Bed Rest

So much for no more complications! I went to the ER again on Monday for more bleeding. They admitted me to the hospital this time for observation to see if they could determine the cause of the bleeding, and later that night I started having regular contractions that were 7 minutes apart. They put me on a medicine called Nifedipine, and after a while it did space out the contractions more.
They also gave me some steroid shots to help develop the baby's lungs in case he is born early. (At this gestation babies don't have very good capacity to breathe air yet).

Anyway, they did an ultrasound and the baby looked good. However, my uterus did not. I have what's called a bicornuate uterus (heart shaped). Basically, down the middle of my uterus there is a septum, (kind of like the tissue in your nose between your nostrils)and this prevents the baby from turning head down like he is supposed to. It can also keep the baby from growing properly and can result in premature birth. From everything I've read, it's kind of a miracle that I was even able to get pregnant. My baby is stuck on the right side (or right 'horn').
Here's a normal shaped uterus:


And a bicornuate uterus:

So since I'm contracting at 28 weeks, the doctors are expecting an early delivery. Even though he would probably make it if he were born right now, obviously the longer we delay this the better. The goal now is to make it to 32 weeks, which would be about 2 months early.

Eric gave me a blessing, and I have been surprisingly calm about the whole thing. I still have a few contractions every hour, so I'm staying on the medicine but they did let me go home this morning on bedrest. Luckily, I can still shower and get up to the bathroom, but that is about it.

The bleeding was another subchorionic hemmorhage, like the problem when I was 15 weeks, only I guess this time it was bigger. They say it is caused by the placenta pulling away from the uterus.

All in all we're okay. It's been a scary week and I feel pretty helpless since I have no control over what's happening to my body. The major thing I am grateful for it to be here in Bellevue near family. My doctors are great and I really feel like I can trust them. I will be following up with a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist on Tuesday to make sure my cervix is not dilated and to see that the baby is still growing normally.