Dilating without contractions « Back to Group Discussions

[Gillmoro]

So I posted a while back about incompetent cervix issues that started arising around 19 weeks.  I went in for an US back then and everything looked fine so I breathed a big sigh of relief and did my best to lighten my load and stress.  Well, I checked myself the other day to confirm baby is head down (which he/she is, so that's one good thing) and could feel easily though the cervix to the little head (which I was not trying to do).  My midwife confirmed I am 2-3 cm dilated. 

I have been having lots of intense BH but nothing that feels like a real contraction so I was pretty surprised by this outcome.  My midwife wants me to reduce my stress load again- which is a challenge since I am in medical school.  I have 8 exams next week but have talked to administration and am taking incompletes in many classes for the time being.  I was also in our school clinic on a shift when the midwife called me back after I let her know what I had felt, after I got off the phone with her I walked back into our discussion room and said "I have to go" and barely made it out the door before the tears started (not the most professional interaction but I just knew I wasn't going to be able to hold it together much longer). 

I am so grateful that we are to the point of survivability now but I still dont want to end up with a baby who needs to stay in the NICU for a long time.  I am hoping I can hold out for another 6 weeks so I can have my baby at home.  But that means I have to stay nice and stress-free through the holidays.  I am feeling like a time bomb again- scared to get up to pee in case my water breaks or it somehow triggers labor.  I am also wondering if I should prepare a just-in-case hospital bag and have a small stash of premie clothes.  Sorry for the long saga, just feeling so emotional and need to get it out there.

[AnnaBarr]

I'm sorry you are going through this.  I was in school this semester as well and had to withdraw from all of my classes due to preterm labor concerns and bed rest.  I can empathize how hard it is to even imagine having to give classes up, but I can tell you that the impact of stress was clear once I did (it took me several weeks to actually do it after all my care providers recommended it, I hung on for dear life.  I'm a 4.0 gpa student, trying to get through nursing school quickly in order to begin pursuing a Ph.D in midwifery).  In the big picture, having to retake this semester when I return to school post-baby is really not that big of a deal.  The stress was really effecting my contractions and while stopping school didn't stop the ctx completely, it's a world of difference.  

I've been on modified bed rest (couch rest, basically) since 20 weeks, and haven't dilated since my first episode of ctx, so I've stayed at about 1 cm, and maybe 40% effaced.  It's good to know that just because you have dilated doesn't mean you will continue to do so.

[HouseofPeace]

oh poor mama!  blessings and peace to you!!!

i wish i could say something more encouraging, but was was 4 cm dilated for 1 month w/ my 3rd child.  she just never activated labor until the end.  i know that's not the happiest story since it wasn't this early (she was 42+ weeks) and it wasn't incompetent cervix, just a ripe baby.  but you can be very dilated for a long time if your body and baby agree to not go further.  

so will pray for you and how to deal with this.  having a bag on hand wouldn't be a bad plan, and taking it easy.  i'm so sorry, mama!!!

[Chloe'sMama]

Sorry mama.

[odinsmama]

So sorry, mama!
Definitely hoping you can make life less stressful and be easier on your body for the next several weeks.

Hugs!

[typebug]

Virtual hugs to you Gillmoro. I too have read birth stories about mammas who were dilated for ages before birth. I'm hoping this is just the case with you. Keep us up-to-date. 

[lovebeingamomma]

I'm sure you've heard this many times, but stay hydrated!  Carry water with you everywhere, drink a bottle every 1/2hour.  It will make you go crazy with peeing all the time, but it really does help with the BH.  I have a hyper active utereus and get BH every few min's for months before I give birth.  But just because they're painless doesn't mean you're not dilating (as you have discovered!).  With my first I gave birth right at 37 weeks.  When my water broke (and "real" labor started) I was 7cm, so that means all of those painless BH really were doing something!  It sounds really hard with your situation, but try and stay as stress free as possible!  Dehydration plus stress are the two big things that are going to bring on BH.  Good luck!
 

[womenswisdom]

Originally Posted by lovebeingamomma 

I'm sure you've heard this many times, but stay hydrated!  Carry water with you everywhere, drink a bottle every 1/2hour. 

