Any labor & delivery nurses around to answer a question?

[anewvance]

I asked on my birth board but no one ever responds to my posts on there, it's very slow moving! So I thought i'd try here amoung friends... and I know there are a few L&D nurses on here. Will try to make it as short as possible but am really hoping for some answers.

My last pregnancy, I first had pre term contractions at 26 weeks, had the FFN test and it was negative. Had shots of terbutline and had no problems again until 29 weeks. At 29 weeks, had contrax again and this time the FFN came out positive so I was immediately admitted and put on mag sulfate for a week. Was on bedrest with on and off contrax on procardia until 34 1/2 weeks when I had my son.

This pregnancy, according to my ticker from last period, I am 25 weeks but according to my u/s I am 23 1/2 weeks. I was having pre term labor contractions on Saturday and ended up going into L&D. I was there for 6 hours, they checked me and I was not dilating, did the FFN and it was negative. Had 2 shots of terbutiline, the contractions didn't go away fully but went away significantly. They let me go home that night with terbutiline pills to be taken every 4 hours for the next 2 days. And they made me promise that I would come back if the contrax didn't go away after I took the pill.

So my real question is, with the FFN test, if I got a negative result then I have really no chance of going into labor right? I have been taking my pills the past 24 hours when I was feeling contractions. But this morning, I took my pill and an hour and a half later, I am still feeling the contractions. But according to the FFN, in all honesty, should I even worry? Am I just having contractions and that's about it? I'm drinking a ton, changing my positions. The contractions aren't very often and aren't painful or strong. But again, after all the contractions I had the other night, there was no dilation and the FFN was negative.

I am home alone with all 3 kids today so I am really worrying. Trying to stay off my feet as much as possible and taking my terb pills that make you feel horrid to begin with. So I want to go to the doctor or hospital only if I really really have to, but in all honesty what can they do there besides monitor the contractions? It's not like i'm in labor or anything. I don't want to sound blaise about my pregnancy or about that I don't worry about the baby and would do what's best for him and me, but at the same time i'm so tired of all this and need to also keep in mind the rest of the family.

So if anyone can shed some insight on the FFN test and chances of going into actual labor... I know it's supposed to be like less then 2% if you get a negative.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I'm a L&D Nurse!


Well no, not really, I'm an Accountant. But for all you know I could be because on the Internet - anything is possible. It is also very possible for me to make up any answer that comes into my mind and spout it off here. Believe it or not, the internet if FULL of unqualified Medical Advice.

Call your Obstetrician's Office. That is why you pay them thousands of dollars.


Please.

 

[anewvance]

I was just asking opinions, that's all. I wasn't taking any actual medical advice, I KNOW there are L&D nurses on here and I know there are other MOTHERS on here that have been through this.

The only real answer from my ob office when you call is to either come into the office or go to the hospital because they can't diagnose over the phone for the most part and I agree. So i'm just trying to HEAR from other mom's who have been through this or L&D nurses who deal with this on a regular basis just to get an idea as to where this is headed because I am home alone with 3 kids and no one is available to help me out today.

Thanks for your opinion though..

 

[Toby'sFriend]

ok - but the fact still remains.

Even if they are L&D Nurses and even if they are Mothers who have been through it -- they are not your Medical Staff. They have not examined you and they do not know your paticular medical history. For all you know, your OB has made a note in your chart that indicates concern over exactly where this may be headed.

Even if there is "only" a 2% Chance -- there is STILL a 2% chance and you may very well be in that 2%.

It is mid-January. Your ticker says that baby is due in April. What are you planning on saying if -- GOD FORBID -- you do end up in the hospital delivering an extremely premature baby and the Doctor asks you why you didn't call..

"But my Disney Message Board Said I Didn't Have To?"

 

[Pembo]

Not an l&D nurse but I think if it were me I'd go into the ob's office today to be checked and let the doc give his opinion. Better safe than sorry.

 

[glass- slippers]

Call your OB's office. Please.

 

[anewvance]

Well I called and was told to keep drinking and I should be fine. No doctors available for an appt today but I can come in for monitoring if I want. I don't think the contractions are bad enough for that and I can't drag along 3 kids with me (the room is 6x6 feet with just the monitor and a lazyboy in it).

So thanks for the opinions all, will continue to monitor myself....

 

[hydster]

I called my sil who IS a L&D nurse and was at the hospital when I called her. After I finished what I needed from her I asked her about your case. She asked the head nurse who told her the following. Take it for what it's worth!!!!!!!

