23 weeks... Bed rest

23 weeks this week. Mangoes.

The evening before my 23 week appointment, I noticed a small amount of green mucus on the tp (sorry for the tmi.) I realized it clearly wasn't normal, but there wasn't much so I made a mental note and moved on. Friday morning, there was a significant amount of it so I decided I should probably call the doctor just in case. My appointment was at 2:40 but they wanted to see me at 10 instead. The ultrasound went well, and the babies measure in at 1.4 oz, 1.3 & 1.3. The doctor examined me because of the discharge and learned that my cervix had shortened, and I was 1 cm dilated. She immediately had me placed on a monitor and admitted, where we found out I was in fact contracting.

The next few hours are a blur of activity and meds... Magnesium to protect their brains and slow labor, pills to stop contractions, steroids to mature their lungs... 23 weekers are just at the cusp of viability, however the prognosis is quite grim. Per the neonatologist, only 2-3 out of 10 23 weekers survive birth, and only 1 of 10 who survive do not have some sort of neural damage. Furthermore, 23 weekers can deliver through 4-5 cm, so while 1 cm dilation is nothing for a full term baby, it's significant for these babes.

As of today, Saturday, the contractions have stopped... The last contraction was around 2:30 am. I was taken off of the mag around 9, but I refused to go without the contraction monitor. There hasn't been a contraction all day, so as of 9 pm I let the nurse talk me into taking it off. I was using it as a security blanket all day... Which they think is making me more nervous. I remain 1 cm dilated and their cultures came back to show I have a yeast infection... Not loss of my mucus plug as previously thought.

And so, this is it. Bed rest. A full month before the date I set for myself in my mind.. and I had really hoped it would start before any dilation occurred, of course. At our last appointment 2 weeks ago, everything was fine. My cervix measured normal length. This happened fast, but who knows when it started because I didn't feel any contractions until after midnight last night (which they continuously mention is s good sign.)

Obviously this is not best case scenario; but it could be worse so I am grateful for the stability, no matter how fleeting it could possibly be. It seems I'll be in the hospital for the foreseeable future. Per the doctor this morning, I could potentially go home for bed rest if I become a "barnacle" here at the hospital. Here's to hoping. And, per our doctor,  with every day in my belly cutting 3 days off our NICU time (not to mention the significant growth occurring,) I'll have to take it one day at a time and hope they stay nice & snug in there.