I have an irritable ute! :-O

Mama Angelina · April 2009

So I've recently realized that what I thought was the baby poking out to say hi was really my uterus contracting slightly LOL. They don't hurt, last about 10 seconds, and I've been getting them once in a while for weeks. Yesterday I counted them throughout the day and at one point I had like 4-5 in an hour. Usually though they are much less frequent, maybe one every hour or two. So slight you barely notice them if you're not feeling around. OB said to head to L&D so they could monitor them and check my cervix, so we did. They put me on a machine and discovered that I was having frequent low-level cx.

Good thing is my cervix is still super long and closed so no worries there. Irritable Uterus Syndrome is not a clinical term but it is used to refer to frequent irregular contractions that do not change the cervix. More than just a couple Braxton Hicks here and there. They have the potential to lead to PTL in some people, but lots of women who have the cx end up delivering on their due date or needing to be induced. I have to drink TONS of water (I mean a couple gallons a day) and they're going to check my cervix every other week or so to make sure there are no changes. I'm also going to take weekly progesterone shots as extra insurance against PTL. I've also learned that things like a full bladder, orgasm, even the slightest dehydration, bending at the waist, wearing something tight around the belly, baby movements, and going up the stairs or getting stressed can all cause the uterus to contract slightly. Sooooo, that's what it is and I thought I'd share. I honestly had no idea the little hard spots I'd feel sometimes were not the baby but contractions! My ute and I are spending some QT now getting to know each other. I try not to piss her off and she cooks my bean.

In case you want more info, here are a couple sites that have made things more clear for me:

https://www.irritable-uterus.com/

https://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/health_wellness/complications/article/contractions-irritable-uterus

margeincharge2 · April 2009

Oh my, I would never have thought those were your uterus contracting either. I'm glad it seems everything is ok. I'm lol'ing at you trying to keep your ute happy while your bean is being cooked.