BACKGROUND

I will start by giving you a little background as to how this all started. I began having problems around 25 weeks. I was in the hospital a few times with contractions that never really did anything so the doctors didn't seem worried. The big stuff all happened the week of September 14th (27 weeks). I was in the doctors office on Monday of that week and was in the hospital on Tuesday due to contractions (AGAIN, but this time they felt different). My doctor gave me the shot betamethazone that day which is the most important thing they can do if you are going to deliver early. You need two beta shots in order for them to work and they need to be 24 hours apart. The medicine helps the baby's lungs develop in case of an early arrival. On Wednesday, I went into the doctor for my second beta shot and then went home. I was on bed rest at that point until further notice. At home that afternoon, I noticed some leaking of my water so back to the hospital we went. We were originally at Methodist and they explained to us that if they confirmed that my water had ruptured, I would be taken by ambulence to Abbott in Minneapolis where I would stay until I delivered. Well, sure enough we were sent to Abbott at 1am Thursday morning. That whole night was full of many drugs to keep that baby in so the beta shots had time to metabolize and I wouldn't go into labor right away. It seemed to work. I was moved to another floor where moms like me wait for the big day. They said I would be there until the baby came or they would take him at 34 weeks (November 3rd was the day). The reason I had to stay is because the risk of infection once ruptured is very high and they need to monitor both baby and I daily. Things were quiet for many days. September 24th (Thursday) I started getting contractions again but the nurses could never find them on the monitors. Friday, I was still having them but still not on the monitors. Friday night at 11pm I asked the nurse for something because I had not slept the night before and needed to sleep that night. She gave me a muscle relaxer and said I could have another one if the one didn't work. Well, it didn't so I had the second one. At 2am I asked for the doctor and if I could get checked because I was in so much pain. They told me I was dialated to 1cm and didn't seem too worried because you can be at 1cm for a month with nothing going on. So, they recommended I take an Ambien so I could sleep. They said I will sleep right through my contractions...right! I called Jason at 3am to have him come down as I was in so much pain. Since I was still awake 1 hour after the Ambien, they moved me upstairs to labor and delivery so the doctor could "round" on me in the morning and make a decision as to what was to happen next. We waited until around 11am and still no doctor yet. Since I was still in so much pain, I asked the nurse if she could check me...4cm. Jason and I almost fell off our chairs/bed! So, I was in labor and he was coming ready or not! By mid-afternoon we were moved into the OR for delivery. They had me deliver in the OR because the Neonatal team from Children's Hospital has a room connected. They take the baby right away to stabilize him and then transport him to Children's in the underground tunnel.