Lame Visit to the Hospital

So yesterday I had an appointment with my CNM. I'd rescheduled it for a few days sooner because I wanted to check in and let her know what the contractions were doing and make sure I was doing what I needed to be doing. Well, she was not available to see me because she was delivering a baby. Which is fine, we knew she was on call for that and someday it'll be our turn... but of course it HAD to be this appointment when I am so worried about things. Anyways they weighed me (lost four pounds) and got a urine sample, then a nurse measured my fundus (right on target) and listened to baby's heartbeat with the doppler. Then, as I had told her about the contractions I'd been having since my last little stay in L&D, she checked my cervix and thankfully found that it had not changed.

Then she told me that the doctor who had been consulted the last time I called them about my contractions wanted me to be monitored if I was still having them when I came in and to have a fetal fibronectin test done. So off Mr. Peach and I went to another room where I was again hooked up to monitors and given some juice to make baby move around, which it did. Everyone always comments on how active she is and yes, she is very active. I am glad as it is reassuring. We were in that room for quite a while; they wanted me to wait until my CNM was out of delivery to see what she wanted to do.

We waited and waited and finally they told us that we needed to go upstairs, to be hooked up to the monitors in Labor and Delivery, be given water and the fetal fibronectin test. So upstairs we went. I was starving at this point, of course. The nurses in L & D didn't seem to know what to do with us but they got me hooked up to monitors and all that jazz and I lay there for a while and I ask about the test but they don't know anything about what is going on with me, however they say my CNM wants me to have a shot of demoral and something else to help me relax and let the contractions stop. So I get yet another shot and this one hurt like hell. The shot does nothing to the contractions and I don't feel a whole lot different either, maybe a bit more relaxed. My CNM came in to see me at about five and instructed me to lay on my side and not my back. And sure enough the contractions stopped. Gee, I wish the nurses had informed me that I needed to not lie on my back; maybe I could've gotten out of there and not had to get a shot. Argh. Anyways she said she would check in on me in an hour but in about an hour the nurse asked me if I wanted to go home and I sure as hell did so she asked my CNM if it was okay and home we went.

So the only worthwhile thing that came of that whole stupid 3.75 hour visit was learning that these contractions are not apparently affecting my cervix. They didn't even bother to tell me to continue with bed rest but I'm going to assume I'm supposed to, and not on my back! I didn't get to ask my CNM some stuff I wanted to and I didn't get the damn fetal fibronectin test, which I really wanted as it is a very accurate way to tell if one is going to give birth within two weeks. And I had to stay hooked up to those stupid monitors again, they weren't so impressed by my contractions when I phoned in about them, why are they suddenly so important now that they're showing up on the monitors?

Being shuffled around from person to person and each of them wanting to do something different or not knowing what the others wanted done was very frustrating and really makes me wish I had the more personal attention of a midwife. Now that my insurance covers them I am definitely going to be going that route next time. I think that yesterday was also a very hectic day at the hospital, there were certainly tons of people there and women giving birth and whatnot, so I'm sure that didn't help the quality of my care any. I'm trying to keep that in mind and not let myself feel too negatively towards the place, perhaps next time will be better, but right now I just don't want to get anywhere near the place unless I have to.