Irritable Uterus....

[mamaofthree]

Ok, so this isn't my first pregnancy it is my 5th. But I NEVER remeber having such a "touchy" uterus. The last 24 hours have been really tuff. If I do anything even slightly strenous my whole uterus gets rock hard and WAy down near my cervics gets this crampy kind of pain. (almost like my periods). It can last as long as 5-10 minutes. Then it just goes away.
Oh just an FYI I am 39 weeks so if I go into labor it isn't a big deal. I was just wondering if this happened to anyone else.
By the end of yesterday I was pooped out.

H

[pamamidwife]

sounds like your body is working on your cervix and/or getting baby into a great position for birth! ;) You could take some cal/mag and it definitely won't stop labor from happening if it should!

[LizaBear]

That was what my midwife told me I had last time (and I'd put money on it this time).

TONS of BH ctx starting before 20 weeks, lots of crampy feelings, any exertion seemed to make things feel worse. But - it apparently wasn't a concern as far as pre-term labour was concerned, or anything like that. Basically that I was more aware of what was going on in my body than "average". Boo was born at 38w+1

This time, I'm noticing a lot of the same things - BH pretty much from the time I conceived, not so many crampy periods though. We'll see how long I go this time.

[SamuraiEarthMama]

this is my fourth baby, and it's gotten worse with each one. i'm 37 weeks now and it definitely kicks in if i'm tired, dehydrated, or whatever...

i have some ContractEase (http://www.birthwithlove.com/categories/itempage.asp?prodid=Contract+Ease+) on my bedside table in case i get to the point that i'm losing sleep because of a cranky uterus. i haven't used it yet (i want to save it for when i really really need it) but there were a few points in my last pregnancy that i would have loved to have it!

i just used valerian and skullcap last time, and it helped some...

one small comfort is that my midwife says that when a uterus does lots of prebirth contracting like this, then it's far less likely to hemmorhage after labor... in fact, you'll want to be ready for some serious afterpains (the ContractEase is supposed to help with that, too).

good luck!

katje

[BoobyJuice]

:LOL cranky uterus That's what we called mine. I was told I had an irritable uterus when I was pregnant with my first and my husband decided it was much more fun to call it cranky!

With my first I never really notice the contractions - the reason I found out it was cranky, was because one day it decided to tighten up . . . and stay that way! Just wouldn't release. I was about 34 weeks and on vacation; they put me on a monitor and said I was having tons of contractions. Really? Didn't notice. With my 2nd I also didn't "feel" the BH, just would feel my whole stomach area tighten.

This time I feel the BH and I have a lot of cramping about an inch above my pubic bone - right where my cervix would be. It started at 17 weeks or so and now, at 21 is still going. Like you said, if I'm tired (usually- I have 2 other kids :eyesroll ), dehydrated, working too hard, etc the cramping begins.

:OT SamuraiEarthMama, does the contractease work well on afterpains? Or does anyone know of anything better. With my 2nd I was retching into a trash can while trying to nurse. It was miserable. My midwife said it almost always gets worse with each one; I can't imagine. I had some sort of homeopathic afterease but it didn't do anything for me.

[Attached_Mom_to_7]

Yes! This has happened to me ever since I was pg with my second! I'm now I'm my 9th pregnancy,and had an u/s yesterday and with all the pressing and whatnot, I was laid up the rest of the day and night because of the pain! I have a very irratable uterus, I'm now 22 weeks, I have a ways to go still. *sigh*

[Brisen]

BoobyJuice -- I've heard ladies swear by a liquid cal/mag supplement for afterpains. I believe it's best if you start it a while before birth, like the last tri, and then take it after the birth. I can't remember how much/when, though. I'm definately stocking up, the afterpains were worse than labour last time.

[sadean]

Ya know, I am never alone :D. I too have been finding I have a more irritable uterus this time around. I can barely sit and drive my car without getting uncomfortable tightening and the requisite kicking against it. I am o.k. at work, but as soon as I start driving...

I have always gotten BH contrax through all of my pregnancies, but this seems to be the earliest...I am just under 20 weeks.

