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2008-01-11 - 6.58am��previous entry��next entry
PLEASE PRAY!
It's not quite 7am on January 11th (it was a month yesterday till my due date!).
About an hour ago I woke up kind of suddenly in a wet bed. A wet bed. I had on a top and a pair of knickers. I reached down and felt my knickers and they were wet through, but only in a big patch in the crotch and up the front a bit (I was lying on my back/side). "Hmmm...." I thought! The bed felt wet to the touch so I figured it could only be one of two things:
a) I peed the bed (not out of the realms of possibility - I have read of this exact experience happening to mothers on my due date board already, and they go to hospital only to return home feeling slightly embarrassed about their bladder control!).
b) My waters broke.
Everyone was still sound asleep, so I got up straight away and went to the loo (in the dark). I peed without difficulty so wondered if I really could have peed the bed and still have pee left to do on the toilet?
I peeled off the wet underwear and went into the bedroom (where Neil and Arthur were sleeping) to fumble in the dark for a clean dry pair in the chest of drawers. Neil woke as I was putting them on and sleepily asked what was up. I told him I either peed the bed or my waters just broke, because I had woken up in a wet bed. He went, "Oh!" in a very disconcerted tone! That exchange took all of about 20 seconds, and that's how long I'd had my dry knickers on before I thought I'd just reach down and feel the crotch area to check - they were already wet, but not as wet as the pair I'd just taken off.
Uh-oh. Right? That isn't a great sign, am I right?
I did a lot of shaking like a leaf and being all adrenaliney and wondering what to do, but not OUTRIGHT panicking or anything. The biggest anxiety on my mind was my little boys - Nathan too, but the fact that it meant I have to go into hospital today, and I sooooooooo wasn't expecting to! And will my little loves be okay? I don't know.
Nathan was moving so I knew he was okay. Neil got up, and I heard Matthew wake, so I put him to the breast as usual for his morning breastfeed. It was just after 6am - slightly on the early side for Matthew, but not toooo unusual for him. I know he was sleepy though! He nursed for maybe 10 minutes and I shook with adrenaline soooo much the whole time. I tried to calm down but it was so hard! I felt sick and everything.
Neil took Matthew downstairs and I went to the loo to empty my bowels and check the "fluid". After my BM I think I am losing my mucus plug. It's clear and not bloody like with Arthur (I never even lost it with Matthew!), but it's THICK mucus, I can't break it when I wipe no matter how I try - it just hangs (sorry for the TMI!) and there is a lot of it.
I took the second lot of wet underwear off - again WET but just in a circular patch about 4 inches across, in the crotch area. With the light on this time, I can see it's clear. I did another fair-sized pee when I went to the toilet so I'm peeing fine and doesn't that mean it's not likely to be urine? I also did the smell test on the underwear I took off the second time - it does NOT smell like urine. It actually smells exactly like fabric softener, which I am loathed to admit because that's kind of classic amniotic fluid smell. :S For a moment I tried kidding myself that it was because the underwear was freshly laundered and new on, but hmmm, I don't think that's why the wet patch smells like that.
I have had quite a few normal Braxton Hicks, but otherwise no noticable uterine activity.
Arthur woke as I was finishing in the toilet, calling for me anxiously. Neil went to him but he wanted me. He wanted a cuddle and told me he was calling for me because he wanted me. He doesn't normally. Neil said Arthur had woken JUST before I woke up and asked for me then, too. He told Arthur that Mummy was sleeping and settled him back to sleep. Now he wonders if Arthur is aware of something going on that even we're not?
But HELP! I'm 35 weeks and 5 days pregnant. It's too early! I'm also GBS positive, as far as I know - my midwife appt for my re-test was supposed to be this morning between 10am and noon sometime when the midwife comes round.
I phoned the labour ward (exciting!) and told them my story. Of course, they said I have to go in to check whether it's amniotic fluid or not. I have a new pair of knickers on with a sanitary pad, and it's wet. I don't know HOW wet because it's absorbent, you know, but the surface feels wet and I can smell the fabric softener smell when I take my underwear down.
It does look like my waters have broken, doesn't it? But I can't fathom WHY?! I'm not even term! My other two babies came LATE! My amniotic sac never breaks till well into labour! And all that Ester Vitamin C! *sigh*
I'm scared for Nathan. He's a good size and his lungs should be mature. I don't want him to have a hospital stay though, but at this early stage he might have to, even a short one. I'm anxious about the GBS - a big increase in risk for him occurs (antibiotics or not really) if he's born before 37 weeks, and AGAIN if my waters break before labour.
I'm anxious for my little boys - how long will I need to be in hospital? Will it upset them? Arthur is already saying that he doesn't want us to go to hospital to see the doctors :( I've phoned Bennie and he's going to come over. I am about to take a shower.
We are NOT READY in our home for Nathan to be here! I haven't packed a hospital bag, all the stuff for Nathan (including his cot) is in the loft - the moses basket linen isn't washed, I have no clothes or nappies to hand for him, even to pack!!!! Help! I feel so unprepared!
I have just had a doozy of a Braxton Hicks contraction which hurt, but didn't last long. I haven't had hurty ones in the daytime before. And when I leaned to one side to shift my bum a bit, I felt fluid leak out. Nathan is painfully wriggly at the moment, shoving and pushing around.
I feel SO much calmer than I did an hour ago now that the adrenaline has worn off, but I'm scared, for everyone.
My parents got home from the States yesterday and came to visit us, and then just LAST NIGHT boarded a ferry to France! They're not even off the boat yet (but should be disembarking any time now) so their mobile is still switched off!
Please please pray for me - for all of us really. I'm just as anxious about all three of my boys as for me, more so actually.
I don't know when I'll be able to update again, if it IS my amniotic fluid and I end up having a baby - or NOT going into labour but having to stay to be monitored. I guess if it IS my waters breaking, I want prayer for labour to start naturally asap, antibiotics to take effect, and NO intervention necessary with the birth. I feel so unprepared to give birth! Please pray for my state of mind, for peace, for protection more than ever from this vomiting bug for all of my family, etc. And for my sweet baby boys at home without us. I just want it all to be quick if it has to happen. I don't want it drawn out over days where the boys are without me.
Okay I have to go and have my shower. I promise to update asap, but I have no idea when that will be - later today hopefully if I get sent home again, otherwise I'm not sure.
[ETA: Went downstairs, fair-sized gush of fluid as I walked in the living room talking to Neil. Went to the loo - it's clear, but mega loads of thick goo hanging from me (sorry again!), so I'm feeling fairly sure it's my waters having broken. Oh my gosh. I do need prayer! I want labour to start SOON, please, no interventions or long drawn-outness]
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