A midnight trip to maternity assessment!

On Monday at work I was feeling pretty crampy, and generally just unwell. As we were short staffed I decided to soldier on to cover and was given extra little sit down/drink breaks to compensate.

Yesterday I didn't feel 'too bad' just really tired. Until I nodded off and the cramping started! At first I thought "okay these tightenings/Braxton kicks are uncomfortable" but within a matter of 15 minutes they were coming on so strong every few minutes and I was walking around panting and swaying to get through them..without passing out from going hot and clammy!

I was waiting for it to pass but when it didn't I told Craig to 'wake up a minute' and explained what was happening. I went downstairs for some calpol (haha I'm a wimp with tablets) and the whole journey there and back was one big cramp..so I didn't hesitate to grab my green notes on the way into our bedroom and give the hospital a ring. I explained/apologised I was probably being stupid but just wanted to ring and check with me only being 29+3. The lady asked me to come in for monitoring..so into the car we got.

Once there I spent half an hour on the monitors, in what looked like a janitors cupboard lol..not the quaint little bedded ward thing I had with Rio, holding the heartbeat monitor in place myself as it just didn't want to stay put. The monitor showed one contraction but other than that the pains I were getting weren't coming from my uterus, and little one was moving fine.

I was then given an internal 'pre term labour risk assessment' to highlight my chances of going into early labour...sooo glamorous as usual! But the swabs came back okay. I was so relieved, and am today albeit very tired and achy. Apparently I'm going through some kind of  bug which is obviously irritating my stomach more as there's a baby in there.

The one thing our midnight trip to maternity assessment did confirm was my hate for hospital stay, and the reason I wanted homebirth this time around in the first place. Leaving me yet again undecided on that front! Everything was just so blunt and blergh..and me & Craig really didn't enjoy being back in that atmosphere at all.

I left apologising to both the nurse and Craig and feeling stupid. But when it comes to my baby, id rather be safe than sorry every time!!