[Red Sonja]

I thought I was having lots of BH cntrxns also, this is my first pregnancy so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect with them. Monday I was a little crampy, not much, but just had this feeling that something was wrong. Went in, and they put me on the monitor and checked me. Apparently I was having lots of contractions that I wasn't feeling also, and was dilating. I'm only 30 weeks right now. The dr also used the term irritable uterus with me, too, though I do like cranky! I ended up in the hospital for three days with lots of meds, not what I was expecting but at least my little guy is staying put for now. I'm hoping for a natural birth but I'm worried that they'll roll right over me. I didn't question anything they were doing the last few days, I was just completely overwhelmed and scared, I wasn't ready for that at all. :(

[CarrieMF]

I have a cranky cervix and a crankier uterus. My first pg was perfect until labour when I had the obgyn from down below. I swear him doing AROM(or the equally painful exam 2 days before I had her) is what did it. I then had 2 mc's. With the 2nd one I mc'd at 7 1/2weeks but I had my first prenatal at 5 weeks due to cramping through my cervix. My next 2 pg's were full term but high risk, they were watching me for an incompetent cervix. I went into preterm labour twice with the last pg. I was on restricted duties, no sex. Contractions starting at 12 weeks, they got very annoying but I just learned to live with them. The worse was the cramping through my cervix though, there isn't a thing you can do to make it go away.

[Mamid]

I've got at least half of the "premature labour" signs. The only ones I don't have is regular contractions and spotting. But BH's that hurt like hell even if I move, pain in pelvis, pain in lower back, I had huge amounts of diahreah yesterday and I'm sooo wet that if I wasn't pregnant I would be pouncing DP if you know what I mean. ;) I've even lost mucous plug, but I think its rebuilt again.

and cranky uterus is definitely what I have. irritable is just a "there there" but cranky describes my uterus to a T.

[BoobyJuice]

Ladybug, try not to worry. I was put on medication and bedrest at 34 weeks (I was on vacation and went from the hospital to the airport - fun). At 37 weeks they let me off the med's and off bed rest. I didn't deliver until 2 days before my due date. Mind you, when I did it was FAST. I had been slowly dialating for weeks. But it doesn't necessarily mean you are going to have a premature birth.

Good luck!

[SamuraiEarthMama]

BoobyJuice, the ContractEase was actually recommended to me first as a way to deal with afterpains... it was after i looked at the ingredients that i realized it was the same herbs that could help with prebirth contractions, too.

i am definitely a huge wimp when it comes to afterpains! i will have my bottle of extra strength tylenol on hand, and i won't be afraid to use it. i agree, NOW is the time to be getting your supplies on hand because when you're in the middle of those suckers, you can't see straight.

good luck!

katje

[mamaofthree]

Well, although I am happy to hear I am not alone, it is a bummer that so many are in the same boat.
I have been having the pains real low.. like were where my cervix might be and also in my lower back, then suddenly BAM my whole uterus is hard as a rock. And like I said it can last 5-10 minutes. So it doesn't feel like a "real" contraction... it doesn't really hurt that bad, but it is uncomfortable. :eyesroll

H

[CarrieMF]

Mamid, how far along are you? With my 2nd(first cranky uterus term pg), I lost mp for 10 weeks before I had her. I much preferred it all coming out at once as it did with my first.lol

[Mamid]

I lost my mucous plug in the middle of last month, then it reformed and once again I lost it last week. My midwife says that it can reform more than once. She's worried about spotting and since I'm not, I'm not too worried.

I had PTL with DS and DD over 10 years ago. I know its a side effect of both having hemorragic periods over the years (any other women would have run to the hospital if she bled like I do) and the miscarriage I had over 13 years ago. Placenta previa and placental abruption must have left some scaring.

Anyway, when my midwife examined me two weeks ago, she said that I was closed and everything felt fine, so she wasn't worried about the ptl symptoms I was having even then.

They've just been really intense these last few days. Doesn't help that DS had a 104F fever and has now got a measles variant. Which of course the doctor doesn't want to diagnose because "all kids are supposed to be vaccinated..." :irked: At least he didn't press the issue.

Problem is the pain is at my "seat belt" level in my pelvis and in my lower back to the point where I asked DP if I could just put my feet up the last few days. He said ok, but I know he doesn't like it. We're hoping to get to 32 weeks and that's in 5 days. At that point I won't get shipped to Vancouver if something goes wrong, I'll only get shipped to Nanaimo or Victoria.

The next goal after that is 36 weeks. At that point, the local "hospital" will be able to deal with a preterm birth. Then at 38 weeks, I can have my home birth. Then again, I should be able to do it at 36 weeks anyway.

My bp's staying low, the BHs, although intense, aren't becoming regular. I'm thinking my body is just warming up for labour and once again will try to launch my child across the room!:laugh That's what happened to DS. If the OB hadn't had his hand on DS's head, DS would have used his umbilical cord as a bungee! And no tears too!