From: Theresa Jarosz Alberti <sapphire@wings.micro.umn.edu>
Subject: Preterm Labor and Bedrest...
X-Xxdate: Mon, 23 Nov 92 09:28:55 GMT
Organization: Authors with Twins
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d7
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 21:06:06 GMT

Oops!  Let me try this again!

In article <4286@bcstec.ca.boeing.com> Pam Griffith,
griffith@bcstec.ca.boeing.com writes:
>In article <1ebcumINN1v3@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> larrabee@cse.ucsc.edu (Tracy
Larrabee) writes:
>>Well, I'm still in bed.  And the way it looks, I'll only get out of this
>>bed before Christmas if I do it to give birth.
>
>I know how you feel, I was in a similar situation not too
>long ago and I certainly sympathize with you.  I did not have preterm
>labor - my membranes ruptured at 16 weeks! (more on that later..)

Just thought I'd offer my support too.  I was pregnant with twins and
went into premature labor at 24 weeks.  I was at home on bedrest for one
week, then in the hospital for 6 weeks, right in the middle of summer of
1991.

>>...  In any case, as
>>many of you have told me: six weeks will have been a very short time
>>to have invested in a healthy son. (If I just *knew* he would be OK, I
>>think it would make the whole thing quite a bit easier.)

Many people told me "wait and see, it'll all be worth it."  At the time I
was so stuck in my emotional pain and physical discomfort that I just
wasn't sure myself.  At that point, it looked like I might be on bedrest
for three months!  Towards the end of my actual six weeks in the
hospital, I started to get excited whenever I saw signs of impending
labor.  Somehow I was sure my babies would be okay, but that I would go
stark raving mad if I had to stay in the hospital much longer.

It didn't help that my sister got married while I was in the hospital.  I
was so depressed about that, but I tried to make the day fun for me too. 
My husband videotaped the wedding, the wedding party stopped by for a
visit, and I had a friend spend the day with me.  

Looking back on the whole experience, I can tell you that it does seem
like my time of bedrest *was* short and inconsequential in the scheme of
things.  But I can also remember that it did not really help at all to
hear that kind of thing from well-meaning people.  I was too scared,
unsure, uncomfortable, depressed, upset (etc.) at the time for it to
help.  Just know that it's okay to say "I don't care!  I'm in pain NOW!" 
  Those of us who have been through it will understand!

>Well, I went on bedrest anyway, but like the doctors said, I kept on
>leaking...my husband also took over all the household duties and had
>to take care of me, it really is tough on the men too.  Anyway, after
>about 4 weeks in bed, I started to bleed at little bit, which really
>freaked me out.  We went to the hospital right away, and I was not
>allowed to leave - that was on Valentines Day.  I stayed in the hospital
>for 9 weeks, until I was 34 weeks along, the whole time all they
>did for me was put me on the fetal monitor several times a day, and
>check my temperature to make sure I don't get infected.

9 weeks, wow!  Since I was in for preterm labor, I had to be on drugs to
stop my contractions-- magnesium sulfate and turbutaline.  I was hooked
to IVs and had a turbutaline pump.    I had to have those awful fetal
monitors on for an hour three times a day (one of those sessions being in
the middle of the night!).
>
>I was so bored, and scared, and depressed, I'm amazed my husband lived
>through all the whining that I did.  Luckily, the hospital was right
>here in Seattle, so he could pretty much come see me everyday.  I met
>some women here on the "bedrest ward" are live farther away - one as
>far as Alaska!  I'm also lucky that this was my first pregnancy, so I
>don't have other kids at home to worry about.

I can relate to all this!   My sainted husband visited me daily and took
such good care of me.  I don't know how I would've done it without his
support. (yes, and he listened to A LOT of whining, too!).   We didn't
have children at home, either.  I had bedrest roomies who did and I got
to see how hard it was on them.  

I found being in the hospital a little nicer than being at home, in some
ways.  I had some really great roomies who I could chat with all day
long, and I got the social contact I needed from some real nice nurses,
too.   I also felt secure that if something happened, I was already at
the hospital.

>Anyway, I didn't mean to drag on and on about this, I just wanted you
>to know about a case with a very happy ending.  We did have several
>rough patches, but in the end it all worked out.  

I'm happy to report that my situation turned out very well.  I went into
unstoppable labor at 31 weeks-- I contracted painlessly for an hour and
was dilated to a 9!  I was also big as a house (a 48 inch "waist").  My
doctor decided to do a c-section because the babies' heads were still so
small and fragile, and the birth process might be traumatic for them. 
They ended up weighing 4.5 and 4.8 lbs-- quite a lot for 2-month
premature twins!   (Babies on bedrest often gain weight faster.)    And
they were basically okay.  Gennie could breathe on her own from the
start, and Leo needed a respirator for only a few days.  They stayed in
the hospital only 1 month-- once they could eat from a bottle and
maintain their own body temperature, they were home.  And now their
healthy, precocious 15-month olds!

So hang in there!  And do let us know how you're doing!  (I may have some
suggestions for surviving bedrest, if you're interested.)
Newsgroups: misc.kids