Pre Term Contractions

It happened with both my pregnancies. With my son I had to stay on the meds for the rest of the pregnancy and with my daughter I was just having them because she was ssssoooo active that they had to give me a small dose of sleeping pills to get her to be more lazy. It really depends on the pregnancy and person but don't stress too much because that can do more wrong in the long run, just take every week at a time and rest plenty!!!

I was in the same situation with my son, who I am happy to say went full term and is now 6! I was on terbutaline too and bed rest with bathroom privileges. I worked from home from my bed actually for 1 month but was still having contractions. When I stopped working, my contractions stopped. I honestly did not think I was under any stress, but apparently my baby was!

I'd recommend going on complete bed rest if you can.

Just my 2 cents! Good luck!

Hi C.,
I am a birth doula and I had a client with similar things. She was on home bedrest at 16 weeks, as well as being on terbutaline. I thought you would like to know she went full term and delivered a very healthy baby boy.
It can be true that you notice the contractions more at night, since the hormone that causes contractions is more effective at night. This is why so many people go into labor in the middle of night! :-)
Keep well hydrated, and follow your Dr.'s orders. I just thought maybe your would like to hear of another who had gone through the same thing, and all came out great!

Hi, C.,

I, too, had pre-term contractions. I spent 7 months in bed, flat on my back, and was forced to drink LOTS of water.

Several other people mentioned drinking lots of water, and here is the reason why:

When you become even the slightest bit dehydrated your body produces a hormone. This hormone is VERY similar to the hormone that your body produces to start labor. Since you are already pregnant, your body just assumes that this hormone is the same and starts labor with contractions. However, when you stay VERY hydrated with water the contractions stop because your body is not producing the dehydration hormone.

I really hope this makes sense.

Also, try to decrease or stop drinking anything that contains caffiene, as this can make you MORE dehydrated. Water is the BEST. If you just MUST have flavor, then try adding things like Crystal Light, Special K20, etc to the water. This will add flavor (while not a whole lot of empty calories) and your body will still process the liquid as water.

I wish you the very best for your pregnancy.

A.
North Las Vegas NV

Boy!! Have I ever been in your situation. I was pregnant and on bedrest for preterm labor, on Terbutaline for almost 2 years straight. The first was born on May 20, 2007. She will be 2. I went into preterm labor 2 months early and was put on strict bedrest and terbutaline. She was born a month early. The second I was on even stricter bedrest, I got pregnany with her before I was supposed to as my girls were both delivered c-section. So, with the youngest, I could not sit, stand, or walk for any long periods of time and I could only lay on my sides. The baby was born April 10, 2008. So, I will have 2 one year olds for while and 2 2 year olds for a while. With the youngest, I was on the terbutaline for 3 weeks and the contractions started again. Even on the meds, I was having contractions and they were not braxton hicks. I was at the hospital or doctors office every day or other day, depending on how long they lasted and how strong they were. Talk about scary. I had to drink tons of water and stay off of my feet from the time I went into preterm labor until I delivered. I also have a 17 year old daughter. So, yes I have been in your shoes. When the contractions were at the worst for me, it told me that I had done too much. Sometimes just going to the restroom was too much. So, as you can tell, I did not go far.

Best of luck! Try to keep your feet elevated as much as possible. Do not lay on your back. Best of Luck!!

K. C.

Like everyone has already said, stay in bed, drinks lots of fluids. Get help with the other stuff around the house. Seriously just stay in bed. And don't forget to empty your bladder frequently. A full bladder can aggravate your uterus and bring on more contractions.

My OB told me that if I had 4 or more contractions within an hour, that I should head over to the ER immediately to be checked. But I was also at risk for uterine abruption. Check with your OB for a list of reasons to go to the ER.

I had the same thing happen to me. I had been having them for a while but just thought they were braxton hicks contractons. My tummy would get really hard. Finally at my 31 week appt I told the nurse what was happening and she immediately sent me to the hospital. I was pre term labor and was put on bedrest for the rest of the pregnancy. My doc told me I could get up to go to the bathroom, take a quick shower but I had to stay laying down. I couldn't cook dinner, do house work, or go to work (not such a bad thing.... :) ) Even getting up to go to the bathroom the contractions would be very strong. I, too, was put on tribulitne. I ended up being induced at 40 week, but ended in a c-section, which was ok. My son was healthy. I would just recommend that you don't even work. STAY LOW!! In these times it good to have a job but with you being a little older and the risks higher...I would not move! I wish you the best of luck and hope things go well for you!!

