Irritable uterus and small framed woman

[paranoidprego]

Hello! I am 22w2d with my 3rd pregnancy (2nd one ended in a miscarriage at 10 weeks). I have had cramping since the moment I found out I was pregnant. Around 16 weeks, I felt a lot of tightening, which occurred without rhyme or reason. The midwife in the OB practice told me to get a maternity belt, drink a ton of fluids, put me on an antibiotic for a UTI (which I didn't have). The cramping and tightening continued. I got two US in a month to check my cervix which was perfectly fine. I have this tightening at rest, nothing I do makes it start or stop - it has a mind of its own. Some days I have it, some days I don't.

So, today I had my 22 week appointment with one of the doctors and she basically just scared me even more. One other piece of info is that I started contracting with my first pregnancy at 29 weeks (a very stressful pg) and was on Terbutaline until 35 and then delivered at 36 weeks (uncomplicated, completely natural birth). She told me that because I am small I will most likely have a higher risk for preterm labor. She says that a smaller woman's uterus unfortunately doesn't handle being pregnant very well and can cause PTL. She scheduled me for another US of my cervix in 2 weeks (which breaks my heart to be on my 4th US - as I only had one with 1st baby). She also said that given the fact that I delivered early with #1, I will definitely go early this time around and that I might end up on tocolytics again or Procardia.

Which finally brings me to my question... do small framed women typically have higher risk of PTL? Prepregnancy I was 105lbs and I am 5'6". I am currently 125lbs so I don't think my body is undernourished. Is she just being really conservative? I don't want to bash this doctor, but I am open to hearing other ideas if only to give me peace of mind until my next appointment. I want more than anything to trust my doctors, but I am very naturally minded and had such high hopes of having a natural pregnancy, delivery and healthy baby.
Thank you for reading this long thread (sorry). I'm glad I have Mothering.commune - all the wonderful women have eased my mind many times - i do tend to get a little paranoid (hence my logon name:

[jlpetitte]

Prepregnancy I was 105lbs and I am 5'6".

In my experience, women who start out underweight (which you were) typically do have a little more difficult time carrying a pregnancy to term especially if they continue to restrict their eating. In other words, diet does seem to have a big effect on pregnancy outcomes. Are you eating well? Are you consuming an adequate number of calories?

[MsBlack]

I also have to wonder if you are really eating enough. Preterm labor can indeed be brought on by what constitutes malnutrition--your body does not have enough to feed you and baby both, so baby must go sooner than usual. Same goes for stress--the body can only take so much, I have seen stress result in preterm labor.

that said, the whole bit about small framed women generally is just a bunch of baloney if you ask me! Sheesh, the malarkey that they come up with....I had a client last year: also about 5'6", her normal weight is only 95. But she gained 30-40 lbs w/each pregnancy and had good sized babies born near term (a little early--like 38-9weeks...but that surely was plenty, her baby w/me was 38wks, 9lbs).

Anyway--your focus might well be put on your calorie and nutrient intake, and reducing stress--these things can help tremendously to make a normal, healthy pregnancy. You would probably only waste time, and increase stress, by listening to that kind of thing about 'small framed women'!

[Mindi22]

Water water water! Dehydration can cause premature contractions (had a client who this happened to as well, went into PTL partially due to dehydration). I also agree with the comments about nutrition, though. Protein especially is incredibly important!

I've never heard of any connection between frame size and pre term labor, honestly. Sounds like a load of something to me.

[cfiddlinmama]

Yeah, I don't know about the small frame thing. I'm 5'9 and weighed 135 before each of my pgs. I have an irritable uterus. With my 4th I cramped from conception on. I second the protein, water (try SmartWater. It has electrolytes) cramp bark, false unicorn info here, rest and reducing stress. Also, this might not be popular, but a small glass of wine was often the only thing that would stop my ctx. A bath with epsom salts is good, and taking magnesium can really help too. Best wishes for a happy, healthy, full term pregnancy!