 

I would not suggest this much water in one day. If you're drinking a 16oz bottle every 1/2 hour, you are consuming over 3 gallons of water over a 12 hour period. That can lead to electrolyte imbalance and serious medical problems.

[Gillmoro]

Thank you for all the support and suggestions mamas.  It is nice to know I have lots of people rooting for us. 

AnnaBarr: I think your story is so similar to mine.  I am also an over-acheiver and it is really difficult for me to "just pass" like everyone is telling me to do.  And yes, the idea of giving up classes is also really difficult, though, obviously the baby's time inside is much more important.  My school was surprisingly accomodating with my situation and is letting me do a modified exam schedule.  I think this will work because I can study in bed all day and just show up to take a test for an hour and go back home.  My body tends to start having lots of BH after I'm up or sitting for longer than 2 hours and none of my exams should take that long.  Once I am done with the exams I have winter break so I'll get lots of down time.  But I know you are right about the impact of stress.  I think that is definitely what is causing all the issues because I'm pretty good in all other areas: nutrition, hydration, supplements, and have no other physical reasons why my cervix should be dilating.

In terms of water I do pretty good probably getting between 2.5 and 3 liters/day but I am definitely being more conscientious about it.   

[lovebeingamomma]

Originally Posted by womenswisdom 


I would not suggest this much water in one day. If you're drinking a 16oz bottle every 1/2 hour, you are consuming over 3 gallons of water over a 12 hour period. That can lead to electrolyte imbalance and serious medical problems.

I'm sorry, when I said a bottle I meant 8oz, or a cup.  Every hour is normal and even recommended, but when you start getting contractions 2-3 min's apart (which happens to me), I had to drink that much every 1/2 hour to avoid an IV in the hospital.  Also doesn't all have to be water, you could drink something like laboraid if you're worried about electrolyte imbalance.  The reason I stress hydration is to avoid a dreaded phone call like I did when one of my clients was dehydrated and she hadn't felt her baby in 24 hours (thankfully turned out OK!)  The majority of women do not drink enough water, the opposite problem of consuming too much is very uncommon.  But you're right, 16oz every 1/2 hr. is too much, thanks for noting that error. 

Edited by lovebeingamomma - 12/6/12 at 11:54am

[HouseofPeace]

Originally Posted by Gillmoro 

Thank you for all the support and suggestions mamas.  It is nice to know I have lots of people rooting for us. 

AnnaBarr: I think your story is so similar to mine.  I am also an over-acheiver and it is really difficult for me to "just pass" like everyone is telling me to do.  And yes, the idea of giving up classes is also really difficult, though, obviously the baby's time inside is much more important.  My school was surprisingly accomodating with my situation and is letting me do a modified exam schedule.  I think this will work because I can study in bed all day and just show up to take a test for an hour and go back home.  My body tends to start having lots of BH after I'm up or sitting for longer than 2 hours and none of my exams should take that long.  Once I am done with the exams I have winter break so I'll get lots of down time.  But I know you are right about the impact of stress.  I think that is definitely what is causing all the issues because I'm pretty good in all other areas: nutrition, hydration, supplements, and have no other physical reasons why my cervix should be dilating.

In terms of water I do pretty good probably getting between 2.5 and 3 liters/day but I am definitely being more conscientious about it.   

i was in grad school w/ my first.  i had to get an adjusted exam schedule and he wasn't due until early March.  one teacher was great, i went in and just told him i couldn't prioritize school over baby and was really struggling, and he looked at me and said 'you shouldn't!' and then told me about how he and his wife had 4 children and foster parented 8, and that there are some things more important than academics!  i never did finish that degree (not to discourage you- it actually helped me understand that medicine and health were more my interests than ancient languages!)

stay off your feet!  and you can do school at a better time.  and there are better times than 3rd trimester!!!  

[loveandgarbage]

Gillmoro I hope your baby stays cooking! How stressful for you. I was also in school but decided to take this year off.

