We discussed Cytotec/Cervadil again. I told him I did a little more research on it and I felt better knowing he only uses the smallest does. Sometimes Cytotec will bring on contractions and Pitocin may not be needed. He also said it works faster. But he said he would let me choose. He mentioned if I'm dilating by Tuesday (my induction date) we won't even need to worry about it and just go straight to Pitocin. So, I have an induction scheduled for 7:30 Tuesday morning, the 6th of December.
Now, about my trip to L & D. My doctor said I could go have blood drawn to make sure I'm not on the verge of toxemia (my BP today was 138/78-much, much higher than my normal). So I agreed. I figured I would just go over and they would take my blood and that would be it. But that wasn't the case, and I'm thankful.
I got there and had to pee in a cup. Then I realized they would actually be monitoring me while I waited for the lab to come draw my blood and receive the results. This was pretty big for me. I've never been to the hospital as a patient. I've never had to be on the other side of being a nurse. It was so strange.
They hooked me up to the fetal heart rate monitor and contraction monitor and put the blood pressure cuff on every 15 minutes. (The nurse said I had a stretch mark that looks like a heart...that was pretty cool...lol). She asked me if I have had any contractions while she was hooking me up and I said no. Once she was done she left the room. And almost immediately a little hill appeared on the contraction monitor.
The contraction felt like I was tightening my abs mixed with Tanner moving. I've been having contractions and not realizing what they actually were. (They may have been happening because my doctor tried to open my cervix). Eight minutes later another hill appeared. And eight minutes after that...Nick figured out they were every eight minutes lasting about a minute and a half. In a way I was so happy. I know these will probably taper off, but knowing my body is actually doing something is so nice! It was neat because Nick could tell a contraction was about to start because Tanner's heart rate would pick up and then the little hill would start to appear on the monitor. I wouldn't even feel anything yet.
The nurse came back into the room and gave me the little button to do kick counts. Tanner was very active today, so I was constantly pushing the button. He even kicked the heart rate monitor and made this LOUD noise. My mom, Nick, and I couldn't stop laughing.
The guy from the lab showed up and drew my blood. He went ahead and drew extra, in case I went into labor within the next 3 days. I felt really weird because he put the blood band on. I know what this is from working at this hospital. Its for blood transfusions. That did freak me out a little bit.
It took maybe 20 minutes for the results to come back. Just enough time to listen to Tanner's heart rate a little more and answer all the admission questions. The results from the blood work were great! I am so relieved! I feel much better about waiting until Tuesday to be induced.
I'm still having contractions. I haven't really relaxed enough since we've been home to time them. We're going to dinner soon so maybe during that I'll time them. I would love to go into labor on my own and not have to deal with the induction, but it is what it is, and I'm happy knowing I will have a baby by next week. Fingers crossed that these contractions pick up though!!!
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