Braxton-Hicks or Pre-Term Labor?

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Did any of you ladies have constant contractions in your third trimester? I had the occasional Braxton-Hicks contractions with my first 2 girls but with this pregnancy I have them almost constantly!

The contractions aren't really regular but the further along I get the more they hurt. Ugh. I have my OB appointment tomorrow so of course I will ask him about them getting worse (he knows I have been having them). I have at least 2 an hour and sometimes up to 5 or 6. This has been going on for the past week or two and when they started I was checked and told that I was 1cm dilated on the outer layer (what the heck does that mean?)...

DD8's teacher told me she had contractions her entire third trimester and her OB put her on bedrest. Her son was born 2 weeks late!

Any tips on how to ease these contractions? They are downright annoying and a bit unnerving at this point!

 

[mommeoftwin]

I had contractions from the 20th week on. I was carrying twins. My doctor told me that if I had more than 5 in a hour to call him. My contractions never hurt but felt like I was being hugged. I ended up being dilated to a four and was sent by helicopter to Saint Louis. I was there for a little over a week and ended up having them 9 weeks early. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you are dilated at all something is up and it is more than Braxton Hicks. With BH you won't dial ate.

 

[MidgeD79]

My basis of advice comes from experiencing 6 full-term pregnancies. Each pregnancy had more Braxton-Hicks type of contractions and after giving birth (especially the 6th ) I had contractions that were really uncomfortable. How many weeks are you? It is very common to be dialated at 1 with 2nd+ pregnancies. Sometimes contractions can be brought on by a uti. Your doctor should be able to ease your concerns.

 

[DMickey28]

Obviously ask your doctor however I have them a lot as well. More now that the baby has dropped but even before I had them almost on a daily basis. I have mentioned them to my doctor and he did an exam and they didn't seem to be doing anything. I get them mostly when I am active, moving around at work or doing my errands on the weekends. I actually am going to mention them to him again today myself.

Mention it to your doctor, ask for an exam. Usually BH this early don't "do anything" like get you dialated or effaced but it's possible.

Good Luck .... It get's to be so challenging at the end. I wonder how I am going to get through another 4 weeks... and this is my first.

Checked out Ovusoft.com. Their pregnancy support board is amazing!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well I was the master of pre-term labor so what do you want to know?

Pre-term labor, goes into real labor. I did the whole bedrest, drugs, home monitoring, etc...at home. The last 3 weeks were spent at the hospital because I was too dialated, to 6 I think. Risk of infection kept on bedrest at a hospital. That was fun.

However by that time my body was wore out and it was a good call. The nurses were actually frightened when I first came in.

Ways to combat....

1)
Put yourself on "bedrest" that is #1.....there is no substitute. Do not clean, lift, nothing.
You need to rest. Stay off your feet!!!!

2)
Water & fluids....Keep yourself hydrated. More water, less contractions.

3)
Drugs. I was on Brethine at home and then on the Mag Sulfate in the hospital.

 

[Desnik]

I was put on bedrest in my 3rd trimester for DD because I was having contractions. I was told to not do anything and drink lots of water. It did help and she was 2 weeks early. For my son the contractions started early too and I was put on bedrest again. Well, DD was 4 at the time and there was no way I could completely stay off my feet. I kept hydrated and tried to rest as much as possible, but DS came a little over a month early!! My water broke for both of my kids. Sometimes early labor/contractions are a sign of an infection. Your Dr can perform a test to see if that is the cause. Please talk to your Dr and keep hydrated and off your feet as much as possible. Good luck!

 

[Nette]

I had BH contractions my whole third trimester as well. At one point I was sitting in a training class for work, and I was timing them, discreetly, of course (I think I was 38 weeks). The poor teacher (a guy) was totally freaked out that I was gonna drop the baby right there.

 

[KristiKelly]

I had BH most of my 3rd trimester. I remember they would get worse if I was stressed or upset, and with DS & DD fighting - that seemed to be quite often.

Is this your 3rd? Everything just seemed worse with my 3rd pregnancy. I don't know if it's age or just a 3rd pregnancy thing.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Thanks for all of the responses. This is my 3rd child (I am 31 weeks) - first boy so I blame the difficulty on all that testosterone.

Just back from the OB and he checked me - no changes so the inner layer of the cervix (closest to the baby) is closed tight. I was having painful contractions all nite and at one point they were 2 minutes apart for about 20 minutes or so then just stopped. The OB didnt seem concerned and even cleared me to go out of town this weekend (only b/c I am going to Baltimore and will have Johns Hopkins nearby should anything happen!).

I do feel many more contractions when I am on my feet so I try to stay in bed with my feet up as much as I can but with 2 kids that is only so realistic.

The OB also told me that the sharp shooting pains I have below my uterus are the baby's head already down low. I'm already walking with my feet further apart so I know he has dropped. My girls never dropped this early!

 

[Robinrs]

I had B/H for most of my second pregnancy, it actually helped me to get thru labor!!

Toni BRAXTON and Taylor HICKS... sorry I couldn't resist!

 

[dreamcometrue]

drink lots of water! Braxton Hicks can often be a sign of dehydration!

 

[chris1gill]

The OB also told me that the sharp shooting pains I have below my uterus are the baby's head already down low. I'm already walking with my feet further apart so I know he has dropped. My girls never dropped this early!

