PTL question
I'm a PTL risk due to a hematoma and I regularly get confused about the concept. I've read about PTL symptoms online, but I have those symptoms (minus bleeding) pretty much daily. In the past month I just resolved that I'm either in labor or I'm not so hang tight until you have no doubt. But now I'm wondering if, even if contractions and symptoms subside, are they doing harm?
Like yesterday I started having regular contractions (10min apart) from 8-3am. They didn't get stronger, but I had no appitite the whole day leading up and I went from going to the bathroom a lot and it being loose to feeling like I couldn't go at all and lots of pressure on my bottom (like literally my butt). I even was pretty swollen. Obviously I wasn't in labor because I'm still here, but I don't trust that I'm exactly ok either.
The on call nurses don't help b/c they always tell me to come in and hopefully you high risk ladies have heard that enough yourselves to know that you just can't go in every single time something happens. Is this common? Is anyone dealing with this and what does your ob say? When I last spoke to my ob a week ago, my symptoms were different so this wasn't addressed as a "when to come in" scenario.
I'm starting to have contractions again and the pressure and bathroom issues have persisted even though I'm guzzling water and sitting so any help, similar stories, wwyd answers etc are very appreicated!
Re: PTL question
are you on bedrest? if so, what are your restrictions?
I am terrified I will go into PTL and have no idea. I've had some cramping and tightening here and there, but nothing consistent or super painful. So far they haven't seemed to have caused any further damage.
If I see blood or have severe pain though I am going right in.
My Dr. has assured me that I will know if I go in to labor, but I'm just not convinced. It's hard to know what's normal and okay and what isn't.
I'm off bedrest- did that for two months. My ob adheres to the newer studies on bedrest so I didn't have to sit in bed all day. I just had to be off my feet as much as possible, not lift, pelvic rest etc. My hematoma resolved after the "safe" 20 week mark, so that seems to be what's causing the high risk now.
I am so relieved to know I'm not nuts for being totally confused on this subject. I had also resolved not to go in unless it had turned into what most people would consider true labor or bleeding...but when you're in the middle of your 20th contraction in an hour, you realize there are a lot of grey zones. Plus I really don't know if the baby is ok through all that or if its not further increasing my chances of PTL. Sure, some BHs are normal, but what about wave after wave of contraction that's super mild but won't stop for hours? And all those scenarios in between? I can sense that its affecting my body but I'm not sure if any one episode would be the one I need to go in for or the one that makes a difference.
I'm going on a hospital tour here in a bit, I think I'm going to take advantage and see if the nurses can explain some of this...hopefully they don't try to strap me in a bed!
I was told that if I have more than 4 BH in an hour to call or come in.
Well, I got some information from a couple labor nurses. Having all these contractions will not hurt the baby, assuming that it has a good oxygen reserve (basically that its a normal baby).
They were also sympathetic to the situation of the nurses always just saying to go in. They (and a doctor) suggested that if you notice more than 5 in an hour to lay down on the left side, drink water and rest. I know that's typical advice, but I felt the difference was that they were suggesting it AT the point of having x many contractions, not while you suspect they're happening.
Other than that, having the contractions, even regular and more intense ones, really aren't what they're concerned about- its whether any contractions are causing you to progress. Which of course we can't inherently know, but at least if we start having all these crazy grey areas of contractions and symptoms, we know that its ok to take some time to see where it goes and that we aren't hurting the baby to wait a bit.
Hope that helps! I feel a lot better after talking to all the labor staff, but of course there will be some new twist the next time all this craziness starts and I'll probably be back to wondering
one day at a time...
I'm glad you got your questions answered! I had PTL with my son for the entire duration of my pregnancy... I can't tell you how many times I was in L&D for monitoring. Actually was in PTL at 3cm about 3 weeks before he was born, and they gave me drugs to stop the labor (and a drug to help mature baby's lungs if he was born)... After that I spent a week in the hospital, and 2 weeks after I left the hospital, he was born!
I felt EXACTLY how you ladies felt- the morning (of the day my son was born) I knew something was different since I had some spotting. I called the DR and they were not concerned, and said they would schedule me to see the DR after I had my scheduled NST and U/S.
Long story short, I spent over two hours at my DR's office before they realized I was in labor. (And even then, they didn't realize it until they went to check my cervix... and realized I was completely dialated!) 45 minutes later my son was born.
if I hadn't spotted, or had any sort of inkling to see my DR-- I would have had my son at home. Of this I am sure... sooo... keep bugging your DR's cuz that is there job!!
If you feel more than 5 in an hr you should call ur DR... if you don't want to call yet, relax in bed and wait another hour. If you notice a change in the number or in intensity, you should call the DR. ALSO call the DR if you don't feel regular movement during contractions
GOOD LUCK! && if there's anything else I can do to help, feel free to ask!!