Contractions 6 minutes apart at 25 weeks

Hi all,
I was looking for some similar stories. I started noticing that I was having some BH in the past week. Last night they became more regular and more uncomfortable. Every time I stood up my stomach was SO tight and uncomfortable. Now..being pregnant with twins I have heard and read a lot about pre-term labor. So, I laid down on my left hand side and drank some water and waited to see if they went away. No luck. I called my OBGYN and she said to monitor them for an hour. If there was more than 6 an hour to call back. Well, I started to monitor them and they were 7 minutes apart. But...I fell asleep after the 5th one (it was almost 12:30 AM). So..I woke up in the morning and when I got up from bed my stomach still felt hard as a rock and it felt like I had a full bladder and made it uncomfortable to walk very fast. I drove into work (long story but my boss is being a jerk about working from home, etc. I should have never went to work). Got to work, the contractions were starting again and making me feel really odd. I called my OBGYN and they told me to go to the hospital to be monitored. I had contractions every 7 minutes and they didn't stop the whole time I was there ( about 3 hours). They checked my cervix (3 times) and did a swab to look for a protein that can signify early labor. Well, the swab test came back negative and my cervix is closed.
I am at home on rest...not bedrest..but..they don't want me doing much and I can't really do much because my stomach still is hard as a rock when I stand up. The actual contractions..the bigger ones..seemed to have slowed down.
Sorry for the long entry but I wanted to describe what I went through to see if any of you have been through a similar experience and if the contractions just stopped or went down to a "normal" BH level (not regular..only a couple an hour or something).
I just want this pregnancy to go as far as it can go and I am wondering what my chances are?
I am drinking and have been drinking TONS of fluids as I know that dehydration is a major factor in BH and pre-term labor.
Thanks!!

 

I have had the hard stomach with discomfort for a while now. It lasts for a long time so I can't really time anything. My dr. hasn't really been concerned by it, just attributes it to stretching and BH. I guess this is par for the course with twins. Hope you feel better soon.

 

How much did you drink? 16 to 32 oz? Lay on your side for 1 hour left of course. Last night I was at a class on Premature labor, that was the key things that she mentioned to us, drink like your gonna drown yourself and urinate hourly, when you have more than 4 contractions in a hour drown yourself, call your doc and monitor.
Your much safer to go in for a false alarm check than to not go in at all!

 

Sorry you had to go through that. I have had plenty of painful BH as well. I was concerned about it too but my cervix is still closed shut. I think as long as your not dilating at all you should be fine.

 

QUOTE(Appymomma @ Jan 11 2008, 10:21 PM) [snapback]568997[/snapback]
How much did you drink? 16 to 32 oz? Lay on your side for 1 hour left of course. Last night I was at a class on Premature labor, that was the key things that she mentioned to us, drink like your gonna drown yourself and urinate hourly, when you have more than 4 contractions in a hour drown yourself, call your doc and monitor.
Your much safer to go in for a false alarm check than to not go in at all!


Thanks to everyone that replied! I drink about 24-32 oz a day. I am so darn thirsty all the time that it's easy to do it. I stick with water mostly. Sometimes, I have a ginger ale but I am keep my sugar intake to a minimum.

I am heading to bed. I got up for awhile and sat in a chair and no major contractions. That is good. My stomach is still really hard when I stand up and sit though. Only when I lay down does it soften up a bit. Maybe this is just the way it's going to be for awhile or maybe the rest of the pregnancy.

 

Did they give you a shot of terb or anything to stop the contractions? I went into PTL at 23 weeks. I knew I was contracting but was shocked at how many the hospital monitor actually picked up that I wasn't feeling. My cervix had just started to shorten and barely dilate at that time. After a 4 day hospital stay, I was put on Procardia and bedrest. It's been challenging, but now I'm 34 weeks and off the Procardia. I would make sure that your Dr is doing frequent cervical length scans to make sure you aren't having any changes. Try to take it easy - that's the biggest thing. I'd hold off for awhile on big grocery store trips or serious housework. Let someone else do it for you

 

Yesterday, at the hospital, I had to give a urine sample and the nurse could tell that I was well hydrated. But, it is really important!! I will just keep drinking water!!
The doctor did not give me anything to stop the contractions. I am thinking as my cervix was not dilated they didn't consider the contractions anything more than BH. But..they did not check the length of my cervix. I am going to ask about that on Tuesday as my next ultrasound isn't until Feb. 4th!! I think they should check that too! As of this morning, I am happy to say the contractions have stopped. I had one during the evening and that is about it. I am going to lay down most of this weekend. I am not even going to go out of the house. My Mom is coming over to do some housework today. So..that will really help. The days of housework are over during this pregnancy..that is my new rule. I am going to hire a housekeeper to dust and vacuum. I can straighten up but no more reaching to dust or pushing a vacuum around.
I will let you all know how Tuesday goes! 25 weeks and 1 day! Counting every day now!!

