**WARNING TMI** Loose Stools for over a week now !!!!!

[Meluchja]

Hi everyone,
I'm just again warning you that this might be a little too much for some, especially this time of morning, sorry
I posted a thread a little over a week ago about some diarrhea, and stomach cramps I had been getting. Anyway, I put it down to a case of Gastro or alike, and waited for it to pass.
Well I'm still waiting, it's definately not as bad as it was a week ago, I can manage to finish meals before I get the cramps, but I'm still having loose stools about 6-10 times a day. I have never had vomitting with it and have felt completely normal apart from the runs and occassional stomach cramps and lower back ache. No contractions either just normal BH.
I mentioned it to the midwife who consulted one of the doctors on shift, and they were more worried about dehydration, but I ensured them that I was filling up as much as I could.
Has anyone suffered this before?
I'm just starting to worry that our bub might be starting to suffer, as I have lost 1kg of weight, and just as much seems to be coming out as much as is going in IYKWIM
Any advise would be throughly reassuring for me, thanks.

[Morgaine]

How close are you to term? If you're close this could be a prelabour symptom, your body preparing for labour. A change in your baby's movement or position could have attributed to this.

If you think it is a tummy bug of sorts, take spoons of raspberry jam, take probiotic supplements and drink lots of water.

[Meluchja]

Hi and thanks Morgaine,
I'm 35 weeks pregnant, but have been told we can expect our little guy anytime as I had a threatened labour at 32 weeks which they stopped with nethedapine (sorry can't remember spelling). I was starting to think along these lines too, as I have been getting alot of pains in my lower back along with some blood streaked thick snotty type muscus today, and alot of BH, but I thought women who experience loose bowl movements only do so for a couple of days. Have you heard of someone having it for over a week before bubs come?

After what happened at 32 weeks I begin to wonder if every pain is the start of something IYKWIM I'm just being a paranoid mum I think!!!

BTW What does the raspberry jam do?

[Morgaine]

I have been getting alot of pains in my lower back along with some blood streaked thick snotty type muscus today, and alot of BH, but I thought women who experience loose bowl movements only do so for a couple of days.

That certainly sounds like things are getting ready. 35 weeks is okay, most babies lungs mature by 34 weeks. After 28 weeks or 1500 grams, the chances of survival are pretty good up to around 90 percent, with babies around 33 weeks being strong enough to breastfeed.

It could be another week or two yet. Wouldn't surpise me if it was only another week since you are losing the plug, having BH's, back pains and loose bowels.

Most midwives will homebirth from 36 weeks so if you make it to 36 thats only one week short of what is considered "term" : )

[Morgaine]

Oh, forgot to comment on the raspberry jam There are phenolic compounds present that inhibit the growth of human gut pathogens, and raspberry jam has other antimicrobial and antiviral properties as well.

If you have raspberry leaf tea, that will work too as it is an effective remedy for treating diarrhea because of its rich content of tannins. They tend to stop diarrhea by their astringent properties, which help reduce intestinal inflammation.

SUGAR
Keep in mind, jams have high sugar content and sugar is something you would want to avoid during illnesses as sugar depresses immune function. Pick the lowest sugar jam that you can find, preferably one that doesn't use processed sugar but instead uses fruit pectin to preserve the jam.

There are two brands that I know of that have all natural ingredients and no processed cane sugar.

ST. DALFOUR - raspberries, grape juice concentrate, lemon juice, fruit pectin. Total sugars is 3.2g per teaspoon.

CHARLES JACQUIN - raspberries, grape juice concentrate, fruit pectin, lemon juice.

[Meluchja]

Wow Morgaine you certainly know what you are talking about. I don't have any Jam, but I have been taking RTL capsules and have been have a cup or two of the tea a day. Gees I wonder how often I would be going to the loo if I haven't been having the capsules and the tea When I was hospitalised at 32 weeks, I had 2 shots of steroids while I was given the nethedapine, incase it didn't work. Luckily the contractions become irregular and stopped and he didn't need the steroids to work at all, but I have been warmed of having a baby with a healthy set of lungs now
Thanks for your help

[luua]

Mummy Mel this also happened to me although mine did stop after a few days. I also had some lower back aches (nothing a hot water bottle couldnt fix) and by the time i had reached term my GP said I was already 3cm dialated.
It all took time but i found that my body was going through the 1st stage of labour very slowly (over a week) so it could be a while...But keep the fluids up!

Good luck

Ann

[DoulaRelle]

Mel,

sorry if this is TMI, but I have had loose stools on and off all pregnancy. I think you can either get very blocked up or very loose stools just depending on your body and what bubs is doing.

Maybe the fact that Jack has moved down so much lower and all of the pre labour you have got going on, your body is just reacting by way of loose stools.

Hun, I don't think you are going to go over like you think, I would say more likely in the next couple of weeks!

[Meluchja]

I think you may be right Relle. I am putting all the frequent toilet trips, lower back ache, BH, cramps and coloured dishcharge down to some pre labour symptoms.
I'm aware that it can last for weeks, so I'm just going to be ready and just stay ready until he does decide to come.
I just hope I don't go over, I hope your right. I would love to get past 36-37weeks anything after that I'll be happy with.