Hi C.!
I have been in your place. I had the preterm contractions went to hospital stayed overnight after told everything was normal. A few days later I was back with contractions and spotting. The doctor put me on complete bedrest that was at 25 weeks. I was in the hospital two more times and they even gave me stuff for the development of the lungs if I did have the baby early. I am here to say that my little girl was born on her due date and is now almost 8 years old. I was 41 years old at the time. Just be patient, don't stress and hopefully it will all work out. I also did a lot of praying to keep my little girl safe but that He knows what He is doing.

I was on bedrest for 11 weeks due to premature rupture of membranes. So not the same thing- but waht I wanted to tell you was HANG IN THERE!!! You can do it. I had my twins at 28 weeks, they took them then because one had decelerations in his heartbeat, they spent 77 days in the NICU and are now very happy, healthy 16 mos old. THey are developmentally correct at 13mos and should lose that 3 month gap by age 2. Keep the faith that even if things happen too soon that there can still be a happy ending. Hopefully you will be able to weather another 10-12 weeks.
There is a bedrest support website called Sidelines.
You can get connected to a volunteer that was in your same situation and I really enjoyed the magazines I received from them-full of inspirational stories.
Good Luck!!!! and someday when your beautiful baby is trying your patience try to hold on to this feeling of how badly you fought to keep your little guy safe and what a miracle he is.

It was 25 weeks for son and 26 weeks for daughter when I was put to bed. Terbutaline for both and Procardia for the 2nd one as well. In the hospital for a week on Magnesium Sulfate - ewww. My son was born the day I stopped the meds, 36 weeks (natural childbirth), and my daughter decided to turn breech the night before I stopped so I had to stay on another week while they tried to turn her around - with no luck. Born at 37 weeks C-section.

Best to stay in bed the whole time, laying on your left side, stay hydrated and check out lots of books. Reading about everything you can on babies is what I did and boy was I glad. Now is the time to be reading and learning about vaccinations. Also, check into making sure you are taking lots of omega 3's, Vitamin D3 (very important), antioxidants (A,C,E) and magnesium. Stay away from seafood/sushi, flu shots, and eat as much organic as you can.

The AAP recommended schedule of shots for children is too many, too soon. Here are sites and books that I always recommend for people to start their research:

www.909shot.com
www.tacanow.org
www.generationrescue.com

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders, by Dr. Kenneth Bock
The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Robert Sears
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Childhood Vaccinations, by Dr. Stephanie Cave
Evidence of Harm, by David Kirby

hi C.
i also had preterm labor with my pregnancies. my first came early for unrelated reasons. with my second, i was hospitalized for two weeks. the tributaline worked only for a short time and then i was put on a magnesium sulfate iv. when that failed, i was put on something else... to make a long story short, i went home on bet rest and delivered only after i stopped the meds. my beautiful, healthy, 7lb.13oz daughter was almost 4 weeks early. we are lucky enough to live at a time when doctors are knowledgeable about these sort of things. hang in there! you will have a healthy little baby too!
T.

I had the same situation. Mine started at about 28 weeks. My Dr. did the same thing with me. I also seemed to have more contractions at night. I was usually at the hospital once a week to get shots of terbutaline plus had the home medications. It was a hassel and was frustrating and scary at times. The good news was I was able to carry my son to 38 1/2 weeks and he came out perfectly fine. Try to relax as much as possible. It is important for your baby. Good luck!

I had early contractions with my last 2 pregnancies. With my 5 year old son I started having them around 20 weeks and had cervical incompetence. I was told to plan to stay in hospital until I delivered which was planned to be induced at 35 weeks due to my illness. I was crushed. My 9 year old was with my mom and sister in our town and I was in the hospital 2 hours away. With alot of prayers I was allowed to go home on complete bedrest after like 1 1/2 weeks. It was awful but it worked. I had my son at 34 weeks 3 days( I was induced before 36 cause I was having contractions while at on my way to an appointment and since we needed to be at the big good hospital 2 hours away from our home) the dr was worried I would have the baby at hospital close to my home. He was 6lbs 3 oz. My son did have some major issues but it wasn't because of the prematurity. He is 5 now and is doing great. He is behind but is healthy and that's fine with me. Ok so with my 6 month daughter we also planned to induced at same hospital at 35 weeks. I had contractions from like 4 months. This time it was from dehydration and it kept happening till the end. I was at hospital every few days for contractions. we ended up making it till I was induced at 35 weeks 1 day. My daughter was 4lbs 10 oz and only had 3 minor issues jaundice, trouble keeping her temperature high enough and trouble gaining weight. She only spent 6 days in hospital total as my son spent 7 weeks. They are both doing great. They are both chubby healthy kids now. I would just suggest lots of fluids and do as little as possible. I was told if they made it to 28 weeks and were born in a good hospital with a good nicu that their chances were good. Prayer also may help. Good luck, I hope you make it as far as needed for them to be healthy and hope you have a good hospital. Hope my experiences can help you feel better. If you wanna know anything feel free to ask. oh yeah did you get steroids for lung development. I had them early on with both and I think they really made a differnce. If you haven't yet had them I strongly suggest you ask your dr to give you them just in case.

