not feeling contracts with multiples?

LadyNikon

I keep reading that some MoM's don't feel their contracts only to later find out they have dialated.  If you were one of those MoM's what DID you feel?  I have increased BH which goes away after laying down sometimes.  Othertimes I have BH as I wake up.  My cervix was last checked to be 4.5cm down from 5+ at my last appt a few weeks ago. 

Newmommaof2

i know you were directing this question to actual moms who have had their babies but about a month ago i was having slight cramping and everyone swore it was growing pains. i insisted on going to ld just to be sure and was informed i was in preterm labor. they were able to stop it and I'm doing fine now but the feeling for me was uncomfortable cramping not really painful. my dr. informed me anything like that that last more than 30 mins to an hour can me i was starting preterm labor and not to ignore it next time. he was unhappy i have put it off for 3 days. i hope that helps.

Nmschultz

On oct 4th I thought I was having Braxton hicks. My stomach would tighten up, but it was completely painless. The following day, I had the same thing. I called my OB, and was told to drink 32 oz of water, and if they didn't stop, or if I ever had any more, to go to L&D to get checked. I had no more until the 9th, and they were again painless, and very inconsistent. I called my OB, and was told to go to L&D. Turns out I was dilated to 4 cm. I was rushed to a level 1 hospital by ambulance, and here I sit, waiting for labor to start back up. The OB that checked me was concerned bc obviously my small, minor contractions were doing something! Luckily, I have made it this far, and hoping to reach 36 weeks. Might be worth talking to your doctor about. Good luck!

Mrs.Greg

I have heard of this happening but not JUST with MoMs.  My best friend just had a baby 2 months ago.  When she went to her 37w appt, her dr did an internal exam and she was dilated 5 cm.  She was shocked because she'd been having some BH but nothing that was painful or consistent for several weeks.  Her Strep B test came back positive so she was sent to L&D to get antibiotics and her baby was born late that night.  Not sure what her dr would have done if her Strep B was negative, maybe sent her home to labor.  Are you worried because your cervix is shortening slightly?  I don't think that should be a concern at this point.  You are 34w tomorrow.  The very last two times my cervix was checked, it went from "more than 5" (my dr wasn't specific if it was more than 5) down to 3 something.  It was checked at 32w and 34w.  My dr told me that if I went into labor at 34w or after, he wouldn't give me magnesium to stop the contractions (just steriod shots for the babies' lungs if necessary) so he wasn't concerned if my cervix shortened so no more u/s to check it.  He started doing internal exams at 35w and I was dilated 2 cm the first time and 3 cm the second.  My babies were born at 36w6d.  You're almost at the end, just let your body do it's thing.  A shortening cervix is not a bad thing now.

BananaPancake

Yeah, at 33w you kind of want your cervix to start changing, so I wouldn't worry too much. I'd only be concerned about contractions that feel more like labor. I'm having contractions nightly, but they don't last too long. My cervix was 2.3 at 27w and nobody seemed too concerned. I would think that 4.5 at 33w means that everything is still locked up TIGHT!  

so72409

I asked my dr why I wasn't feeling them or why they weren't strong enough for me to consider them "real" and she said it was probably because my uterus was so stretched. I obviously didn't get far enough along in labor to know if eventually I would've felt them or not since the girls were born c/s, but my dr said that was a good thing in our case---had I waited until my water broke I would have had to make the hour long drive to the hospital with baby B's feet comin out! Yikes!

MrsOjoButtons

At my 38w check up, I was dilated to 5cm and hadn't noticed any contractions. I made it to 38w6d and enjoyed a very short 3 hour labor.

kiwi443

TBH, I think I was in denial. I was induced with my son and had an epi, so I never felt contractions. The day before my scheduled c-section, I had what I *thought* were Braxton Hicks contractions. By the evening, they were getting painful. I was so over unnecessary hospital visits at that point, I figured I could wait until the next morning. The contractions started getting more painful and I called in. The nurse told me to get there are as fast as possible.

When we got to the hospital, they said I was already 6-7 cm. dilated. I was rushed to the OR and the girls were born within an hour of us arriving at the hospital. It was insane.

 

caden

I didn't have any painful contrax until an hour before I gave birth. Before that the only thing I felt WRT contrax was shortness of breath in my chest. I felt nothing in my abdomen although I could feel w/ my hands that my belly was tightening. 

flgator

I was induced with both boys.  I wasn't dilated with DS1 but was about 3-4 cm with DS2.  I had (what I thought) were BH a few times with DS2.  I'm worried about not making it to the hospital in time.  Once they started the pitocin, it was 4 hours with DS1 and 2 hours with DS2.  I've never gone into labor on my own and worried I won't realize in time.  I'm getting BH everyday. 

jcath

I didn't feel alot of contractions with the girls.  I think it was hard to distinguish BH from regular discomfort, but I wouldn't say I had lots of noticable BH.  I was dilated to 3 cm when they induced me and had no idea.  I think I could have been pregnant with those girls past 40 weeks, they seemed perfectly happy in there Very grateful though that I did make it so far.