Hospital bed rest day 78 W32D2: Back to the wet market aka the labor ward, and finally, the 32-week milestone!

I was looking forward to posting a nice smiley picture of myself with a 32-week belly and a happy note that we have reached the 32-week milestone, which is the average duration for triplet pregnancies.

Just the day before we celebrated DH's birthday.  Sis was back from Switzerland for a holiday with her kids, and there was nothing like a good cheer that little kids bring along with them, which I so needed as a long term patient stuck in hospital!

Monday morning was like any other week day at the hospital.  My Obs came in during her ward runs and I had no complains as usual.  Apparently it was stated in my Peri's treatment plan that I was scheduled for a CTG scan at 32 weeks, the Obs decided to go ahead and get it done that morning itself since I was just a day before 32 weeks.  Just in case you are wondering, a CTG scan refers to a cardiotocograph where the babies' heartbeat are monitored over a period of time.

I was quite happy to finally get a CTG scan before I had wondered before whether I'll ever get one.  The one thing I have learned about triplet pregnancy in Malaysia is that I cannot assume that the management will be similar to how it is in USA, especially as I am at a government hospital.  Yet, happy as I was, I was also very sleepy having stayed up late all night on my labtop.  The nurses got me hooked on not one but two CTG machines - they said this way it would be quicker.  In my dazed, half-sleep mode, I wondered briefly whether I should attempt to take a picture of my belly and the many straps that were fastened around my belly, but I abandoned the idea feeling that it would be silly to do so in front of the nurses. What I couldn't remember was that the CTG scan could also monitor my contractions.  As I dozed off, I saw one of the nurses looking at the graphic printout and  telling the other that I was having two contractions in 10 minutes.  Half asleep, I opened my eyes and the nurse told me that given the regular contractions that I was having, I might have to get an emergency C-section.

As soon as the CTG scan ended, the nurses notified the medical officer on call and my Peri.  Things moved quite quickly after that.  They inserted a speculum inside me and then measured my cervix (both were not fun exercises).  My cervix was dialated 1 cm.  I did not know how good or bad this was, but the next thing I knew I was whisked off to the labor room once again to be tocolyzed.

So I found myself back in the awful labor ward or what I call, the wet market! I was wheeled into the familiar room for the second time, and it was exactly as I remembered it to be - the bright, glaring fluorascent lights, medical staff walking in and out, the noisy corridors, women in labor screaming and babies crying. Pretty soon they had me on the IV drip and started administering Nifidepine orally, which is supposed to relax my muscles and hence, reduce the contractions.  My Peri came in and was relieved to know that I had not taken my breakfast yet as I was supposed to fast in case I need an emergency C-section.  So they gave me anti-gastric jabs as well.  My Peri also said that if the Nifidepine does not work, I will be put on magnesium sulfate again.  Darn!  The magnesium sulfate drip is supposed to be the awful stuff with the horrible side effects that triplet mothers are familiar with.  My experience with the magnesium sulfate when I was admitted into the labor ward at 24 weeks wasn't too bad, but what I hated was the urinary catheter that went along with it. 

We then received news that there weren't enough ventilators in NICU as several sets of twins had recently been delivered.  So were were informed that if all our babies needed ventilators, some of them would have to be sent to the nearest government hospital in the next town.  Not good news! 

I knew that my babies were not ready to face the world yet.  They were kicking a lot in my belly that morning, oblivious to the impending danger that they might be pulled out of their snug little home at any moment.  And I was not in pain, so I really didn't want a C-section yet!  I prayed really hard that the Lord would give the babies at least one more week so that we could complete the 32 weeks.  I could still feel the contractions so I could not tell if the nifidepine was actually working or how long it would take for it to work.

I spent the rest of the day in the labor ward listening to my neighbor in the next room screaming in pain  every few minutes - now that's what I call painful contractions!  It was quite a juxaposition, with one poor woman screaming like the world was ending whilst the rest of the medical staff continued their daily routine unaffected.  She was already screaming when I arrived, and continued to scream and scream for the rest of the day right till evening.  If you remember my previous post, epidurals are not an option as a pain relief for women in labor.  I heard that she finally delivered.

Finally, at about 6pm, they allowed me to have a light snack of biscuits and milo.  Definitely not enough for a poor starving triplet mummy-to-be who hadn't eaten for more than 15 hours.  I resumed my fast again till about 1pm the next day, when I was allowed to take a small bowl of cereal and milk at my request.  My poor babies!  I could hear them crying, "Food, food, food!" They continued to keep me in the labor ward since I was still having contractions of 1 to 3 in ten minutes.  I was allowed to have another light meal for dinner.  By this time, I could feel my contractions slowing down.  My Peri finally said I could leave the labor ward and return to my old ward at 10.30pm but instructed that I had to go on completed bed rest from now onwards.

So, right at 32 weeks of my triplet pregnancy, I'm  now on complete bed rest.  That means no toilet trips or anything of that sort!  I am pretty much confined to my bed for the rest of my pregnancy.  Oh what fun!