Impromptu Hospital Visit

Over the past few days, I have been noticing a lot of discomfort in my lower abdomen, primarily when I'm lying down ...and trying to sleep, of course! On Monday evening, it morphed into pain that kept me in a certain degree of misery for most of the night. It was hard to describe: occasionally, it seemed like cramping (not great news), but other times it was more acute and sharp (better news).

So, yesterday morning I called the Civic's Triage Unit basically looking for reassurance that what I was feeling - although painful - was nothing more than my body stretching to accommodate growing babies. However, as expected, when you relay the news that you're pregnant with triplets, no one is very comfortable giving you the all-clear. Thus, with my father in tow, I went in.

They took me right away and put monitors on my tummy to check the babies' heart rates (excellent) and to chart any contractions I might be having (minor). The nurse put the contraction monitor in dangerous Baby B Territory, who then spent the next twenty minutes battling it in a very determined fashion. It was quite the show, as the monitor leapt all over the place, proving that whatever that lower abdominal pain might be, it was not dampening Baby B's feudal spirit in the least!

We had to wait a considerable amount of time for the doctor's arrival, as she was performing a c-section. However the medical student told me that it was quite likely she would review the charts and send me home. It seemed pretty apparent to everyone that I was experiencing growing pains, and that I was not in imminent danger of going into labour.

The doctor had a different opinion, and really wanted to make sure she wasn't sending me home without every possible stone unturned. She decided to conduct a fetal fibronectin test, which measures the level of a certain protein in cervical fluid. After about 24 weeks gestation, this protein should not be detected, as it is a clear precursor to labour. The standard rule of thumb is that if the fibronectin test is negative, you will likely NOT go into labour within the next two weeks. She warned me, though, that a lot of triplet and twin moms get false positives. If that was the case, they would probably inject me with steroids in an effort to mature the babies' lungs in case they are born within the two week span.

My father and I went for lunch and waited for the test results. We also ran into a couple that I danced with for the past two years (Scottish Country), who volunteer at the Info Desk in the hospital. It was wonderful to see them, and they provided us with immeasurable assistance later on, when my father forgot a few key items at their kiosk! In any case, we returned upstairs and were told that the fibronectin test was indeed negative. I was thrilled and very relieved. The doctor advised that the results could be nul and void if I start to feel a lot worse, or have regular contractions, so it's not an iron-clad guarantee. However, it has given me a lot more peace of mind, and has lent some support to my hope that I'll reach our next major milestone - 28 weeks - with these babies intact!