https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 07 May 2026 04:00:30 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003275 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 20:03:17 +0000 spaniellove 2003275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an "irritable uterus" from around 29 weeks on. No one had a great explanation for what that really meant, but I was on modified bed rest. Really I don't think anyone around me understood how much discomfort I was in every day! I got so used to it that I could never count my contractions.</p> <p>L&amp;D did a FFN test once or twice and it was negative. Everyone commented endlessly about how low baby's head was, but since I never dilated no one saw a need to intervene. I ended up being induced a day short of 39 weeks, and looking back it was actually a miracle that LO stayed in there all that time because yes I WAS having contractions! Something turned out to be really funky about my cervix and they had a hard time getting it to dilate during my induction which apparently was how he was so low and stayed put through all those contractions. And because I was so used to the contractions, labor was a piece of cake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003262 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:52:31 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2003262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Tiger: I am almost 32 weeks. Still way too early :( </p> <p>@Iced Tea: @Torchwood: This is my confusion too! Why are these a big deal if I am not dilating? It may be because my water broke at 34 weeks with LO 1 so they are being extra cautious...but that's definitely one of my questions for tomorrow. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003259 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:51:21 +0000 SeptMomma12 2003259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With LO #1, I started having them very frequently at 20 weeks - consistently more than 6 in an hour. The doctor diagnosed it as an "irritable uterus." At 24 weeks, they started to do bi-weekly FFN tests and ultrasounds to measure cervical length. Then at 28 weeks after a trip to L&amp;D confirmed that the contractions were happening every 2-3 minutes, they put me on procardia and bed rest. It didn't help - they kept up just as frequently. Never really hurt, but I could definitely feel them. Long story short, I stayed on procardia and bed rest til 36 weeks and my cervix never changed. They told me he would probably be born the weekend I went off the meds, but nope, he hung in until 3 days before his due date.</p> <p>Now I'm pregnant with #2 and the contractions started at 14 weeks this time. I'll be 20 weeks on Thursday. The doctor has said they will probably want to start measuring cervical length again at 24 weeks just to make sure, but they're going to keep me active for as long as possible. He said some people's bodies just like to contract for no reason.</p> <p>ETA: When I finally did go into labor, I dilated very fast. Ended up with a c-section because he got stuck, but the doctor said all that practice made actual labor much "easier" than normal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003249 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:46:04 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2003249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My water broke at 30w with no contractions, I think I was only 1cm dilated. I made it for 2 more weeks on hospital bed rest before I had contractions and then cord prolapse. How many weeks are you? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003242 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:42:43 +0000 pinkb 2003242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My experience<br /> 1. How many did you have in a given day? I was told mine were less than 10 minutes apart, I didnt feel them. Since I never felt them I have no idea. After I got home on bedrest I had a few but I would say maybe 5 a day (while on meds)<br /> 2. Did they cause you to dilate?Yes, already at a 3 when I got to L&amp;D and got up to 5cm before they were able to stop them<br /> 3. Did your doctor do anything to try to stop them? I was in the hospital for 4 days being monitored. I took procardia every 4 hours from the time I entered the hospital until the day I gave birth and was on strict bedrest at home.<br /> 4. When did you end up delivering? 36weeks</p> <p>ETA With all the searching I did while on bedrest I saw a lot of instances where ladies did have PTL but no dilation. Not sure what the difference is between real &amp; BH contractions but I have seen a lot of stories. I hope you get some answers from your Dr. and I hope your uterus relaxes for you :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003229 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:35:48 +0000 MrsRcCar 2003229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How scary for you! Big hugs momma! :heart: I had pre term labor with E and they couldn't stop it. I was already dialated to 4 at the doctors office and was at least a 5 by the time I arrived to L&amp;D which was less then 15 minutes. They gave me procardia and a whole host of other things to stop labor. I was never given the option of going home on modified bed rest. Hopefully the medicine continues to work for you. Rest is best. &lt;-- that's what my doctor and Daniel tiger say. :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003226 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:34:54 +0000 Torchwood 2003226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like @Iced Tea I had a TON of BH's (sometimes less than two minutes apart), but never any that were considered a problem. I'm curious what makes yours "real," and what other people have to say about pre-term labor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003216 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:27:37 +0000 Iced Tea 2003216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If they aren't making you dilate, then aren't they Braxton hicks? That's what I thought, but maybe there's something I missed. </p> <p>I have had a lot of them at times (some painful), but my midwives say it is fine as long as they don't consistently get more frequent and intense, causing dilation. Most of the time I have a few an hour when I'm not active. More if I'm active or don't hydrate enough. </p> <p>I am curious to hear what others have experienced with their preterm labors. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-pre-term-contractions#post-2003198 Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:03:06 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2003198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So last Monday I started having lots of contractions. By Tuesday they were happening often enough that I started counting them. They weren't regular, but my OB wanted me to come in to labor and delivery to be checked out just in case. Long story short, nothing showed up for 2 hours, but then they started back up, every 2 minutes and were very regular. It took 7 hours and 3 doses of meds (plus a sleeping pill) to get them to stop. I was discharged in the am and sent home with no activity restrictions and a bottle of procardia to take if I was to have 6 in an hour. </p> <p>So I came home, had christmas and all that jazz. Still continued having contractions like I had been having before, but they weren't regular and I never got above 6 per hour. Regardless, after a week of this I became concerned and called my ob. She put me on modified bed rest. I have an appointment tomorrow so I can hopefully figure out more about what that means going forward, but I would love to hear about your experiences. </p> <p>1. How many did you have in a given day?<br /> 2. Did they cause you to dialate?<br /> 3. Did your doctor do anything to try to stop them?<br /> 4. When did you end up delivering? </p> <p>Thanks in advance! I am trying not to panic, but even on bed rest I have had over 20 today. That seems like so many. But I wasn't dilated at all in the hospital...so I am trying not to panic. </p>