baby is not due until the end of April. It's too soon for her to come out!!! She's only 3 pounds now. After crying and begging the dr. to not let me go to the hospital she sent me home with Brethine to stop the contractions. Now I'm on this wild medication and it's making me feel crazy. I'm jumping out of my skin, uncontrollable shaking, constant vomiting, my stomach hurts, I have a terrible headache and I'm nervous as hell!!!! Has anyone taken this medication and if so, did it help slow the contractions or stop them completely??????? Also what does it mean to be effaced?

With the mucous plug...you will definitely know!!! It looks like boogers as most people describe it and I like to compare it to rubber cement!

Water breaking...this one is difficult. You don't have to have your water break to have contractions (infact, you don't need to lose your plug either) but as long as it isn't a slow leak, you will def. be able to tell. My fear right now is that I may have a slow leak, but I think that I am just paranoid since I have been having good contractions now for a couple of days. If you aren't sure, the Dr can perform a pH test or actually look at the fluid under a microscope to look for a fern pattern.

Effacement is just the thinning of the cervix getting ready to dilate and let the baby out. It isn't a complete sign that labor is imminent because some people efface and fingertip dialate for weeks before going in to labor!

Sorry I can't help with the preterm labor though! I had a shot of terbutaline when I had my inversion and it made my heart race a little, but once it left my system, I felt fine.

Why didn't you want to go to the hospital?

I would have went. They can make sure everything is okay!!!

Feel better

Stay in there

Please take care of yourself and try to relax, the stress might not be helping the contractions (I don't know for sure) but DO EVERYTHING the doctors say!!

I'm sorry you are having these complications.

Stress is definetly a HUGE factor in this. I am leaving my career behind this time next month and trying to train my replacement as quickly as I can (which is quite annoying). I called the doctor and asked if I could go to the hospital and get the shot instead of taking the pills until god knows when, but am still waiting to hear whether or not I can go.

I was terrified when they told me I had to go to the hospital. I would have been alone and I emotionally could not handle that right now. If I was still living in NY I would of went in a heart beat, but living 1000 miles away with only friends makes it difficult. Now that my DH is home I feel much better and more confident to make decisions....

Thank you for your kind thoughts and words. I'll keep you posted....

awe, thank you!!!!!!!