I'm not crazy, just in labor!

Yesterday proved to be a very long and yucky day. It started out normal until around 11:00 during Hyrum's computer class and I started having major pains around my stomach. I just assumed it was an IBS attack so a friend helped me to her house until Ben could come home for lunch to help me.

The pains started moving down from my intestinal area to my uterus, so I got a little concerned, but figured I'd just take a hot bath and everything would be o.k. I always go into labor early with my kids, but not at 21 1/2 weeks along.

Finally, around 7:00 at night I just couldn't take the pain anymore. I felt like I was having full contractions and was timing them about 8 minutes apart. So we once again had to impose on our friends to watch our kids while Ben took me to the hospital.

As usual, the nurses and doctors gave me the "oh you're not in labor, you're just crazy look", but they admitted me anyways. My uterus is so small at this point that the detector was only catching a couple of the contractions, but the nurse could tell my stomach was definitely tightening. She figured they'd probably just send me home, but after talking to the doctor, they decided to check if I was dilated.

Low and behold, I was dilated to a 1 already. Being dilated at a 1 after you've have 2 kids could mean you just started out your pregnancy already at a 1, but it also could mean I'm actively dilating. After all, I was a 2 at only 28 weeks with Ella. Fortunately, I'm not fully effaced (I can't remember the percent she gave me).

So, I got the lovely tributaline shot to try and stop the contractions and a prescription for some oral doses to try and keep this under control. I don't have to go on bed rest just yet, but I do have to cut back on what I'm doing. (As if that was very much to begin with)

I was so relieved that even though "women don't normally have problems at 21 weeks" and I sounded totally nuts, the nurses and doctor were willing to at least check things out, instead of just sending me home.

I've had trouble with every pregnancy trying to convince doctors that I was in labor, because I'm not a textbook pregnancy. When I went in with Hyrum at 35 weeks, I had to beg them to check me. They agreed, but kept saying it was probably nothing. I'll never forget the look on the doctor's face when he checked me and had to tell me I was fully effaced and dilated to a 4.

Ella was the same problem, only even earlier. We finally had to switch doctors because he refused to check and see if anything was wrong. Our new doctor checked me at my first visit and I was already dilated to a 2 and 80% effaced. That landed me bed rest for 7 weeks and 1 week of hospital stay before she was born.

Now we are on our fourth doctor, mainly because we keep moving or switching jobs, and I think things are going to be o.k. I still had to explain to the doctor that I knew it was unusual to go into labor at 21 weeks, but not necessarily for me. After I filled him in on my previous pregnancy problems, I finally convinced him to listen to me. Hopefully, people will take me seriously now. On to the next problem; trying to keep this kid in for at least another 3 months. I'm praying to avoid a three month bed rest!