I just got off the phone with the L&D nurse. Some of those nurses have been
very helpful, but this last one really got on my nerves.

Background: With DS, I had contractions beginning at 28 weeks. He was born
preterm at 35 weeks. My water broke, which is how I knew to go in. He was
a quick delivery. I wasn't dilated when I came in. It was about 8 hours
from when my water broke to when I had DS. It was about 2 1/2 hours from
the time I was 4 cm dilated.

I've been having contractions this pg since 26 weeks. Early on, they were
about once or twice an hour. Maybe once or twice a day I'd get a slew of
them that were every 5 to 10 minutes that lasted about 2 hours.

As I've been nearing the due date, the contractions have been getting worse.
I went in last week (34 weeks) with contractions every 10 minutes for 4
hours. They sent me home. Doc said come back when they are every 5
minutes.

Yesterday, I came in when they were every 8 minutes for 4 hours. I know,
they weren't every 5 minutes, but I had been having contractions all day.
When I'm there, the contractions are every 6 minutes. They sent me home.
(For the record, I'm okay with going home, no complaint there.)

I've been having contractions all day yesterday, all night, all day today.
The contractions went from every 8 minutes yesterday to every 4 minutes
today. Very regular contractions, but I can talk through them fine. I
don't want to go in too early, but I am alone, so I'm thinking it will be
difficult to drive if I get to the point of not being able to talk through
my contractions. I call back to see if I should go in yet, given my
predicament and got this not so helpful nurse.

VENT: I believe this is the same nurse I saw just last week. She must
think I like to go around crying wolf. She told me to drink lots of water.
I told her I'm doing that. She apparently doesn't believe me. I told her
my urine is clear, it can't get any clearer. She insists I'm a special case
and insists I tell her how much I'm drinking. I didn't count how many
glasses I've had and I didn't care to argue that point with her. She her
story about how she waited for contractions to get so bad, she knew they
wouldn't turn her away from L&D, she just told her DH to drive and don't
stop at the lights. I told her I was alone and that's why I'm asking her if
there was a way to tell when I need to go in before that point. I won't be
able to drive myself otherwise. She was incredulous. She couldn't believe
I didn't have family here, no friends? "Who's taking care or you son?"
Umm, daycare. I don't have anyone, it's not for her to decide that I do. I
told her I wasn't interested in coming in too early, but I won't be able to
drive myself in if I get to the point of not being able to talk through my
contractions. Her reaction, I can come whenever I want, they'll just send
me home after they check my cervix. Otherwise, take 2 Tylenol and a warm
shower and wait until the contractions are really bad. She said I should
know when to come in, since I had one child already. If my water breaks,
lady. Yeah, helps a lot. I could always call an ambulance.

Question: How do I know when to come in so that I can make the 20 minute
drive safely? Is there a way to know? I can understand if there is no
answer. My contractions have been regular all day, getting progressively
closer. They were 5 minutes apart at 1:30pm and now at 6:45pm, just as I'm
typing, they are 3 minutes apart. They've never been this close before. I
can still talk through the contractions.