Do you get a lot of false alarms coming in?

[Jo Dirt]

I just wonder if it is fairly common to get expectant mom's who are, well, I guess you could say "paranoid" about going into labor and who will come to the unit several times for false alarms?

There is one in particular I'm thinking of, who is 36 wks and who was woken out of a dead sleep at 2AM sick as a dog, thought she was going to vomit, her stomach balled up in pain, her back hurt really bad and she had diarrhea. She ran to the birthing center at the hospital and they hooked her to a monitor but when they checked her she was only 1cm and 25% and over the next hour there were no real contractions to speak of so they sent her home. Boy, was she embarrassed. Her husband was awake all night, they called the doctor and woke him up, and she feels really ashamed for causing trouble.

How many false alarms do you usually get on your unit?

[Jo Dirt]

... if anything is worse than thinking you are in preterm labor while you are totally alone and your DH is in Iraq, it is being made fun of by the people who are supposed to be taking care of you.

Granted, I went to 42 weeks with that pregnancy so there was no imminent danger , but it was still an unpleasant experience.

I have to agree here, and I'm a little put off by some of the attitudes.

Everything I had from the doctor's office says if you have any concerns COME TO THE HOSPITAL.

I remember the doctor telling me what to watch for and adding IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS OR CONCERNS COME TO THE HOSPITAL.

So you have doubts and concerns and you go to the stinking hospital and face ridicule for it. Like you are putting them out and you should know better.

I'm also terribly offended that most people are so cynical they just naturally assume anyone who comes in and wants to be seen is there because they are looking to be induced so they don't have to be pregnant anymore, and they come to the hospital to take services away from people who need the help.

Maybe there actually is a reason more women are turning against the hospitals after all.

[Jo Dirt]

I advise one and all who had questionable labor to come in---it's never appropriate to advise otherwise. And I don't disdain or laugh at them, but there are plenty of "frequent fliers" who I think, just need a lot of reassurance and/or education as to the processes their bodies are taking on and going through.

If you feel you need to go in to be checked, you GO IN. Period.

Boy, it sure is refreshing to read that. Pregnancy can be scary whether it is your first child or sixth child. I never had any doubts or concerns with the other three, but this fourth one happens to be different. I didn't get up in the wee hours of the morning and run to the maternity ward in my mumu because I wanted to make a statement and get attention. In fact, when I got to the hospital I walked up and down the sidewalk debating whether or not to go in because I didn't know if it was really time. Then I figured I wasn't the professional and I'd best let them check it out. I walked into the L&D unit and told the nurse I was 36 weeks and didn't know if I was just sick (I had diarrhea and remember reading that could accompany labor) or if I was trying to go into labor, and nurse acted like, what do you want me to do about it???

Geez.

[smk1, LPN]

Embarrased previous offender here. I came in starting at 35 weeks probably 6 times. But in my defense, it was my first baby my contractions were regular, rhythmic and painful and they were changing my cervix...they just would go away after about 2 hours. I dilated to 1 cm and effaced 50% at 35 weeks, dilated another cm and effaced to 75 by 37 weeks dilated 2 more cm and effaced to 90 percent by 39 weeks and stayed that way until 41 weeks. (came in at 4.5 cm and complete effacement when they finally had my walk up and down some stairs for a few hours to keep the contractions going). In short, you guys have seen every possible circumstance and aren't phased by much of anything, the moms on the other hand (especially first time moms) have heard every horror story imaginable about the pain of childbirth, what could go wrong, hemorrhaging, not making it to the hospital in time to get an epidural etc... Not to mention that the standard answer at the doctors office is to "come in to be checked". Obviously like any other area of nursing you have the need to vent so this is an excellent place to do that rather than taking it out on the moms as 2 of my nurses did during my false alarm period.

[purple1953reading]

Having had 5 children, and worked L&D, and nursery, NICU, etc. it is difficult for first time moms. We have had many who are tired of being pregnant, those whose husbands insist they come, those who wet their pants, or bed, and then think their water broke, etc. I think the biggest problem are the hospitals where it is mandatory to put them on monitors for hours, etc. The charges get to be enormous, and the nurses are never staffed for the extra patients. If more went to classes, and the OB offices educated them more, there would be less false alarms. We also have those that never have a regular contraction pattern, walk in complete, in doubt, and deliver within minutes, most without the doctor. When I transferred to a rural hospital and took OB call, the first three deliveries came in I delivered them, and the Dr. said THat is how you re going to be. Saves me alot of time here at night.

