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What's likely to happen at my appointment this afternoon when I tell them about the contractions?

post #1 of 22
8/19/10 at 11:53am
Thread Starter 
I'm 24 weeks, 4 days with twins. I've been having a lot of lower back pain, cramping, and a couple hours a day when I have some pretty strong contractions. I'm wondering what, if anything, they're going to do when I go into my appointment today.
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post #2 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:04pm
I had weird contractions with #1 around that time. I mentioned it at an appointment. My OB did an internal and found I was not dilated at all, and I was sent off for a nonstress test which came back normal. I think it was a combination of summer - stress - doing too much - not drinking enough water.
hope everything is OK.
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post #3 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:12pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks! That's the sort of thing I was wondering-- will there be an internal or any sort of testing done. I just don't do well with surprises, LOL!
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post #4 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:14pm
because these babies are not your first pregnancy, they will likely check to make sure you are not dilating and chalk it up to braxton hicks (which can start a lot earlier in ladies who have been pregnant before)

And then tell you the classic... drink more water and take it easy (always good advice lol... but not always a cure)

Mine started around 26 weeks this time... but I know a few ladies who were already starting earlier than that.
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post #5 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:20pm
Thread Starter 
Well, it's not Braxton Hicks, they just take my breath away (and happen a lot as well). Whatever's going on, if it was happening at 39 weeks I'd be all excited. They hurt. I'm also worried about having to go on bedrest. I'm already the laziest pregnant woman in the universe.
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post #6 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:23pm
Definitely expect a VE.
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post #7 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:23pm
I would guess that they probably will do an internal and hook you up to check out the contractions.
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post #8 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cristeen View Post
Definitely expect a VE.
Pooh. Make me feel better and tell me that would happen even if I were having a homebirth again.
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post #9 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:26pm
I think they'll take it much more seriously because this is a twin pregnancy. My guess is they'll ask a lot of questions, do a dilation check, and possibly have you do a NST or monitor your contractions. MAYBE admit you for fluids and observation for a day or two at most, treating you for the contractions if they notice a pattern. Then, I'm guessing, they'll give you some orders for modified rest (how modified, depending on what they see when they monitor you).

You're very close to viability, and it's twins...they're probably going to want to check this out very, very thoroughly. No one wants to have micro-preemie twins at this stage.

s, mama. I would have called about this sooner. It's pretty common for twin mamas to go into pre-term labor and need some life adjustments/med help to keep their babies in longer. In my case, I think I was 26 or so weeks when I went into pre-term labor. I didn't dilate, but I was contracting strongly and regularly for many hours. I stayed in the hospital so they could monitor me and the babies for 24 hours, was given meds to stop the contractions, then was sent home with orders to stop work, spend most of my day sitting or laying down, drink WAY more water/eat more protein, and not leave the metro area.

Following that advice, I went to 40wks1day with the babies.
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post #10 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:26pm
Braxton Hicks can hurt!

What makes them BH instead of real labor is that they aren't making any changes down there.
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post #11 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:28pm
Thread Starter 
I did actually call earlier this week and they didn't seem that concerned. They said to call if they picked up, drink lots of water, and lay on my left side.
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post #12 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:34pm
Do they know they're happening regularly for a couple of hours each day, and that they hurt? Whatever you do, make sure you give an accurate description of what's happening to the doctor/mw today...I would be surprised if they dismissed it as BH without any further investigation. Too many twin pregnancies end up with micro-preemies.

I know you don't want bedrest, but really...if you catch it early enough, and don't push your body, modified bedrest is not THAT bad. Your body is working harder than it's meant to work now that you're growing two babies...it's only natural that you'll need to give it some extra pampering and rest (possibly a LOT of extra pampering and rest) in order for it/you to accomplish this incredible task. You are growing TWO BABIES at once!! That's amazing! Rest up, let your body gestate, and get used to having your feet up every second you possibly can. As you get close to term, you can start being more active and getting your body back in shape for birth...but now is not the time to push yourself. Now is the time to avoid having premature babies.
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post #13 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:38pm
Thread Starter 
Yep, I told her. It's an hour or so in the evening, and now it's been happening in the mornings too. I'm seeing the mean midwife today but maybe that's what I need.
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post #14 of 22
8/19/10 at 12:40pm
Good luck!
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post #15 of 22
8/19/10 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by annettemarie View Post
I'm seeing the mean midwife today but maybe that's what I need.
LOL...well if she's so mean then I definately would not be shaving down there today...

Good luck!
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post #16 of 22
8/19/10 at 3:25pm
They might want to do a fetal fibronectin test, too to assess your chances of not going into labor within the next 2 weeks. I say not going into labor because the test has a pretty decent negative predictive value.

Anyway, if they suggest that than they'll do it before a vaginal exam.
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post #17 of 22
8/19/10 at 4:46pm
They might want to do an internal ultrasound to look at your cervix and see if it is funneling or shortening. They are planning to do this with me automatically at around 20 weeks because of my history of preterm labor.
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post #18 of 22
8/19/10 at 4:54pm
They weren't too concerned when I called, but did a fetal fibronectin test (sort of like a pap smear procedure). It may indicate if labor is impending. that was at 26 weeks. I had contractions every two minutes, not painful, but a family history of PTL. At 30 weeks, it hurt, my colostrum emptied (a sign of oxytocin in my bloodstream) and we went to the ER instead of dealing with the obgyns who thought I was a hysteric first timer. I NST revealed the contractions. I wasn't dilated, but my cervix had shortened tremendously. I was on Terbutaline til 35 weeks, as needed.
Good luck!
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post #19 of 22
8/19/10 at 6:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by birthdancedoula View Post
They might want to do a fetal fibronectin test, too to assess your chances of not going into labor within the next 2 weeks. I say not going into labor because the test has a pretty decent negative predictive value.

Anyway, if they suggest that than they'll do it before a vaginal exam.
Ding, ding, ding! That's just what they did! And an internal exam. And they strapped me to a monitor.

My blood pressure is up and my cervix is "short and stubby" but closed. The fibronectin test came back negative and my NST looked good, so I go back in a couple weeks.
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post #20 of 22
8/19/10 at 7:04pm
Glad to hear it!
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