EARLY LABOR! Oh no!!!

So, I went into labor this past Thursday afternoon.  Jeff (my brother) took over the dance studio and made me get home (which was a darn good thing!!)  I had a babysitter already watching my kids, so I was able to leave.  Hunter hurried home and started timing my contractions.  When the contractions were coming 3-4 minutes apart, we made our way to the Show Low Hospital (30 minutes away).  By the time I arrived, my contractions were coming every two minutes.

Unfortunately, I was only 35 weeks and 5 days along--not far enough along for my doctor or my nurses to be willing to let me have my baby!  AGH!!!  They did everything in their power to stop my labor.  They filled me full of 8 bags of water, shot me full of trubudaline (sp?) and muscle relaxants/sleep medicine.  12 hours later, my contractions finally died down to every 8 minutes or so.  They wanted the baby to get two doses of steriods to make sure her lungs were fully developed--just in case my labor wouldn't slow down.  After many needle pokes and "check-ups", they medicated me with nefedimine (sp?), a hard core drug that keeps labor away.  I didn't sleep a wink, and I think I took more bathroom breaks in that 12 hour period than I had any prior WEEK before!! 

Needless to say, this hospital experience was just plain TORTURE!!  I am now at home--trying to deal with the side effects of this medication.  I'm hoping I'll be allowed to have my baby within a few more days.  I have always gone into early labor, but NEVER have I been in the White Mountains, where the altitude plays the biggest role in a pre-term delivery.  I am grateful, however, that this little girl will now have a better opportunity at breathing normally.  So, despite it all--this little girl was worth it. 

She will be here soon enough :-).  We will keep you all posted---with lots of pics to come!!!