my sister had this with both her children. she only has half a uterus and was put on bed rest at 3 months pregnant and was on lots of meds to keep her contractions at bay. She delivered her 1st child 8 weeks early and her second 6 weeks early and both are healthy teenagers today! Of course they had to stay in Childrens hospital for a little while but all turned out okay! Stay off your feet! I wouldn't even get up to make yourself something to eat. Have someone do it for you! she was only able to get up to go to the bathroom.

I had them at 21 1/2 weeks. As soon as I really started resting, they went away. Maybe you are still doing too much. Try wearing a brace. You can buy them at Babies R Us or even Toys R Us. They take a lot of the pressure and redistribute it. It made a huge difference with my third. I could not even walk before it and was soon pain-free while wearing it. With the 2nd pregnancy and pre-term contractions at 21 1/2 weeks, she was delivered full-term almost exactly on her due date. Just rest and wear a brace.

Hi, I was the same. Whenever you feel them coming on drink ALOT of water, at least 6 or 7 glasses. It's a lot and hard to stomach but it stops them. Maybe you will need total bedrest. don't get up unless you have to go to the bathroom, work from bed and get someone else to make your lunch. Good luck.

I also had preterm labor contractions with my second son starting at around 28 weeks. I was also put on the same medication and put on light bed rest. Here's my experience:

-My recommendation is to make sure you are hydrated. I noticed more contractions when I didn't drink enough. Also, if you are drinking any carbonated drinks, cofee (even decaf) or tea, to stop. These types of drinks don't hydrate.
-I needed to make sure to get enough fiber in my diet. For me, the combination of needing to have a bowel movement, being constipated, while having contractions is not a good combo!
-I also needed to listen to my body more. I would feel contractions folding laundry. I used to tell myself that I would stop as soon as the basket was done, but the contractions would get worse, so I would just have to stop. I would even get them while showering! So hubby had to help me out.

I was on the medication until 36 weeks. My Dr. said that after that point we would let nature do what it needed to do. I had my son at exactly 40 weeks. He's 2 1/2 now and healthy!

Bed rest can be frustrating (especially if you have other little ones around, pets, or a hubby that is lost without you!!). Enlist as much support as you can. Whatever you do, listen to your body. If you feel contractions coming on, stop whatever it is you are doing, breathe through it and try to relax. Keep that baby in there as long as you can!

Lot's of good advise. I had early labor with all three of mine, from 5 months on. I was on terbutaline constantly with the 1st baby, and I still had contractions all the time, I'd call the Dr. and say they aren't stopping, and they would have me take more. I had to be on bed rest, and still spent a week in the hospital at 7 1/2 months along, even their they couldn't keep them stopped, they wouldn't even let me get out of bed to pee, it was a bed pan and sponge baths. But she finally came out 3 days late from the due date. The other two were a little better, I never toke the terbutaline the hole time I had some at home from the first visit to get them stopped and toke them more when I had contractions then all the time, I figured I would be serious about taking them if they continued to get more often or more serious, I think with the 2nd child I went to the hospital 3 or 4 times to stop them (not over night stays) but thats because the medicine I had wasn't working. I never went to straight bed rest with her and the 3rd was even better, I still had the contractions at 5 months but had learned how to relax and get them to stop.

I will second the motion of the dehydration hormons. Because that's what they have you do in the hospital, they get you drinking like crazy and have an IV in you too. So I noticed that staying hydrated helped with each pregnancy.

Get 4 diffrent cups put them on the counter in the morning and after you drink one get the next cup and drink. Have the cup near you, if it helps eat salty or dry foods so that you are thirsty. But having the 4 cups on the counter and useing a different one each time helps to keep track of how many you have drank. Always have a water bottle in your hand when you leave the house. If it's not visible you won't remember to drink it. So don't put it in your purse. Good luck to you, do what your doctor says for the sake of your baby. Mine are all perfect, no hyper active or medical problems what so ever. Talk to your doctor about trying to stay more hydrated and maybe seeing if that can keep you off the meds for now. If it doesn't help then you will go back on the meds for the safety of baby. It's worth a shot. The only one that came early was the 3rd and he was 1 week early. Good luck to you and your new bundle of joy. J.