First of all, and most importantly....
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I have so much to be thankful for today: our baby, my husband, my family, my friends, my job, my house, and the list just keeps going. Last night as I was falling asleep I felt her moving around. She was very active for several minutes. It made me so happy and I just smiled! I am so thankful for her.
Josh and I went to our scheduled appointment on Monday. We hadn't had an appointment in four weeks! I started to worry a few days before the appointment. I was ready to listen to her heartbeat to make sure everything was still okay. Our nurse asked how everything was going and I told her fine with the exception of my stomach getting really tight and hard at times. She said that I was having uterine contractions! Our doctor came in a few minutes later. She seemed concerned about the uterine contractions. By the way, she never called them Braxton Hicks. She is a very laid back doctor so Josh and I thought maybe this was a little serious when she seemed so concerned. She said "I'm so sorry! You've gone through too much: IVF, a vanishing twin, ovarian torsion with surgery and now uterine contractions so early!" I thought "So early...what do you mean?" I thought they were completely normal. She said most women do not have uterine contractions until a couple months before their births or even a few days before their births. She said some women have uterine contractions early on and throughout their pregnancies and all is fine. But she said some women have uterine contractions early on and go into preterm labor. She said "early on" uterine contractions make doctors scratch their heads and wonder if patients will go into preterm labor.
She checked my cervix and said everything was fine but it did feel a little soft. She said this can be normal though. She said to take it easy from here on out. She said I was just going to have to be a party pooper during the holiday season. She gave me a prescription for Magnesium Oxide. I am taking it once a day for now but she said we will increase the dosage slowly. Josh and I are going back on Monday. I am going to have a test done to check for preterm labor. It's called a Fetal Fibronectin (fTN) test. Here are a couple web sites that explain the test:
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1149.asp
http://www.fullterm.net/
I am worried but trying not to think about it. It just makes me worry even more. Josh and I are home with family. I am taking it easy and lying around as much as possible. I've felt a few uterine contractions here and there but try to relax, drink lots of water and lay on my left side. I'll keep you updated on this bump in the road!
8 comments:
Hey - I've had tightenings since 16w2d. Was told to cut back at work, put on higher dose progesterone, and got myself weekly cervical length ultrasounds. So far, so good, even after 9 weeks of it. My cervix feels softer some days (vaginal progesterone going in there 2x/day) than others, longer some days than others, but even on days where it's felt short and soft to me, it's still long and closed on the scan.
I'd probably ask for one transvag scan to check cervical length if I were you. If it's still nice and long at 24 weeks, you can feel pretty reassured that things will continue to go well.
I know about the FFN testing, but that's not something they've offered me for whatever reason. I think maybe if my cervix were shorter, they'd do it to get a better idea of my risk for preterm labour.
I've been off work for the last 5 weeks now, waiting to get through the crucial period till closer to 28 weeks, and then hopefully next week at 26.5 weeks I'll get permission to slowly start back at 27.5 weeks.
For now, they've pegged me as having an "irritable uterus", and since it hasn't changed my cervix so far, they're (and I am) getting less worried about it being anything bad. Only time will tell!
Hope everything goes okay for you. Enjoy this last Thanksgiving before you are a mom!!!
Oh boy!! I will keep you in my prayers....stay off those feet and let your family spoil you!
Praying for you! I hope your appointment on Monday goes really well.
Boy oh boy. Just can't catch a break huh? I'd ask for transvaginal scans regularly to check...they did one at our big ultrasound scan at 20 weeks. And just continue to take good care of yourself. I'm sure everything will be a-ok and it's good that the OB is aware of it early.
I'm confident everything will be just fine! Those contractions are scary, but its just your body's way of preparing for the big day. I've also had contractions starting at 29 weeks (had to go to the hospital to stop them). MOST of the time my contractions are because I'm not drinking enough water...so make sure you're plenty hydrated!! I'll be praying!!
Try not to freak out, I have had them since 20 weeks. They got progressively more frequent, and by 24 weeks I was having about 10 an hour, which is way too many. My FFN test came back negative, so we're just keeping an eye on it. My doctor is not concerned, she said that's what is normal for me since my cervix is unchanged. Just drink lots of water and take your meds. Everything will be just fine!
Contractions can begin as early as 6 weeks pregnant. I personally had them all throughout my last pregnancy and baby was three days late!
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