One more way this pregnancy is my hardest one...

Thursday morning I called my doctor to tell him about some preterm labor symptoms I was experiencing, so he sent me to the hospital to get checked out. I'm not contracting & I'm not dilated...but I got a positive fetal fibronectin (fFN) test. If it had been negative I would've been sent home and back to regular activity, because a negative result means it's 99% sure I won't give birth within the next 2 weeks. A positive result is less useful information. From what I've learned over the last couple days, fFN is a protein that acts like a glue to keep the amniotic sac in place. If it shows up at this point in my pregnancy (32.5 weeks), it may mean that the glue is disintegrating ahead of schedule. From my reading, it sounds like most, or at least many, of women with positive fFN tests go on to deliver at full term. But there's a higher likelihood than if it had been negative.

So now I'm on bedrest. With 3 kids (and a few pets) to care for, errands to run, cleaning to do, etc. My doctor admitted that it was probably being overly cautious, but worth it just in case. I'm having a hard time not doing a quick chore or two every time I get up to go potty (which is pretty often since I'm supposed to drink 8 oz of water every waking hour), but I would sure feel horrible if this baby came 7+ weeks early because I couldn't resist the urge to move the laundry along or something! I'm at the computer right now, which I'm not entirely sure is allowed (I tried to call yesterday, but my doctor wasn't in and the person I talked to wasn't really clear about), so I'd better go lay down again. Wish us (all 6 of us!) luck!