how do you tell the difference b/t PTL and "normal" aches and pains?

lnle

All the descriptions I read about signs of pre-term labor seem kind of vague - low back pain, something "not feeling right", etc. The obvious one is lots of contractions, but I'm still not sure what a contraction feels like or if I've been having them. If you dealt with PTL (or had a scare and weren't actually in PTL but thought you were), can you tell me what your signs and symptoms were? Thanks!

jenm1999

When I had my girls I went into the hospital not feeling "right".  I swore up and down that i was fine and probobly just over did it but we went in to get checked.  Turns out i was dilated 4 and 90% effaced.  If your not sure it's better to go in and get checked.  Good luck!!

lulugirl

I actually felt fine all day and then *boom* out of nowhere I was getting contractions so close together I could barely count them. I could not walk, talk or move at all. I was huffing and puffing through my call to the OB.

Was in the hospital for 4 days on Magnesium.

That is how it was for me.

Temp6313048411121614

I was not expecting it.  I was always used lots of contrax/BH's.  I was on Procardia and went in for a regular BPP, then NST, then was supposed to have a regular appt.  As soon as my NST started, I started contracting every 2-3 minutes.  Even after a few large glasses of water, they weren't slowing at all (and the Procardia should've been fresh in my system, but in long enough to be effective).  They weren't overly painful.  My OB sent me to L&D and I was 2cm and 50%.  I spent 2.5 days on Mag, and was released after a total of 4 nights.  I'm so thankful that I had an NST when I did, if I'd have been at home I probably would've blown the contractions off for quite a while.  I hate when my doc asks if my contractions are "painful" because I compare them to what they felt like when I was pg with DS (so I don't feel like I can rightly say "yes" since I know what real painful labor contractions feel like).  Sorry that got rambly, but I guess my point is to call ANYTIME you're unsure.  If I'd have waited as long as I probably would have, I might have progressed too far to stop the PTL.

ethansbride2b

I went to L&D twice once for contractions and once for sharp pains down there and when I got to L&D it turns out that I was having a lot of contractions on the monitor.  I've been 1cm dialated and have had a shortened and funneled cervix for about 6 weeks now.  They have me on Procardia now and I'm supposed to drink a gallon of water a day.

My doctor told me that if I have any more than 4 contractions an hour to call them.  They don't need to necessarily be painful.  A contraction feel like a tightening all over your belly and your belly feels hard (sort of like a basketball) to the touch. 

You might want to ask your MFM about a home contraction monitor.  Since I am pg with triplets they set me up with one so that I can monitor an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening and send the data over to a 24 hour nursing staff.   I'm also supposed to send data any time that I feel like I might be having more contractions than in the allowed threshold.  I'm not sure if you MFM offers such devices.  Its from an outside company called Alere and the monitor had to be approved by my insurance company.  It really has given me piece of mind and kept me out of L&D. 

If you ever feel like your having symptoms of PTL its better to be safe and call the doctor. 

 

 

Temp159135562506975

read www.keepemcookin.com inside and out- has GREAT info.

for me- when i had PTL with my singleton - i started to spot... didn't have any pains at all - but when i went into L&D it showed i was contracting -- i had no clue!  If I had not taken the spotting seriously- he probably would have been born at 32w.

lnle

thanks everyone! I think I'm ok today. I was a little too active yesterday and I think I've got some muscle soreness/RLP, but it doesn't seem exactly like contractions. I will definitely call my doc if things start to feel weird. For now I'm taking it easy and drinking lots of water.

ethansbride, I definitely want to ask my MFM about a home contraction monitor!

dtwmco

I'm a little late on this one...

But I had no idea that I was having PTL when I went in for my 26 week appt (26w5d) after work one day.  I had been having a lot of tightening in my belly, which I thought was normal.  Something did feel maybe "not right," and I was ready to ask my doctor for weekly appointments starting them.  Nothing hurt in any way, no back pain, but during the ultrasound the tech noticed that the contractions I was having were pushing baby b's head quite a bit down.  An internal check revealed I was beginning to dilate.  My cervical length was NOT good, especially when pressure was applied.  (Standing up/sitting/pushing on my belly)

I was immediately sent to the hospital on bedrest, they determined I was having PTL with regular contractions (again, nothing hurt at all, so I really didn't notice them at all), put on mag for 2 days, and I stayed in the hospital with a few other scares pretty much 100% effaced and at least 2 cm dilated most of the time (on procardia and a couple other things off and on) until I had the girls at 35w2d.

I feel so fortunate that I had an appointment that week since I had no clue what was going on inside of me.  Definitely take it as easy a possible (I wish I had stopped work the week before...) and call your ob if anything doesn't seem right.