Contractions?

[SummerTwilight]

Hey all, I am new here. Well, that is to say I have been reading since January but hesitant to join. But I think you all will be a great resource with my latest "issue".
I am due with my first baby "croissant", Aug 15. That puts me at 16 and a half weeks. I have been having contractions though for two weeks! :scratch
Needless to say, my midwives are concerned and more than a little puzzled. I am an IVF patient but had my blood tested and my progesterone is fine, had an ultrasound yesterday and the baby and my cervix is fine. Seems I have an irritable uterus.
Has anyone experienced this so early on and what did you do? I don't know how much to restrict my activities and how much this is just normal for me, although abnormal for the rest of the world.
HELP! :crap

[DigitalSuze]

I don't know if this is similar to what you're experiencing, I'm 17 weeks and was having irregular, braxton hicks-type contractions a few days ago. They weren't painful, just annoying and uncomfortable. My dr. said it can sometimes be the result of not drinking enough fluids, so I spent the day drinking *a lot* of water -- probably around 96 oz or so. The next morning, I felt OK again.

[autumnfaery]

I've been told that I have an irritable uterus too. My first pg, not knowing what was normal for me, my OB put me on modified bed rest (I could go to work, which was a desk job, but I needed to be on the couch as much as possible at home - no extra stuff) at about 24 weeks. I don't think it helped at all and I continued to regularily contract (well, many an hour, everyday, all day) with BH contractions right up to the end, at 39 wks.

When it started again for #2 we didn't really sweat it that time. And I went to 39 wks again. #3, same thing. Each time they started earlier in the pg too (before 20 wks with the last 2 for sure, I don't remember with the first).

With this pg, I've been feeling them right from the start. It happens quite a lot through out the day. I'm not worried, as long as they don't change (get painful, or increase in frequency and intensity). I do find that they seem to be more frequent when I haven't been drinking enough or if I have a full bladder. I try to keep both of those variables under control and that seems to help.

[SummerTwilight]

Thanks ladies. It is good to know I am not the only one. Yes, I think they are Braxton-Hickes, I am just surprised by the fact that I can feel them so early and so often (similar to you Autumnfaery, throughout the day and many an hour). But I just heard that a full bladder can do it in addition to not enough fluids. I have been trying that this morning and notice less. I am not concerned, provided it doesn't suggest something wrong with the pregnancy. Otherwise, I can hang in another 23 weeks or so :D .

[JenMidwife]

What do the contractions feel like? I have so many new feelings down in that area (some uncomfortable, some just pulling or tugging, occasionally something that feels like period cramps but only lasts for a few minutes, etc) that I worry that I'm going to "miss it" if I go in to pre-term labor. KWIM?

[SummerTwilight]

Jen, I am not up on internet lingo...what is KWIM?
It feels like a tightening in my uterus (the center of my abdomen above my pubic bone). I can literally feel it with my hand like my uterus is getting hard and raises above my skin almost an inch or so. Very obvious...I have been told though that I will know when I go into actual labor cause it is different and more consistent. My doula says start paying attention if they are 7 minutes apart for one minute duration for an hour. There are definately all kinds of tuggings and weird pains though, I swear I notice everything! Except movement! :irked:

[maxwill129]

Jen, I am not up on internet lingo...what is KWIM?


I'm not Jen, but "KWIM" means "Know What I Mean"! If you go under the questions and concerns, or questions and suggestions forum (can't remember exactly what it's called) they have a sticky on what all the shorthand is.

HTH! (Hope that helps!)

Shannon

[nfbmom]

I have a very irritable uterus and if I followed the "rules" I'd literally be in the hospital 2-3 x's a week. Unfortunately I also experience preterm labor too. So I have to be careful but I have "rules" for myself that I go by. When I feel they are getting consistent I start timing them. When I have them consistently less than 15 min apart I first drink a ton of water then change positions/lay down. If after another hour they haven't changed, then I get in the tub. I then wait another hour and there is still no change thats when I finally head to L and D. Even then sometimes I will sit in the parking lot for a little while because even after all that many times I will get in there and get all hooked up and thats when they finally slow down and quit! It's frustrating and even a little embarrasing.

A calcium magnesium supplement can help with an irritable uterus. I'm also trying something called Welcome Womb from Wish Garden herbs. I've only taken it a couple of times so I don't know if it works or not.

The other thing I've done is made myself and my dh familiar with my normal cervix so we can detect if there has been a change. I figure if I'm going to the hospital where 3-4 different people will check me, why not sav me a trip and have someone check me that is familiar with me and my body.

HTH and let me know if you have more questions.

[SummerTwilight]

Wow nfbmom, that makes me feel bad for even complaining! That must make daily life VERY complicated! I am frustrated after a change in my routine just three days in a row! Well, I will try all those suggestions. Although I must admit in embarrassment that I don't know what my cervix is "supposed" to feel like. I probably wouldn't even know if I were touching the right thing!
Does doing a lot of internal exams increase risk for preterm labor? I thought I might have read that somewhere.

Thanks Maxwill! Now I can catch up with the younger generation of computer lingo savvy people!:wink

[nfbmom]

Yes, being checked a lot can cause more ctx so I only do it as a last resort. I figure if I stay home and check and find that nothing has changed, then only one person has messed with it. If I go to the hospital I get checked by 2-3 people several times, depending on how long I'm there.

[JenMidwife]

Thanks for finding to words for what the contractions feel like. That makes a lot of sense & puts my mind @ ease (that it's a distinct feeling from all of the other feelings going on in that regoin!).

Regarding noticing everyting except movement, I feel the exact same way! I want all of my gas pain, stomach grumbling & broad ligament pain to go away so I can feel this baby!!! :lol

Jen, I am not up on internet lingo...what is KWIM?
It feels like a tightening in my uterus (the center of my abdomen above my pubic bone). I can literally feel it with my hand like my uterus is getting hard and raises above my skin almost an inch or so. Very obvious...I have been told though that I will know when I go into actual labor cause it is different and more consistent. My doula says start paying attention if they are 7 minutes apart for one minute duration for an hour. There are definately all kinds of tuggings and weird pains though, I swear I notice everything! Except movement! :irked:

[JenMidwife]

Although I must admit in embarrassment that I don't know what my cervix is "supposed" to feel like. I probably wouldn't even know if I were touching the right thing!

Don't feel bad! I'm trained as a midwife & I STILL can't feel my own :) I think it's a really tough angle, trying to feel your own cervix, & then your cervix can be tilted in all different directions- ack! It's good to know your body, but if you can't feel it, you can't feel it! :)

Like you guys already said though, not a good idea to go poking around in there much while you're pregnant.

[SummerTwilight]

nfbmom, yeah, I would definately want to avoid myraids of people poking at me at all costs. That is great that you can rely on yourself for one more thing. I would get SO annoyed if I had to go to the hospital for checks all the time. During IVF I practically LIVED there (it felt like anyways) mainly for stupid things like a five minute blood draw. I would have been happier if I were just a phlebotomist and could rely on myself. :D
Jen, thanks for making me feel "normal". I would definately be interested in being educated about my own body but that isn't a topic one tends to learn about unless you research independently!