Just so confused!

kaybee10

If you saw my post last night/update this morning (I was being monitored at hospital for contractions), this is a continuation of those posts.  Today I have had light contractions yet again and I have been drinking water all day long per their recommendations.  So I called my doc office at the end of the day just to give them an update and the doctor says I need to go in to be monitored again! The nurse on the line with me said "we wouldn't know if they were real or bh contractions but obviously they were real last night or they wouldn't have given you the medicine". So I called the hospital and asked if I was having real contractions or bh and she said the only way to know is if your cervix is dialating which it wasn't.  She said they gave the medicine to calm them down.  So I asked her if I needed to come in and she said if I'm having more than 4 an hour.  I've had 3 an hour at the most, and they only come on when I'm thinking/worrying about it or when my bladder is full.  I just dont think I could leave work every day to be checked to make sure I'm not dialating, that seems excessive -but of course I want to do what's in the best interest of the baby.  These are obviously braxton hicks, they are not painful or getting more regular or stronger -so why am I getting all these mixed suggestions? I understand bh could dialate my cervix but I can't get my cervix checked each day?

LoveBug39

Kaybee--I'm so sorry you are having these contractions..I wish I had some words of wisdom for you..I just hope they die down for now and that you don't have to keep running to the hospital to be monitored. I have been looking for you on the 3rd trimester board!

GypsyEsq

This sounds very frustrating but the reality is there is no difference between BH and "real" contractions.  Many women don't feel any painful contractions during labor (I, unfortunately was not one of those) so the only way your doctors can tell you if you have a problem is by checking if your cervix is dilating. BH contractions are thought to not cause dilation but again, the only thing that changes when a doctor says "oh these are 'real' is that there is some indication that your cervix is changing.  

It sounds like last night the call was made to give you bretherine because of your gestation, not because you were dilating but I may have missed it but did you have an ultrasound done or just contraction monitoring?  Were you told that your cervix was shortening or funneling?  Honestly, the bretherine is probably standard of care at 26 weeks assuming you were having more contractions than what the on call thought was reasonable.  If you've done what the doctor's suggested today (drinking water and staying off your feet -- are you at work or laying down?) then I think they are right to suggest that you come back in to be monitored. 

ipookie8

Kaybee, get to the hospital girl! I'm worried about you. From what I hear BH are the same thing as contractions but the only difference is that the cervix does not dilate with BH.

I really hope they are just BH and not labor inducing contractions! What a pain in the arse to not know the difference... I feel you-- any time you go to ER it feels like a waste of a day sitting there for hours while they seemingly do nothing...However, I'm a firm believer in "you're better safe than sorry"

Please keep us all updated on you and baby-- I'm thinking of you two all day and anxious for your update!

*hugs*