Pre term labour

Hi girls,

I'm 34 weeks today and have been having contractions since 3pm today. Ob has admitted me with threatened preterm labour.

Waters are still in tact and have not had a show. Ob did a VE and said my cervix is short and closed and thinned 50%

I know that the thinning is but what does short mean?

I have been given steroids in case he comes early :/

Amy praying your little man stays baking longer for you huni x

:hug: Hope he stays tucked up inside a bit longer.

Try and avoid vaginal exams if you can. Hope things settle down again and bug remembers how comfy it is in there.

Amy hugs you have not had an easy time the whole way through! I am sending you lots of sticky so bubs stats glued for a bit longer.
As your cervix thins it becomes shorter until it opens completely to let bub out. You are in the best place possible now try and rest and let's hope bub stays put for another 3-5 weeks!

Did you test positive for fetal fibronectin? I'd also try to avoid too many VE's in case of infection. Try to take it mega easy, rest up and drink lots of water. Lots of women can have threatened preterm labour and go on to birth at term. Even if you've tested positive for fFN, it's only an indicator that you *might* go into labour in the next week or so, but it's certainly not a guarantee. Take it easy and I hope this is the last you have to hear/worry about it.

ETA Cassius will hopefully see this too. She had a similar scare and was able to go home and eventually birth at term :)

Hugs Amy.

As Joeve said the cervix shortening is getting ready for labour. Has the Ob put you on any medication? (I've had 1 prem and 1 threatened pre term labour)
With mine they gave me steroids for baby and a medication called nifedipine to stop contractions. Now it might not be an option for you if your cervix is opening too fast. (mine we managed to stop because it was early labour, only minor contractions, he was then born at 38 weeks). it won't hurt to ask your Ob.

My prem was born at 33 weeks.
At 34 weeks most babies are fine. Yes they still need some nursery time, but there are generally less complications.

I know it's a scary thing, preterm labour. You are in the best place, best care possible.

I wish you all the best!

Big hugs hun! I have just been there, my mottled girl was born at 34+2, nearly 4 weeks ago. I had a positive fetal fibroc.... Test and cervix non existent, total bed rest in hospital got me another 2 days :). I had the steroid shots and she came out breathing on her own and needed no help. She was in NICU for the first night then SCU for 2.5 weeks. Do expect some minor set backs during that time. We got home last Saturday but she still has the feeding tube in, with 6 breast feeds and 2 tube feeds. Please pm me if you need any more info, wishing you all the best. It's not the easiest journey but I just tell myself it could be do much worse. Thinking of you and keep your legs crossed :)

Praying he stays baking for a while longer.

You have got to a good gestation, so any nursery time will be minimal (if you go pre term, which I hope not.)

It's a scary time. Please pm me if you have any questions Amy. My DD came 3 months early (not thru prem labour, i had emergency c sec) so I know the fear you are feeling.

One thing I did learn is don't let anyone tell you how to feel. xx

I had dd1 at 34 weeks as I didn't realise I was in labour until my waters broke, with dd2 I ended up on nefedipine for two weeks until my waters started leaking I got to 37 with her. With ds my ob decided to let things go as my body seems to just labour around the 34 weeks, I had to rest with my feet up though as he was resting on my bladder and the ob was worried it would be damaged as I was leaking with each contraction, surprisingly the cheeky thing got to 39 +5 when he punched and broke my waters. No one expected that as the weekly monitoring showed the contractions on the ctg. fingers crossed you can get further along resting is the best thing you can do.

fingers crossed your little man stays put for a little longer :hug:

Sending you my best wishes Amy :hug:

Thiking of you Amy. Hope that baby stays put for a while longer. Rest!

Send you some big hugs! Hope the little man gets comfy and stays in a little longer.

this happened to me with this baby. at 34 weeks i had to go in and tested positive to the fetal febronectin test. i was allowed to go home on complete bedrest (because we were homebirth and had our IM on call the OB decided it would be better in terms of comfort etc). i hope that your bubs can stay put even one more week as it can make a good difference in scn time. rest up, plenty of fluids. thinking of you xx

p.s. we managed to get through 10 days of TPL before it all settled down and we went on to make it to term and onwards to 39w3d!

Rest well Amy, I hope little one stays tucked in nice and snug for a bit longer!

:hug: scary!! Good luck beautiful!!! I'm crossing everything that he stays in there for a little longer.

Have everything crossed for you that bubs stays put for a little bit longer. Try to enjoy putting up your feet for a while xxx

Just sending some :hug:, hope your little onw decides to stay put for just a little longer!

How are you going, Amy?

Hi girls,

Thanks for all your replies :)

I'm going ok, Still in hospital but looks as though I can go home on bed rest today. Have had two lots of steroids to strengthen baby's lungs so at least If I was to go early it shouldn't be as hard on his little boy.

Have still been having contractions but they are all over the shop. I'll have three in a 20 minute period and then nothing for 40 minutes. The hospital is only 20 minutes from home so I think I'd rather just be in my own bed at this point.

