Preterm Labor Questions

emiannie · May 2012

I feel sure what's happening to me is NOT preterm labor, but I'm an alarmist when it comes to my body/baby/health. So help me feel sure this is NOT PTL.

I've had sharp pains on my right side (like 3 needles stabbing me from the left side across my mid-belly, but not the entire belly). With that is accompanying back pain...on the opposite side of the pain I've been seeing the chiropractor for. None of this is happening more than like once an hour at most...so I don't feel like it's super serious...but I'd like to know for sure it's nothing to worry about.

So if you had PTL, what did it feel like and how did you know?

(I posted this on the FB board too, but I know some of you are still over here only...and I can't remember the damn URL to the new SAIF board.)

leneae10 · May 2012

For me, PTL (18w) felt like I had to poop constantly, or maybe like a bladder infection. Just an urge, a general crampiness. I had some clear to creamy discharge that turned pink and then red, also along with some leakage of fluid. By the time I had regular all over tightness (contractions) I was in labor. Looking back, my signs were a SHARP pain through my core (cervix opening possibly?), a general feeling of sudden illness, and radiating pain throughout my back and a very tight belly were my symptoms.

I hope you are experiencing some growing pains and nothing else!

DrVWife · May 2012

I had pretty much no warning. I was having some belly tightening the few days before but it was not painful at all. My water broke at 4:45am when I sat up to go to the bathroom. I was in denial for a little bit because I was 33w4d.

FWIW...I had a cervix check almost a week before my water broke and it was closed tight. That morning when I got to L&D I was dilated to 2cm and within 1/2 was 3-4cm. If it were me I would make a phone call and speak tot he nurse and probably ask to be seen but I tend to be more of an alarmist too.

emiannie · May 2012

I think that's what I'm going to do...better safe than sorry. It's not as often now...so I'll really feel like an alarmist. I have an appointment/ultrasound on Wednesday. Would you just wait and see how it goes until then? It's early in the morning.

patchen30 · May 2012

I spent basically the whole 2nd half of my pregnancy in L&D b/c I had constant Braxton Hicks - 4+ an hour, every hour. They never progressed to anything. However, it made me feel better (although it was an inconvenience) to get it checked out. Your Dr.s won't judge, everyone will just be glad b/c it's probably a false alarm. But personally I'd rather just be on the safe side (but I'm a total spaz).

Mrs.Babbsy · May 2012

My belly just kept getting tight but I had to no idea I was in PTL. I had to get hooked up and the internal showed I was funneling.

emiannie · May 2012

Mrs.Babbsy:
My belly just kept getting tight but I had to no idea I was in PTL. I had to get hooked up and the internal showed I was funneling.

This makes me feel much less like a hypochondriac. I called and the nurse said it's likely just RLP, but to definitely mention it Wednesday at my appointment and also to not hesitate to call back if it happens more frequently or becomes more painful.

di0607 · May 2012

I had tightening at the top of my belly and just felt like the head was going to fall out or that I was sitting on it. I was also carrying extremely low. DS1 had hiccups constantly the I could feel in my back.

Mrs.Babbsy · May 2012

emiannie:
Mrs.Babbsy:

My belly just kept getting tight but I had to no idea I was in PTL. I had to get hooked up and the internal showed I was funneling.

This makes me feel much less like a hypochondriac. I called and the nurse said it's likely just RLP, but to definitely mention it Wednesday at my appointment and also to not hesitate to call back if it happens more frequently or becomes more painful.

If you feel 6 or more "tightens" in an hour, head to triage.

ardilla · May 2012

Mrs.Babbsy:
emiannie:
Mrs.Babbsy:

My belly just kept getting tight but I had to no idea I was in PTL. I had to get hooked up and the internal showed I was funneling.

This makes me feel much less like a hypochondriac. I called and the nurse said it's likely just RLP, but to definitely mention it Wednesday at my appointment and also to not hesitate to call back if it happens more frequently or becomes more painful.

If you feel 6 or more "tightens" in an hour, head to triage.

Ditto! I had tightening and pressure that progressed to timeable, then painful. 6 or more was my OB's rule for a trip to L&D as well.

itsmyangel · May 2012

I had what i imagined felt like contractions (tightening off and on in my belly) around 20 weeks. I went to the hospital and they monitored and said i had an irritable uterus and that they weren't true contractions. My Dr kind of scolded me for going in so i switched OBs. Then at 25 weeks i was having sharp pains kinda down there so much so that i would have to stop walking and was almost afraid to walk. we went and got monitored...I wasn't dilated but was having contractions every 5 min and had a positive FFN. They did mag sulfate and put me on bedrest and I started to see a MFM.

Long story short after all that I ended up inducing at 39 weeks My contractions eventually slowed to a stop and I was able to work ( i have a desk job) 1/2 days in the office and 1/2 at home once i got to about 35 weeks

SPerry0376 · May 2012

It's not really a sharp pain, more like bad menstrual cramps that come and go and a very "tight" feeling when they come and go. Your belly gets rock hard when you have a contraction to. Can't miss it.

LnR70707 · May 2012

At first it felt like bad intestinal pain or gas pain, but I couldn't get it to move although different activities/rest did lessen them so I didn't think much of it. After a few hours my whole belly would tighten up and I had to breathe through them, but I was still able to get them to stop for short periods. By 9pm (almost 12hrs in) the pain was bad enough that I knew I couldn't sleep so we went in. It was mostly the back labor that got me (think the worst intestinal back pain/pressure you've ever had) and nothing was stopping it. I was 34w4days and was a 3-4 and 80% effaced by the time I was checked in triage around 11pm.

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