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preterm labor-- need your prayers

1K views 24 replies 19 participants last post by  USAmma 
#1 ·
Hi mommies,
I can hardly type becaues of the meds but I went into preterm labor yesterday, cx 3 m apart and 1 cm dialated. Spent most of the afternoon/night in triage getting shots of whatever that stuff is that makes you shake. Every time it wore off I got more, but cervix stayed the same so they sent me home with an oral prescription for the same stuff. I'm still having cx, just lost some plug, and am going back as soon as dh comes home from Walgreens. Sigh. Please say lots of prayers to keep this baby inside. Don't know how much I'll be able to post or what's going to happen.

This is so unreal it has not sunk in yet.

Darshani
 
#5 ·
Darshani

I'm so sorry to hear you're having that trouble. If they put you on the tributaline (sp?) it should help you out but they can't leave you on it indefinitely...the woman I was a doula for in May had preterm labor and spent most of March in hospital with that stuff. She was released at 36 weeks and thought she'd have the baby any second....he arrived 4 weeks later 2 days overdue, very healthy.

I hope something similar works out for you. Until then, eat and rest well in the hospital, have lots of books and a laptop if possible! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
 
#7 ·
Well I'm back already, and appear to be fine for the moment. Bizzare, huh? When I got in I was having some strong cx. An hour later they had stopped for the most part, but they had not given me any meds yet other than the oral meds I took at home. Both nurse and doctor checked me and said I was not dialted, just soft cervix. They were puzzled that the previous 2 times I was there the nurses recorded 1 cm and double checked the charts just in case. I also had checked my cervix before the first hosp. trip and could get a finger in and, being familiar with checking my cervix, knew I was probably dialated a little. Not to mention the lost bit of plug. So that is a mystery.

The doctor said I'm not responding real well to the meds for more than 30 mins. and at this early stage there's not much they can do other than magnesium sulphate. It wasn't to that point yet. I have a prescription for the other med that I don't respond well to, which I'm to take if I feel the need. Otherwise stay off since it made my heartrate go to 130.

So they sent me home on bedrest for the next week at least, and I have my regular ob appt next Friday. The doctor suggested putting Abi in daycare a couple times a week to rest if we could afford it (which we can't really, and not too keen about that anyway). I'm going to call around though just in case we need to do that at some point, if I go into labor again.

They are still puzzled about my cervix apparently closing back up. Maybe it's just coincidence but right before I went to the hospital this last time I posted prayer requests all over every board I could think of where people know me. Maybe it worked. :)

Thanks so much for all your thoughts and prayers! It's at times like this when I realize I'm so very surrounded by good people. It gave me great comfort knowing I wasn't alone.

Darshani
 
#9 ·
Darshani--I'm so glad things are going better. Just a few things to add...

The cervix can open and close during pregnancy (and labor, too), and for some women (esp who've had babies before) it can be normal to be dilated to 1-2 from early on in PG. Your plug can also be lost and regenerated countless times during a pregnancy.

Also, I strongly recommend you get tested for a UTI. I had one at about 25 weeks or so that was completely symptomless except for the contractions I kept having every 5 minutes for hours at a time.

Keeping you in my thoughts.

ETA: I was told the contrax were due to preterm labor and that I should go on bedrest. They only tested for a UTI when I insisted.
 
#10 ·
I'm sooo glad things are looking up!

i've been wondering about you, as I sit here contractiong myself
: , I'm going to ask about being tested for a uti tomorrow. I hope thats all it is...for both of us!

Glad youa re doing better! I couldn't put ds in daycare either....
 
#11 ·
Darshani,

Nancy told me this mornign that you ahd gone into preterm labor. I had that with Maya and was put on bedrest as well. I am glad to hear that your cervix closed again
It is a scary thing that the terbutaline meds suck so bad, but wrok. I was put on a mix of that and advil. Make sure you really stay down flat...even doing something as simple as laundry or dishes can start it all up again. I hope this all clears up for you. I have been thinking about you and your family today. Take care and feel free to call me (pm me for the number).

Terri
 
#12 ·
Thanks soooo much for the concern and love and prayers!
I feel so loved!