Hubby flew home from work yesterday morning and is home for a week so ive got him there if I need anything. I also have an appointment already booked with ob for Monday. Ob goes on holidays next week and doesn't come back until a week before I am due so I'll be dealing with his partner. If these irregular contractions go on and on for weeks then would they normally induce early. Putting up with another six weeks of this is going to be hell :(

Hopefully with some serious bedrest for the next week or two it will slow down for you :hug:

time to get friends to drop off some seriously good books :)

Oh hun. Make sure you take it easy. Lots of rest. Glad you've had steroids for Babys lungs. Have you had anything to stop contractions? Such as Nifedapine?

Do you have anyone to look after you after hubby goes back to work?

Yay I'm allowed to go home on bed rest! They have said I need to take things very easy but still expect me to go early (more than likely before Xmas). Had an ultrasound yesterday and bub was already measuring 5'10 and ob said if he goes to term expect a 9 pounder which neither of us were expecting! Ob thought he would be 6-6.5 pound at term!

Baby shower is still going ahead on Sunday thanks to a wonderful DH, mum and best friend :) tummy bump has dropped considerably in the last two days and pain/pressure in my hoo har and pelvis is a lot more noticeable so they think he might have engaged. Hubby doesn't go back to work until next thurs and then my mum has taken holidays until 7 jan :)

Oh and forgot to add ob said given his size and that he has has both lots of steroids, they will not stop labour.

Oh wow! Good job baking, Mumma!

Now, rest up! Doctors orders :-)

Have fun on your baby shower.

I hope you have an awesome baby shower!

Have a lovely (restful!) baby shower!

How did your baby shower go?

How are you feeling now?

Hi love thanks for checking in!

Baby shower was amazing!!! Although it was 36 degrees so we all sweltered! By the end of the day I could barely move and my feet were like balloons. Contractions are still there, mainly at night time and I'm getting really uncomfortable and getting no sleep.

I see the ob again tomorrow and I'm going to ask if I can be induced at 38 weeks ( for those of you that don't agree, no worries but please don't post).

DH is away at work at the moment, will come home for r&r and due to fly back to work when I am 39 weeks for 4 days. It's over a weekend so there are no flights out. If he takes annual leave then he will only get two weeks once bub is born instead of 4 (long story but their rosters are confusing!)

If I was having a c section ob would happily do it at 38 weeks so I'm praying he will agree to induce me. I'm stressing about hubby going back to work and I'm just exhausted :(

Oh I hope you get some sleep before baby comes. and I really hope your husband is able to be there with you. I hope your OB understands your wishes to birth at 38 weeks via induction.

Don't let anyone make you feel bad for wanting that. It's your choice lovely.

I am hoping you get the birth you want and a happy healthy baby to cuddle is the best reward ever!

Good luck hun. You'll do great I'm sure :-)

Thanks honey!! Xxx

I was induced at 38 and 2 days and bubs was fine!

Hi Amy

Are you public or private. If you are private they are not likely to object to an induction.
I was private, went into pre term labour at 32 weeks, PROM at 33 weeks and induced at 34 weeks. My little boy is now 4 and he is just fine.

How's things going amy? My brothers girl is only 29 weeks and has just been started on steroids for my nieces lungs. They reckon it will be in the next week or two and she's got to have a csection due to a severely broken pelvis that's got a frame in her pelvis so its scary. X

Hi girls,

Sorry I read this and then forgot to come back and reply!

I saw ob in Monday, he has agreed to induce at 39 weeks if I haven't gone on my own before. He is on holidays now and I am seeing his partner on 27th dec and then again on 3rd jan and then I have an appointment with my ob on 10th jan. He said on the 10th they will do an internal and if my cervix is favourable they will induce, if not we can discuss 'other options' ie. Caesar.

Hubby is going back to work on 27th dec for a week and will return on 3rd of jan and is then having 5 weeks off. It was stressing me out him going back for those 4 days and doc doesn't think it's a good idea either.

Contractions were quite strong tonight but have now fizzled off again. Hubby and I are going to go for a a nice long walk in the park tomorrow so hopefully that gets things going :)

Footsteps - omg I could not imagine how painful it would be having a broken pelvis and being pregnant! My niece was born at 29 weeks. I was only 17 and I have to be honest I wasn't prepared for how tiny and weak she would be. She is now one of the tallest in her class and a very bright 7 year old :)

Xxx

Sounds like you've got a plan in place you're happy with Amy. Hopefully you'll get a beautiful early present for Christmas - and hey, being in hospital with a beautiful baby on Christmas Day is probably preferably to cooking a turkey in 40 degrees!!!

Wow Amy, I missed this post around the 5th of December and today is the first day I saw it... How exciting that it's almost going to happen - you'll meet your darling little boy! Your little one can't wait to meet you by the sounds of it! We're thinking of you and hope you'll have a smooth delivery! Lots of love!

Amy so glad your bub is still 'cooking'. Hope you have a merry Christmas and special New Years!

Thanks chrispie you too love xxx