I would have to err on the side of come in if in doubt, but first give me or the OB floor a call, and let us see what we can tell you over the phone. Usually , if they can talk calmly, aren't interrupted by pains, it is safe to stay home, if no leakage of fluid, or blood. I actually had gained 18 pounds in 2 days(after 8 months of 7 total pound weight gain) called the OB, no call back, finally just went to Sat clinic, and then was admitted, had a US, and was given private care nurse for the night, as the helicopter could not fly and the weather was bad. The US showed nothng supposedly. The next day was transferred to Univ. Hospital, put on Mag, and they did Amnio, for maturity, and the fluid was wine colored, had placental abruption. Had actually been in hospital for bleeding, and the OB did not take it seriously about 7 days before, and had a terrible pain, during the night, but the OB was staffed by ICU nurses, as they had too many deliveries. They also never picked up abruption on the US. Thank goodness I got to a Univ. Hospital. They said they could have diagnosed PIH by the 5th month , just be looking at my prenatal. Had the baby at 33 weeks, after being induced, when they had all OB residents in surgery doing c sections, so the FP resident was the only one watching me and 8 others, HR dropped , stayed n 70s, they put in forceps, saying by the time they called in OB the baby would die, I was 7 cm, and they literally pulled out 4 pound baby, with cephlahematoma bigger than his head. He did do fine, in the end. My husband said I had never screamed before. I just looked at him and told him to look at those forceps and think about where they had been.!! You can imagine the internal damage, also. Education is the key, and know that no matter how prepared, there will always be surprises. By the way, I remember how we always told moms that labor gets faster and delivery easier with subsquent deliveries. I had 5, each labor over 16 hours, all natural, and never FAST. Was actually promised epidural on last one, but never received anything. Almost had that baby in the toliet.

Please be patient, and use the time you have with the OBs to try to educate them a little more andmake their upcoming birth experience a little less scary and more beautiful.

[NurseNora, BSN, RN]

I try to remember to tell the patients that are "false alarms" that they did the right thing to come in and be checked. After all, we are open 24/7 for a reason. I tell my patients that they aren't a "bother", but are "job security". I don't want someone I sent home to stay home too long because she is afraid to come back in and "bother the nurses" again. Especially the ones who come in with decreased fetal movement and have the baby doing aerobics as soon as the monitor goes on. Healthy babies move; sick babies don't. Sometimes healthy babies are quiet, sick babies aren't active. I'd rather see someone many times with a false alarm than have them stay home with a dying fetus.

[rnmomtobe2010]

Let me tell ya'll about my so caled false alarm. I was experiencing bad pain. That was the second time that day I had made a trip to the hospital. I could not walk so my ex-husband said that he was going to find a wheelchair. Instead,he goes to the l&d floor and tells a nurse that I am having the baby in the lobby and that our son's feet were hanging out. Needless to say, 2 doctors and I can't remember how many nurses came flying down the hall with foreceps and towls and who knows what else. My ex said in a calm voice after they ran past me, "there she is right there". You talk about mad as he**. They wanted to literally kill him. That was the talk of the hospital my entire stay.

[Kiwimid]

i have four kids and have had plenty of false alarms. I had painful bh,s too. and i agree with your statement that they are warming you up for the real deal. i have spent a total of 10 hours in labour. the last two were just under two hours. and there is four years between them. I am a student midwife and i was on clinical last week when we had a 16 year old primip come in late at night. the other midwives rolled there eyes and impliyed that she would be doing this on and off for the next few days. well, she wnet home and came the next night just as they said she would. she was huffing and puffing and the midwives eyes were rolling again, but to me she seemed to be getting somewhere. okay she was haveing spaced out contractions and hadnt had a show, but i could feel she was getting somewhere. an hour after arriving they decide to do an ve......8 cms, fully effaced, ready to go, no pain killers, just breathing like a trooper. i was so proud of her!! about 2 hours later she had her little boy and i laughted all the way home because the midwives were still wondering where was her bloody show that signals full dialation? and how come she did it so well? she was supported and cared for, i tried my darndest no to jugde her and care for her just as all mother should be cared for. I know i sound idealistic, but i am well aware of the harsh realitiy out there, but i still believe in being with the woman.

[Dayray, RN]

wow the people on this board have really changed.

yes if you think your in labor or are scared you should go in or call your OB (whatever procedure they have told you to follow).

If you find that you are always afraid or unsure what to expect, you need to find out about pregnancy it doesnt all just come naturaly and the knowlage isnot coded on every womens DNA. Take a birthibg class and read some books about labor, you will feel much better knowing what to expect.

[crysobrn]

I'd say we do get a lot of false alarms. I think most women are truely experiencing something that they are worried about. We do get the occasional freq flyer that literally comes in with every vague complaint possible and then specifically requests pitocin. But they are not the rule thank goodness.

I always tell my patients (expecially the ones that say the "feel stupid") that it's better to come in and have it be nothing that to NOT come in and have it be something...

[finallyRN]

I delivered my son in the L/D unit that I worked in. I had been having BH contractions for a few nights previously but the night I went into labor they got strong really quick. I think I had about 4 really hard contractions about 6-10 min apart before we left for the hospital. By the time we pulled up to the hospital 10 mins away they were stronger and closer. I could barely walk. My husband wanted to get me a wheelchair, I refused!!! I did not want to be the first time mom coming in a wheelchair to only be sent home at 1cm and have to WALK out of there. I walked all the way in having to stop along the way. Luckily I was 4cm and got to stay but I did not want to be embarresed in front of my co-workers with a false alarm.