false alarm

We spent a couple hours at the hospital last night. I've been feeling contractions since earlier than 20 weeks with this pregnancy. So I've gotten used to them and if I get a few in a row, I just lay down until they go away. Yesterday around 2, I started having some contractions that also came with horrible back pain. Every time I had a contraction, it felt like I was being stabbed in my lower back. When I went into early labor at 32 weeks with Elena, the only thing I felt was back pain - not even any contractions. So the back pain worried me. I drank a whole bunch of water and laid down. But they kept coming - about 10 minutes apart for 2 hours. I called my doctor's office and they said not to mess around, to just go over to L&D and get checked out. I waited another hour...they still didn't stop, so we headed out. I even got a bag ready with the video camera and everything, just in case (and then Keith left it at home). They monitored me at the hospital for about an hour and a half. I was having contractions the whole time, but there was no progression (I'm still dilated 1 cm) so they sent me home. The nurse said to lay down, take a warm bath, and take it easy. And obviously if it got worse to come back in. The back pain continued until I fell asleep, but when I woke up this morning it was gone.

While we were at the hospital, Keith was saying "Let's just get this over with now. Wouldn't it be cool to have him tonight?" And I realized that it wouldn't be cool. As uncomfortable as I am, I don't feel ready to bring him home. We don't have a baby car seat (the one we bought for Amya and used with all the other girls has expired so we threw it away); we don't have a bed (again, bought one of those playpen/bed things for Amya and by the time Maricela was done with it, it was so warped from all the chunky babies and the netting torn all over the place that we threw it out); Kara's not here (she's flying out at the end of the month to help take care of the girls while I'm in the hospital and for a few days after I get home); I still have basically no clothes/blankets for him (not even an outfit to bring him home in ); and my house is a wreck (I have all these organizing/cleaning/preparing things I want to get done before he comes that I haven't done yet). So I think my life is going to be pretty busy these next few weeks as I go into overdrive to try and get ready for this new little boy and try not to go into labor at the same time. Whew!

P.S. Keith says not to worry about not having a bed - he can just sleep in a laundry basket for a while. :P