Contractions

Chickandtaco

I never had any with my son, that I was aware of.  I THINK I'm having them now but I need help!  Can you describe them to me?  I feel ridiclious that I need clarification but I'm just not sure. 

 I saw my Dr. this morning and when I told him what I was feeling (tightening and lots of pressure across the middle of my belly, like at my belly button) he said that it was contractions and normal and ok as long as I don't have more then 4 in an hour.  I'm not sure how to distinguish one from the other or when they start and stop necessarily.  Sometimes I feel the pain/tightening all the way across my belly, sometimes only on one side or the other.  Is that how they are?  They are not very bad, and I'm feeling a little bit of menstrual like cramping but not all the time.  The best way I can think to describe it is like someone is filling a balloon up with air, inside my belly, I feel like I'm going to burst, and then eventually it goes away.  Come on girls, you need a few more weeks!!!

togagirl

Are they regular or random?  Do they stop if you lay down and relax?

MoMandA

They do sound like contractions. If they aren't time-able and random then they are probably normal.  If you have more than 5 or 6 an hour and they don't go away after emptying your bladder and drinking some water. You should call and see if you need to be monitored by L & D.

rachelle2824

Drink water and lay down to really focus on them and record them. Don't wait for them to get serious to call and get monitored. If you think you need to be monitored because you aren't sure. Go to L&D and they will hook you up to the monitor. Then you can watch the contractions to be able to match what you are feeling to what you see on the monitor (because you can watch them on the screen.) Gotta cook those babies a while longer. Did your doctor say when they plan on starting NST's? I wonder why he didn't just hook you up in the office to see how many you were having!  

Chickandtaco

Thanks ladies.  Yeah I start my NST's twice a week starting at 32 weeks (on Monday).  I ended up going to L&D, and I ended up being there for THREE hours.  Could they make the L&D beds and more uncomfortable?!?!  And I even brought my big pillow with me!  Man I'm in so much back pain now from laying there for so long!  Anyway, they monitored the girls and said their heartbeats looked "beautiful".  They checked my cervix several ways, it's long and closed so they are happy.  Dr. said 3"+ makes them happy and I was at 5 so they said I get an A+ LOL.  No contractions showed on the monitors probably because it was the first time I laid down all day. (I probably should have laid down for a while before I went in which was initially my plan).  The contraction monitor just showed "irritability".  They checked for infection, everything was good there.  There was +1 trace of protein in my urine which they didn't seem alarmed by though it does concern me some!  BP was 120/72 so that was good.  They put me on pelvic rest.  Asside from that just told me to drink lots of water, rest and all that good stuff. I'll be back Monday for my first NST and then I'll be having those twice a week from there on out so I will be closely monitored.  Thanks everyone for your concern and encouragement and thanks a million to Cyndy for coming over so I could go in!

rachelle2824

Oh awesome!! It sounds like your girls should be able to stay in for several more weeks (maybe even longer!) which is great! Of course everything can change in a minute but it sounds like everything is on the right track for you and your babies!