Contractions, short cervix...help!

Hi, there. I'm 27.5 days pregnanct w/ mono/di boys. Two weeks ago my cervix measured 1.5 cm by vag u/s. Last week it was down to 1.4 cm. I'm on bedrest, or whatever you can call it w/ a 2 1/2-year-old at home w/ me!! Anyway, I'm having contractions, 2-4 an hour. The night before last I was having them every ten minutes, but after drinking a ton of water and trying to relax they've slowed to the current rate. I'm terrified of what my cervix will measure tomorrow at my u/s. I had a fetal fibronectin test done on Monday, which came back negative, thank goodness! That's supposed to tell you with a pretty good certainty whether you'll go into labor w/in the next two weeks. I'm confused, however, because of all these contractions and short cervix. Could I still go into labor, or should I feel pretty safe that I won't because of the fFN test results???? Anyone else experience this scenario? Thanks!
Heather

 

:hug: I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this! It sounds like you need to do whatever you can to ensure that you are staying on bedrest. Is there anyone that can help you with your 2 1/2 year old? Definitely take it easy and drink plenty of water! Also remember to empty your bladder often as a full bladder can also cause uterine irritability. Good Luck at your Appt tomorrow! Keep us posted! :hug:

 

I have no personal experience, I just wanted to wish you lots of luck tomorrow at your appointment. :hug: :hug: :hug: I hope everything comes out good. Keep us posted. :good:

 

My cervix started shortening around 27 weeks(2.5) and I was put on bedrest also. Within a week of strict bedrest, I was back at 4. I also had a 2 year old at home. Did they put you on anything for the contractions? Stay horizontal(sitting puts a ton of pressure on the cervix), and drink tons of water, and then drink some more. Don't hesitate to call if you are worried. Please update us after your appointment. :hug:

 

I'm not sure how accurate the fFN test is, especially with a short cervix already and with your contractions continuing. I hope your appt. goes well tomorrow. Like the others have said, drink lots of water and stay horizontal, as Becky pointed out sitting puts pressure on your cervix. Can someone come to help with your 2 year old? Let us know what happens tomorrow. :hug:

 

Unfortunately I don't have any experience with this, but I hope that you get some rest & will be sending you lots of good luck for your appointment tomorrow :hug: :hug:

 

I had my u/s today. The boys look okay. My cervix is down to 1.1 cm. Bummer. My peri says there's still hope to make it to 30 weeks. (I'll be 28 weeks tomorrow). I had always been hoping for 32, but that's probably unlikely. I've had help w/ my daughter, but am finding I need the most help in the morning. I talked to my mother-in-law about watching her from about 7a - 1p. That seems to be the time frame I'm most on my feet. My husband and I toured the NICU today. Scary. My contractions are tapering off a bit. I thought I was having one during the u/s, but the tech said no, it was just the babies balling up and/or pushing out. It's so hard for me to tell w/ twins what is a contraction and what isn't. Guess we'll see what my NST says on Monday.
Thanks for all of your kind words. This has been such a scary experience!
Heather

 

:hug: I'm sorry you're going through this! I had a similar experience when I was 26.5 weeks (just a week and a half ago). I noticed some mild menstrual-like achy feelings and told my OB when I happened to be there anyway for the glucose test. She did a cervical length and found I'd gone from 3.2 to 1.8 in only a week! So they hooked me up to a monitor, and I was contracting every 4 minutes (I couldn't feel it at all). I went to the hospital and they were able to stop the contractions with IV fluids and Brethene injections, but later that night i got strong cramps and I was admitted - more injectiions and fluids and steroids for the babies...along with a night with three probes stuck to my belly! The next day I went home in the evening but had to come back on the 3rd day for the fFN...and guess what? I was contracting again, every 4 minutes. More injections, more IV fluids...but thankfully my cervix had gone back up to 2.2, was still closed, and the fFN was negative. My doctor seems to rely almost entirely on that negative fFN. She let me go home on modified bed rest for the rest of the week, but I was back at work on Monday this week. I'm taking an oral medication to relax my uterus muscles - Nifedipene. She says if my cervix is above 2 at my next appt i can stop...which kind of scares me. I can't really feel the contractions most of the time! I could be having them now for all I know. I know your cervix is shorter, and everyone is different...but it is possible for it to lengthen with rest and hydration. And I really do think that fFN is reliable, at least for 2 more weeks. Good luck and hang in there!!!!