[amymccarty]

Originally Posted by Gillmoro 

So I posted a while back about incompetent cervix issues that started arising around 19 weeks.  I went in for an US back then and everything looked fine so I breathed a big sigh of relief and did my best to lighten my load and stress.  Well, I checked myself the other day to confirm baby is head down (which he/she is, so that's one good thing) and could feel easily though the cervix to the little head (which I was not trying to do).  My midwife confirmed I am 2-3 cm dilated. 

I have been having lots of intense BH but nothing that feels like a real contraction so I was pretty surprised by this outcome.  My midwife wants me to reduce my stress load again- which is a challenge since I am in medical school.  I have 8 exams next week but have talked to administration and am taking incompletes in many classes for the time being.  I was also in our school clinic on a shift when the midwife called me back after I let her know what I had felt, after I got off the phone with her I walked back into our discussion room and said "I have to go" and barely made it out the door before the tears started (not the most professional interaction but I just knew I wasn't going to be able to hold it together much longer). 

I am so grateful that we are to the point of survivability now but I still dont want to end up with a baby who needs to stay in the NICU for a long time.  I am hoping I can hold out for another 6 weeks so I can have my baby at home.  But that means I have to stay nice and stress-free through the holidays.  I am feeling like a time bomb again- scared to get up to pee in case my water breaks or it somehow triggers labor.  I am also wondering if I should prepare a just-in-case hospital bag and have a small stash of premie clothes.  Sorry for the long saga, just feeling so emotional and need to get it out there.

I never went through the rest of the posts yet but really felt I needed to respond to this post as I am in the same boat. I had my daughter at 33 weeks.. I am 29 now so that date is coming fast! I need to go to 37 to be able to have this one at home. I am been researching like CRAZY what to do to prevent early labor... some may be myths or not be evidence based... but who cares.. If it might help then why not try. I'll tell you what I know and am doing/avoiding.,...

1. Sex : Some say that doesnt matter but both my doula and specialist say it does... Sperm can trigger labor. We have been avoiding it and will for the rest of the pregnancy. I had sex less than 24 hrs before my daughter was born. I bled right after then hours later my water broke.. I KNOW it played a part...

2. Vaccines... Id honestly avoid any and all vaccines if you already haven't. Our family is now vax free due to me researching and learning how horrible they are after suffering issues from having the H1N1 while pregnant with my daughter.. which also played a part...

3. STRESS: This is insane but I was taken off work at about 25 weeks because my blood pressure was so high they though it was getting out of control... now that I am off its back to totally normal.. I was dealing with that much stress that it was harming my pregnancy.

4. DO meditate and do MUCH self care.. I take epsom salt baths at night, read with candles and a nice books. :) I do this every night for myself.

5. Eat and sleep often... I eat a lot of protein and drink TONS of water... and sleep whenever you can :)

I hope that was helpful to keep baby in longer. *hugs* keep us updated. :)

[AnnaBarr]

Your care providers put you in pelvic rest (no sex, no orgasms) right? I guess I just assumed that this is what all care providers do the first thing when a mom has some preterm labor concerns. If not, seriously put yourself on pelvic rest. There is a lot of research showing the connection between sex, seamen, orgasms and labor/ contractions.

[Gillmoro]

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions ladies!

Yes, I've been on pelvic rest since I started having issues around 19 weeks (poor DH).  I wasn't planning on getting a flu shot either.  I think it is really related to stress for me.  My school program is very time consuming and high-stress so I think cutting back on that will be the main thing.  My cervix is already down to 1 cm and less effaced after being mostly down for one week and not having any classes.  My midwife doesn't want me up longer than 2 hours so that prevents me from doing a lot of things school related. I am also taking an herbal tincture full of stuff to prevent/stop contractions, I have a homeopathic remedy, and am taking tons of magnesium.  I think the meditation would be really helpful for me too, I pulled out my hyponbabies CDs the other day and plan to listen to them as often as possible.  Intuitively I really think if I stay mellow I can make it another 6 weeks.  I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again for all the support!

[MaybeJ]

I'm glad to hear things seem to be improving with the extra rest and relaxation!