 

This info is in the booklet we were given called "surviving preterm labor"
1. Fill a 1 gallon container with water, you should empty this by drinking it through the day
2. Urinate 1 time an hour to relieve pressure on uterus. (If drinking adequately this should not be a problem)
3. Eat a balanced diet with snacks
4. Eggshell mattress pad for your bed or couch, great for relieving hip discomfort
5. These activities seem to be related to most episodes of PTL
-climbing stairs -poor nutrition
-Driving a car -urinary/vaginal infections
-public transportation -constipation
-fatigue (home and work) -sex/orgasm
-full bladder -travel
- exercise


We were also refered to the March of Dimes website for more info!
Hope you stop having trouble and get to "cook" your little sweet buns a long time! :hug99:

 

Are you on progestrone shots? Since I was pre-term with my daughter, I'm on progestrone shots, it's
supposed to help with pre-term (contractions). But if you were at the hospital they would of told you what to do I'm sure...
I take them 1 a week. I'm 21 weeks,not sure if it will totally help, hopefully.....

Hope you feel better!

Tina

 

I have noticed a huge difference in the amount of contractions I have and my water intake. When I only had 24-32 oz a day- I had WAY more contractions. Now I try to drink at least 80 oz. a day (10 glasses) and the contractions have really diminished. I also take brethine - but I took that when I only drank 24 oz. and now with additional water. I'm sure that makes a difference- but so does the fluid intake. Drink up

 

It seems that you're having something similar to what I had, except they gave me fluids intravenously to stop the contractions. I had to rest home for a few days and then went back to work. I went another time to L&D, but my cervix was still closed and this time the contractions stopped by themselves. My doctors said I was not in real preterm labor because the contractions were not inducing labor. How many weeks are you? In my case it started at 27 weeks and my belly was just so stretched, this was causing the contractions. Many of us are in this situation. After a while, I woudn't even notice these contractions anymore. I am now 36 1/2 weeks.

I hope this helps you not to stress out too much. Follow the good advices (drinking water, putting your feet up when you feel it's getting worse, paying attention to any change in the pattern of contractions, call your doctor if you have any doubt, etc.). Hang in there!

 

Wow, that must have been really scary. They didn't put you on any meds? I started having contractions at 25 weeks exactly too. I was only having 6-7 per hour though...but enough to take me to L and D. Same thing with me, my cervix was long, FFN negative (that's the swab). They told me that if I continued to have 6 per hour for two hours in a row (while resting and drinking water) I needed to come back but luckily mine gradually mellowed out to 4 or less per hour. They've increased in frequency in the last week or so but I think that's probably normal at 33 weeks. Mine have always been worse at night, I think from fatigue. And every time I stand up or roll over in bed I get one also. I took some comfort in the fact that my OB started checking my cervix and doing the FFN every 2 weeks from 25 weeks on, as a precaution. My cervix is still super long (over 4 cm) so the tons of contractions haven't done anything. Know, however, that at your early stage you really need to take the frequency seriously and don't feel reluctant to GO IN if they become frequent again. It is so much better to be safe than sorry and you are in a critical period right now. (((HUGS)))

 

Oh, one more thing, empty your bladder A LOT. A slightly full bladder always triggered BH contractions with me....

 

I am so glad to hear that some folks went through similar experiences at are at 33 or so weeks!! That is great news. I am doing much better today. I am having contractions but they are few and far between. I rested all day yesterday..did a couple of things around the house but nothing major. I am going to lay on the couch now and watch a movie. I keep drinking, drinking and drinking. I noticed that last night and today the contractions begin after I climb stairs (the bathroom is upstairs) and when I shift my position( standing to sitting or lying down or the lying down to standing up). Lying down is REALLY helping me and lack of stress from my jerk boss. I have an hour commute each way into work and I just don't want to do that anymore with the snow and rain and all the traffic. Forget it..it's so nerve-wracking and I don't like to be that far away from home and my hospital. And, I am sitting upright all day (8 hours) and then driving 2 hours...that is 10 hours without lying down. I am going to ask for a note from my doctor on Tuesday to say that I need to work from home as much as possible in order to rest. I mean..I need to lay down when they contractions start and I sure can't do that at work. These little ones are the most important thing now. Everything else is going to have to wait. Thanks again for all the stories and advice!!

 

I had PTL - just recently at 20 weeks, and they put me on strict bed rest. My contractions were 4 minutes apart, and not BH....it was scary...They gave me 3 shots of Trub. til they stopped - and that was about 4 hours later. It was not fun...So for about 1 week, I was on only bed and bathroom...then now gadually I have been able to walk up and down the stairs once a day, but that is all my doctors want me to do...good luck, and PM me if you have other questions.

 

I was just gonna ask you for an update. Definately try to get your doc and boss on the same track! Good luck!