34w2d - Dehydration?

Thursday I was exactly 34 weeks. Yup, the 6-week countdown has begun! I spent the day at an awards banquet for work, and the way I was seated I was turned around in my chair. At one point, the side of my tummy started to hurt. I figured it was from how I was sitting, but no matter how I turned it hurt. I remembered the doctor telling me that if I had cramps of any kind that I need to drink water and slow down. Since I was already sitting, I upped my water.

I drank 4 of those 16.9 oz. bottles of water throughout the event, plus many refills of my water glass. Plus a few glasses of fruit punch and a hot cocoa. I drank a LOT!

I was still hurting, so I called my doctor. She said I was doing the right thing, but that if I had contractions, bleeding, fluid leakage or severe lower abdominal cramping then I need to call back. Okay, none of that. I'm good!

Except that the next time I went to the restroom, well, I noticed that there had been some fluid leakage. Not a whole lot, but more than I had ever seen! Okay, weird. I was also peeing about every 20 minutes, but I didn't really think of that.

I got back to the office and the GI issues started. Without getting into any details, I had more activity over the next two hours than I typically had in an entire week. Which I recalled was a symptom of labor. EEP!

As the evening went on, the fluid leakage continued, the GI issues continued, and then the lower abdominal cramping started. Badly. I didn't want to, but Hubby-poo suggested I call the doctor back and find out what to do. She said to go to the hospital and get checked out. I might be in labor.

Labor? At 34 weeks? That was WAY too soon for my comfort!

Since this could have been 'it', Hubby-poo and I packed a few bags and headed to the hospital. They did all the tests - checked my blood pressure, made me pee in a cup, did the swab test to see if my water had broken, etc. They also hooked me up to a monitor. I was having fairly frequent contractions (less than 10 minutes apart), but they were fairly mild. Weird. My water did not break, so that was good to know. And my cervix was not open at all, so also a good sign. But why the contractions?

Then the urine came back. My ketones were maxed out! I was dehydrated. Me! Dehydrated! I couldn't believe it! In addition to everything I said I drank while at the work function, I also had about 32 oz of water at home and a 32 oz lemon soda on the way to the hospital.

They said I probably drink too much water, and I need to mix it up with juice. I'm not sure how that will work, but I'll give it a whirl.

I may be partly disappointed to not meet my little girl yet, but I'm glad she stayed where she is. I mean, have you seen my to-do list?