Preterm labor, bedrest, and all kinds of fun.

[IdahoMom]

I'm 28w3d today and I just need to whine a little. This is my 7th week of bedrest. I hurt. My hips hurt, my ribs hurt, my gut hurts, my arms are even starting to hurt. Every week I'm contracting more and more. I finally have an Rx for terb. It quiets things down but makes me feel awful. My cervix started at 4cm, went down to 2cm, and thankfully back up to 3.4cm but with some funneling. Since the last measurement I just feel like I always did in previous pregnancies in the days leading up to labor: just generally cruddy, with terb symptoms thrown on top. I have another appointment and cervical length measurement tomorrow and I'm kind of afraid of what they see. Even though I've been able to control the contractions for the most part. I'll also have another fetal fibronectin- those have been negative, thank goodness (last one about 10 days ago).

I'm just tired of being in bed, tired of having to rely on people for everything, tired of feeling gross because showers get my contractions going so I'm only feeling okay about a couple a week, tired of missing out on life with my kids (they come hang out in my room sometimes, but it's not the same), tired of this load on my husband who is trying to take care of the house and me and find a new job all at once. I want to keep my babies where they are as long as possible, but I feel a little worse every day and it makes me wonder how long that will be. This is such a drag.

[ladydodson]

i wish i knew what to say besides you're doing what you need to right now and im sure everyone understands...i wish you were more comfortable, is there a time limit to your bedrest? like when its ok to get up since labor will be safe?

[IdahoMom]

Thanks, I'm doing a little better. I woke up in a rotten mood this morning after another awful night of contractions, then terbutaline side effects and restless sleep. But the sun is out and I'm feeling more positive. :) Right now the doctor says let's just get past the 30 weeks hump, which is just over a week away. I think he said once that at 34 weeks I can start doing things again, but I really don't remember. I think he's concentrating on short-term goals, which I think is a good thing. It will be interesting to see how things look and what he says tomorrow.

[Llyra]

Have you thought about med alternatives? Terbutaline is usually what they'll offer first, but it isn't the only choice, and its side effects are lovely (NOT) . You don't want mag sulfate, of course-- that's what I had, for ten days with DD1, because I have a heart condition and can't have terb. Mag sulfate is awful. But when they sent me home on bedrest, it was always nifedipine that I was given-- the brand name is Procardia. It has fewer unpleasant side effects; the main ones seem to be mild dizziness, and the need for some monitoring of blood pressure. I never had any trouble.

I feel for you. Bedrest sucks. I lost my first DS after an extremely preterm birth, so when I started contracting in the second trimester the next time, we were very cautious. I did five weeks of bedrest with DD1, and four months of it with my twins, and it was awful. I did go on to deliver at or near term both times, though. I will be thinking of you, and hoping you get to term. Hang in there! Short-term goals help a lot.

The main issue I had with bedrest was that by the time I delivered, I had lost so much muscle mass, from lack of exercise. It gave me trouble after delivery, when suddenly I needed to be walking the floor in the evenings with crying babies, and taking babies for walks in slings, and stuff like that. Massage can really help with that, if you have the opportunity and the $$$. A good massage therapist will also be helpful with the aches and pains.

[aja-belly]

i was in the hospital on procardia for a few weeks. it sucks. i was uncomfortable and sick and lonely and bored and in pain and tired and depressed. i tried to keep reminding myself that giving  birth was not going to change that. i'd be uncomfortable and tired and anxious and stressed across the hall in the nicu instead.

[IdahoMom]

Thanks for the support and kind words! 

My cervix measured 1.4 yesterday. Thinned a full cm in a week. So they admitted me to the hospital. The doctor hopes only for the weekend. We'll see. They did put me on procardia instead of terb and it's working a bit better I think and doesn't make me feel cruddy, except a dull headache. I hope I can go home Monday. I miss my kids. But right now it's just a lot of monitoring and trying to figure out what's going on. Thank goodness for free wireless! 

[aja-belly]

i'll be rooting for 30 weeks for you (or longer)! and for some healthy babies ready to just grow and thrive and go home.

when i was admitted we were hoping for 48 hours to give the steroid shots some time. i was 5cm's for weeks!

i'm glad you have wireless.  sorry you miss your kids. it sucks to be apart from them like that.

[Llyra]

Oh, I will be thinking of you! I sure hope baby stays in a long while longer. FWIW, I was fully effaced and dilated to three, at 31 weeks, with DD1. She was born at 39 weeks, and had the gall to take 27 hours of hard labor to get out-- after all the time we spent trying to keep her IN. So there's always hope!!!

[IdahoMom]

Thank you all! Just waiting for another cervical length on Monday. Thursday's fFN was negative, so that's good. I got a tour of the NICU here today. It's really nice. I sure hope I can go home (if it's safe). It was hard when my husband and kids left today.

[Llyra]

Originally Posted by IdahoMom 

Thank you all! Just waiting for another cervical length on Monday. Thursday's fFN was negative, so that's good. I got a tour of the NICU here today. It's really nice. I sure hope I can go home (if it's safe). It was hard when my husband and kids left today.

A negative FFN is a great great thing. Hang on that hope!