If you had the test done this last Saturday ie: 2 days ago and the result came back negative and the contrax are not regular, painful and seem to somewhat dissipate after taking the terbutaline it's highly unlikely that you are at risk for pre-term labor. The head nurse told me that if the test read negative it's highly unlikely that you will go into labor anytime in the next 1-2 weeks and that most practitioners say the negative is a much better indicator of NOT going into labor than a positive that you will probably go into labor. She suggested that you just take it as easy as possible and monitor your contrax. If they get more painful, more regular, you start to bleed or have any odd symptoms other than what you are having right now then get to the hospital ASAP otherwise she said in HER opinion that you'd be ok to wait until at least tomorrow before going in!

Hope you feel better soon! And I hope this helped a little! I swear that my sil is a L&D nurse and that I just asked her and her head nurse at the hospital here in SLC.

 

[Daisy Chick]

Your doctor will be better able to give advice than any mom or L&D nurse around. The reason good doctors don't give advice or treat over the phone (or over the internet) is that it would be irresponsible to do it. So, as always, I vote "Call the doctor."

Please know we're thinking of you and hoping for the best for you! We're not trying to beat up on you.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Is there someone you can call to stay with you today to help with the kids? I think staying off your feet as much as possible today is a good idea, but it's hard to do with 3 little ones! Good luck.

 

[ilovejack02]

Ok folks, I think she gets it. Not what she was asking if she should do though, i think we all know not to take true medical advice from the boards. Op has been through this before and I would imagine she knows her own body well enough to know if its an emergency. I can see just running into the drs office, just to get checked would cause a bigger problem. Dragging the 3 kids in there would prob actually cause her to go into labor.
Its a shame OP that you are home alone with those kiddies today. Hopefully you can relax!! Someone needs to help you with those little ones today , where is that hubby of yours Also someone needs to be around in case you decide to go in to see the Dr.

 

[anewvance]

Thank you Hydster... that is exactly what I was hoping to hear, whether positive or negative ... simple advice, not a medical diagnoses, but advice.

And what your sil said sounds exactly like what I got from my doctor that night I was in L&D. So I will monitor my contrax and drink a bunch.

 

[anewvance]

I was actually surprised that dh had to go to work today, but he had meetings I guess that he couldn't get out of which does tick me off a bit because he knows what I am going through. But what can I say?

I usually depend on my grandparents to watch my kids mostly because they absolutely love it and gives them time with the grandkids. But on Friday we found out that my grandfather has lung cancer and they are at the pulmonary doctor right now finding out when to schedule the biopsy and possible removal of the mass. My mother went with them. So i'm trying not to create problems for anyone!

 

[hydster]

Thank you Hydster... that is exactly what I was hoping to hear, whether positive or negative ... simple advice, not a medical diagnoses, but advice.

And what your sil said sounds exactly like what I got from my doctor that night I was in L&D. So I will monitor my contrax and drink a bunch.

Glad I could be of some help for you!~ I totally know how you feel. I had horrible pregnancies and just didn't want to go to the doctor or the hospital with every single little thing. Thankfully I had 2 SIL's who were/are L&D nurses and one lived right around the corner from me.

I am also so sorry to hear about your grandfather and his cancer! I HATE that disease! My nephew *age 3* has Leukemia and it's a horrible disease! I hope that something can be done for him! I feel so sad when I hear of cancer in anyone!

Hope you feel better, drink a ton of water and try to relax as much as you can with 3 small kids. Hopefully your hubby can come home a little earlier than normal with the holiday and such!

 

[my3kids]

I'm not a nurse but have been around with PTL and contractions, hospitalizations and mag. Mine was before the fetal fibronectin test test so I can't figure that into my answer. I had contractions continually for months. At any time something can change though. The doctors figure my safe zone was about 10 an hour. If I had that continually nothing much changed. More than that I went back to the hospital for another stay. You can call the OB ward and tell them what is happening. They will be able to look up what happened on Saturday. If you don't do anything today insist on being checked by your regualr practice in the morning.

Don't let the fear of going with 3 kids scare you into not going if you think you need to. That nightmare is nothing compared to delivering now. If it keeps up call your doctor and whoever is on call can tell you if you should take more terbutaline or wait it out or go in. I didn't get more than a couple of days with the pills before I had to go in for Mag. After that I used a mini med pump with home monitoring and got a much longer reprive from the mag.

But, don't be lulled into complacancy by irregular contractions or ones that don't hurt. They can change the cervix just as the text book contrax. can and do.