I did get tested for UTI and it was negative, but with all those vag exams I'll probably get one! lol! NOT fun, I think I had 5 in the space of 14 hours.

I didn't know the cervix can close again. Way cool! I knew it could in full term labor after reading Ina May's book, but not in early labor. Glad to know something worked!!

I just called a few daycare places to put Abi like 2-3 days a week for 4 hours and it's $65/week!! Yikes! She's spirited but very sensitive too. At the hosp. the first time I told her mommy's tummy was hurt and she sat in the chair until dh came from work and got her. She tried to get in bed but I told her she couldn't so she kissed my belly and hand instead and sat back in the chair. Bless her heart. I think she'll be fine with me on bedrest, but I probably will draw on the favors of friends to take her every so often for *her* sake so she can get out of the house and be with kids her own age.

Darshani
 
#15 ·
yay! I'm so glad to hear things are looking better! Make sure you behave and rest up, and keep us updated.

It's hard with little ones to take it easy--if you're like me, you don't want to feel like you are needy, but as you said, for your dd's sake, having her go with some friends once in a while will help a lot.


Hang in there--
 
#16 ·
Darshani....Hang in there! Got to the thread a little late, but wanted to wish you well. Dont those meds suck big time? ick. Mag is no picnic either. but we mommies endure the unendureable when we are pregnant, dont we?

You know, about the daycare thing, some churches offer morning pre-school or mothers day out programs that are a bit cheaper than traditional daycares. that might be on option for you should you *have* to put her somewhere if your contractions continue.


I love the wool and belly emoticoms!


Warmly, Lisa
 
#18 ·
I am sooooo glad you're doing well. I hope both your young ladies fare well over the next few days.

I know from experience the Terbutaline sucks rocks. I hated every minute of it. Mag Sulfate just makes you feel hideous. The only "fun" preterm labor med I had was morphine. Loads of fun. I couldn't think nor speak correctly. DH had fun with that one. I mean, what else can you do when you're scared to death you're loosing the baby (babies in our case) you both wanted???

Much luck to you...
 
#19 ·
Darshani,
I am so glad everything seems to be going better for you. I found this thread after the initial scare was over, but you and your family are in my prayers until the newest little one is born.
Gossamer
 
#20 ·
darshani!

(((( hugs )))

i'm sorry i didn't see this sooner. You and little one inside are in our prayers!

if you need ANYHING please let me know. i'll drive out with the wee ones and help take care of you just say the word. and i'm very very serious

please take care and rest

sending 'stay put baby' vibes. call me too if you w ant to talk. still have my # ???
 
#21 ·
So glad to hear that things have settled down in your womb!

I went into preterm labor at 29 weeks (with twins), and was put on bedrest and a drug called nifidipine. It stopped working after about 3 weeks and I was put on oral terbutaline. I had a horrible reaction to the terbutaline (pulse up to 150, hands and face very swollen), so they took me off it. I then was drug-free for the rest of my pregnancy. I continued contracting every five minutes until my babies were born (healthy) at 38 weeks.

Those drugs are noooo fun.

I hope your baby decides to wait until her body is ready to be on the outside!



Lex
 
#22 ·
Sorry to keep dragging you all on this roller coaster. I stopped taking the terbutaline because doctor wanted to see how I did without it. Did well all afternoon. I started getting cx again about 2 hours ago. Sigh. 14 in the last 45 minutes. Doctor knows what's going on and is on call this evening. He says it's a good sign about the cervix, still very long and at this time closed. Apparently for some people if caught early enough the terbutaline *will* close it again in some cases. He also says it's a good sign that I'm not having all-around-to-the-back contractions and they are not very intense. I only live a mile from the hospital so I can get there in a hurry if needed.

So keep praying mommies . . .

Darshani
 
#25 ·
Cx are now 8 min. apart and very wimpy. Meds are working, so I guess I'm on them now for good, at least for awhile. Doctor said he was satisfied with this and I don't need to come in again tonight. Thank goodness!

I should just count my blessings that things are going so well and baby's okay. But I'm moping about not being able to take Abi to the pumpkin patch next week, and our other "dates" that we do during the week, just the two of us. These things mean so much to me.

Darshani
 
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