A flat tire and a trip to labor and delivery

Saturday started out like any other day – I cleaned the apartment and then Garrett and I ran out to get groceries. I was feeling pretty good until we were getting ready to go up to Waverly to say goodbye to Katie and see Brent (they were making us dinner). I started to get Braxton Hicks like crazy at around 4pm and by the time we got up to Waverly I had between 15 and 20 of them. My lower abdomen was achy and lower back started to hurt. Thank goodness Garrett has a blackberry because we were able to look up info on Braxton Hicks (I’ve had them before but not this many). Garrett insisted (if I didn't call, he was going to do it for me because he was worried) that I call the doctor to see if there was something I should do or if we needed to get checked out just to make sure everything was okay.

The doctor said that I needed to go to St. Luke’s (the hospital I will be delivering at) and get checked out since I had drank a liter of water already and there was no relief of the BHs. I felt awful because we drove all the way to Waverly to see friends to turn around the second we get there to head back to Cedar Rapids. I know they understood and I wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize little Eden or myself. But I still felt bad about the whole thing.

Anywho, we turn around for the hour and fifteen minute ride to the hospital. I am trying not to cry the entire time thinking about how little she still is and how I didn’t want to find out I was actually going into labor. But I knew that there was plenty that could be done. ***Side story*** I was upset and we had brought a whole pan of brownies, so I opened the pan and just started eating them (they were not cut or anything so it was me digging brownie out with my hand).

About 20 minutes from CR we start to hear a weird noise coming from the car and Garrett pulls to the shoulder. I told him that I hoped it wasn’t a flat tire but he didn’t seem to think so because it didn’t sound like a flat. He starts walking around the car and then stops and starts shaking his head. I get out of the car and sure enough we have a flat! We both laughed because it was the only thing we could really think to do. So, Garrett being a manly man, got out the spare and starting lifting the car up. I am standing there thinking someone would see that I am pregnant and stop to help but nope (the whole time this is going on my BH’s were getting worse). To be positive I told Garrett that we needed to think of the good things that happened today like the good deals we got at Fareway when we went shopping:) It kind of lifted the mood a bit since we were in such a hurry to get the hospital. Garrett changed the tire and we were back on the road and on our way to the labor and delivery.

Once we got there they took me back to my room and strapped me with monitors. Eden’s heart beat was good but I was definitely having contraction after contraction. The nurse got an IV started because they suspected I was dehydrated even though I try and keep myself well watered. They also checked for a bladder infection just in case but since I’ve already had a bad one they said they needed to catheterize me. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and Garrett stayed by my side the entire time and never left for anything. They also gave me two ultrasounds to check for dilation and cervical length (both were good). We found out for sure that Eden is a girl (you could actually see her girl parts). She was beautiful! We got to see her little chunky face and watch her breath.

Well, three hours after I got my IV the contractions stopped and I was able to go home. I was told to not drink any caffeine whatsoever (I occasionally do) since that could have contributed to my dehydration and to take it easy. Garrett stopped and got me Wendy’s and rubbed my head when we got home (he truly is the best). So I learned my lesson, I need to make sure I drink TONS of water and I was told I should be peeing every half hour to hour and my pee needs to be clear. And if I have more than 4 contractions in an hour I need to just head on over to labor and delivery.

All is good now! And I am peeing all the time and drinking more water than I think is possible.