I started contracting with #2, our DD at around 24 weeks, it was constant.... on my feet, off my feet, didn't matter at all. Every five minutes for an hour & off to the hospital we would go, let's just say we had been there a LOT by 36 weeks. The Dr. put me on bedrest at 24 weeks, right up to 35 weeks... But, more to the point, DD dropped LOW, by 36 weeks I swore she would just fall out, that's how it felt, even the doctor couldn't believe it.... Oh, she also turned herself around the wrong way at 36 weeks (little bugger) & then wouldn't you know I went to forty weeks?? She was C Section though, wrong place, too big in size... but, you just never know with these things.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I had B/H for most of my second pregnancy, it actually helped me to get thru labor!!

Toni BRAXTON and Taylor HICKS... sorry I couldn't resist!

Taylor Hicks helped you get thru labor?

 

[momrek06]

Thanks for all of the responses. This is my 3rd child (I am 31 weeks) - first boy so I blame the difficulty on all that testosterone.

Just back from the OB and he checked me - no changes so the inner layer of the cervix (closest to the baby) is closed tight. I was having painful contractions all nite and at one point they were 2 minutes apart for about 20 minutes or so then just stopped. The OB didnt seem concerned and even cleared me to go out of town this weekend (only b/c I am going to Baltimore and will have Johns Hopkins nearby should anything happen!).

I do feel many more contractions when I am on my feet so I try to stay in bed with my feet up as much as I can but with 2 kids that is only so realistic.

The OB also told me that the sharp shooting pains I have below my uterus are the baby's head already down low. I'm already walking with my feet further apart so I know he has dropped. My girls never dropped this early!

Nothing to add, KEL, but a big ole

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Nothing to add, KEL, but a big ole

Awwwwwwwwwww, thanks Kar!!!!!!!!!!

 

[barkley]

man after having my first i decided that braxton hicks felt NOTHING like 'real contractions'. for me they just felt like someone was pulling the skin of my belly tight-actual labor contractions on the otherhand IIIIIIKES! (i remember thinking 'when women in the movies and on tv grab their bellies during a labor pain they are grabbing the wrong part of their anatomy' ). of course it may not have helped that the contractions with both of my 'little darlings' began at 5 minute intervals (felt fine, not nary a contraction to warn me then BOOM they started and continued for almost 28 hours each before their grand entrances ).

 

[anewvance]

I've been queen of preterm labor this time around, had BH from 23 weeks on. Had a positive ffn at 29 weeks and had to be in the hospital for 3 days on magnesium sulfate and again at 32 weeks on the mag again. At home I was taking procardia and at first brethine but I started having bad reactions to that.

On Sat I went to the hospital, was still 1cm and still high and thick but was having strong regular contractions for hours so they admitted me overnight to see if nature was going to take a course.. but since I was only 33 1/2 weeks, they aren't going to do anything to help things along. Needless to say the next morning, I hadn't progressed but was still contracting like mad, not BH contractions, real hard contractions but they sent me home. So i've been contracting at home for the past 3 days, getting very very sore because i've had to finish out my bedrest so I can't move around when I'm uncomfortable.

I'm 34 weeks today so I get to come off of bedrest and off the procardia. The doctors aren't even going to bother with trying to continue trying to prolong the pregnancy. I'd like him to stay in as long as possible but at the same time, i'm hurting SO bad. I will start taking small walks and doing some squats to help things along once I get the ok from my doctor today. I will also see if he will check me to make sure I my cervix hasn't changed anymore.

 

[mickeyboat]

Melissa - I have been thinking of you, and I am so glad you have made it this far. I know it has been hard, but it's worth it in the end!

I delivered Hannah at 34 weeks. My water broke at 31 1/2 weeks, and I was having contractions I didn't even notice. The contractions stopped with rest and fluids, though. They kept me in the hospital until they tested to see that her lungs were mature, and then they induced me.

Have they given you steroids to help mature his lungs? Lots and lots of luck to you.

With regard to the B-H contractions, I don't really remember having any. When I was in regular labor (not pitocin-induced, which was an entirely-different story althogether), the contractions felt like period cramps, or gas pains. I labored all fay with Emily and didn't know it until 7:30 at night. She was born at 9:40. At the end my contractions were what I would consider more like regular contractions, but up to that point, it just felt like gas.

Good luck to everyone!

Denae

 

[anewvance]

Denae, yes I had the steriods at 29 weeks for his lungs. Thanks for the luck, i'm hoping he checks me again today at my appt. I've had the major runs since last night and my sister says that is a sign of early labor but funny enough, for the first time since the weekend, I haven't had a single contraction all morning, knock on wood. So it could be a bug, but being home on bedrest, where would I get a bug? The kids are healthy as can be!

 

[mookie]

I too feel like the queen of PTL. With my dd, I went into PTL at 31 weeks....had the mag, the 3 day hospital stay, the lung steriod shot, bedrest...everything. I was dilated to 3, and finally went into full labor and had her at 35 weeks, happy and healthy!

With our ds, I started dilating earlier, I think at 29 weeks. I didn't even know I was really contracting, we just decided to do a "quick check" at my appt because of my history. Sure enough, I was at 1cm. After 8 hospital stays, the mag, the terb, the steriod shot, bedrest, and going 4 cm dilated for a month, our son was finally born (again!) healthy at 37 weeks.

I am now 28 weeks pregnant, and entering the danger zone again. I have an appt today, so we'll see what happens. I don't think I'm dilating at all, but then again, I never really felt anything with the other two, either. Just make sure to keep yourself hydrated and rest - and if you suspect anything, it doesn't hurt to call!

Good luck, you're only a few weeks ahead of me!