My visit to Labor and Delivery today

This morning I had my regularly scheduled appointment at the OB and was scheduled to take my glucose test. That drink is so nasty!! Anyway, everything was fine, but I told my doctor about all the braxton hicks contractions I’ve been having and that I’ve been feeling quite crampy lately. She didn’t want to take any chances so she sent me to Labor & Delivery to be monitored with a fetal non-stress test (NST) and to take the fetal fibronectin test (fFN) to see if I was at risk for pre-term labor. It definitely was a tad bit scary, but I wasn’t overly worried. I knew that I was probably just dehydrated and needed to drink more water. It is SO hot here and I know I don’t hydrate myself enough.

I was in L & D for a while (this was after a little over an hour at my OB’s office, which thankfully is connected to the hospital). Everything seemed ok on the monitors except there was a slight dip in the baby’s heart rate. The nurse said it was totally normal, but since she saw it, she had to recognize it. So, they then sent me for an ultrasound. I wasn’t going to complain at the chance to see my baby again. I waited an HOUR to be seen. This sucked as I was starving and a little nauseas from drinking the nasty glucose drink. I was getting a headache and feeling weak, and was just about to ask if I had time to run downstairs and get some food, but they finally called me in.

Then the ultrasound took an hour. They had to focus on the baby’s diaphragm for 30 minutes to check for the breathing movement, which never happened. I know that sounds worrisome, but apparently it’s not. The tech said it is hit or miss and only happens for like 30 minutes total out of the entire day. The baby looked great. His heart, spine, fingers, toes, everything. I got to look at his little face for a while and I can tell he is going to be a cutie. Oh and he is definitely a HE!!! No questions there. LOL!

The diagnosis is that I was just a wee-bit dehydrated and need to drink a lot more water.  I could have told you that without spending 5 hours at the hospital today, but better safe than sorry.