[Berber]

Hello everyone,

I thought this was the best place to post for information. I've been having contractions since around week 16 but I didn't know that is what they were until I discribed them to a lady who had recently had a child. I feel silly for not realizing but... not much I can do about it now.

After I discribed them to her and how frequently they were happening she suggested I call and get checked out by my doctor. I went in they found that I'm dilating and that my cervix measured at 3.85... I have no clue what that means. My doctor told me that I can't work anymore and that I have to stay home and take it easy and come back in for another ultrasound this coming Friday.

I guess I just don't really know what to say about this all, what are the questions I'm supposed to be asking? What should I expect after this? Is it even realistic to think I'll be able to make it full term if I'm already on bed rest this early?

 

[irangel]

It's totally possible you can make it to full term still, that's the reason you're on bedrest. Your cervical length (that 3.85cm) is actually totally normal, it means that your cervix is not shortening any yet. Did your doctor say how dilated you are? Take it easy, stay on bedrest but know that there are plenty of people on bedrest for months and months who go on to deliver full term babies.

 

[susienjay]

With my youngest son I was just under 4 cm at 20 weeks. They wound up watching it every single week for about a month and it never got smaller. I had my son 8 days before his due date. That was after 2 premature deliveries in a row- 32 wks and 29 wks so we were very worried he'd be early too but he wasn't.

 

[sarlusan]

Hang in there! You can do this!

I'll tell you my three stories just to let you know that anything is possible...
With my first, I was having contractions for weeks/months that I didn't recognize as such. I finally got them checked out when I lost my mucous plug, but it was too late to stop them, and my daughter was born 48 hours later at 32 weeks.

With my second, I started recognizing contractions at 18 weeks. I went on bedrest at 21 weeks, went in the hospital 11 times with frequent contraction scares, was on 17P injections and home uterine monitoring, and they finally told me to go off bedrest at 34 weeks. My son was born the day I went off bedrest (I went to church in the morning, carried my 22 month old a few times, and walked about two blocks... he was born that night).

BUT... with this my third pregnancy, I started having contractions at 15 weeks, went on procardia and bedrest at 29 weeks, went off bedrest at 36 weeks, am now 38 weeks, walking and doing everything, and I'm still pregnant!!!!

Bedrest is difficult but know that you can do it and every week is a major milestone!! It alternates between feeling anxious, sore, frustrated, bored, scary, wondering why no one is helping you, wondering why they're doing everything wrong, wondering why you can't just get up, being scared to death, being convinced it's not making a difference.... but it does make a difference and you CAN do it!!

Please let us know how it goes and if anything else comes up that we can help with!!

 

[sbrinton]

I was on bed rest for 1 months with my first, 3 months with my second and 5 months with my third pregnancy due mostly to preterm labor. It is hard. I remember near the end of my third pregnancy feeling like I just couldn't do it anymore. I didn't even know the baby growing inside me and I wanted to give up. I missed my life so much.

But, thanks to all the bedrest, doctors visits, weeks in the hospital, medications, protein shakes, etc, my son was born pretty darn healthy for a 32 weeker. And I can't imagine life without him now!

Bed rest sucks. Most people have no idea how hard it is to have to stop almost everything in your life for weeks or months. I would talk to your doctors to get a very clear idea what they want you to do. Sex? Housework? Driving? How much time out of bed? "Taking it easy" or strict bed rest?

I would also ask about what else they want you to be doing.

It's normal to have more frequent doctors visits with weekly or bi-weekly ultrasounds to see how the baby is doing and to check your cervix. Around 24 weeks, the doctors can also do a fetal-fibronectin test to help predict preterm labor.

Pay close attention to any signs of infection anywhere in your body (yeast, bladder, stomach virus, even a toothache), as this can cause contractions.

Make sure you stay very well hydrated as dehydration can also cause contractions. Eat well, take your prenatals, consider taking extra calcium and magnesium (ask your OB about this first). My doctors suggested extra protein. Make sure you keep gaining weight even though you are on bed rest.

If you will be on bedrest for the rest of your pregnancy, I would also ask about physical therapy or exercises you can do to stay somewhat in shape. Every day you are in bed means 2-3 days to recover, in addition to the normal recovery from pregnancy. Physical therapy now and again after your baby is born can help.

 

[chipper26]

I was on bedrest from week 17...yeah, 4 1/2 months of what I called "house arrest." But we made it and she's beautiful. My cervix measured under a cm before I had an emergency erclage placed to keep it closed. Luckily I didn't have to be on strict bedrest, just modified.

It doesn't sound like you have the same issues as I did but I read sooo much about soooo many people on bedrest and there are many, many success stories. I was on the pregnancy forum that is part of Fertility Friend.com.

http://preg.fertilityfriend.com/preg...preg/index.php

They have a section for mamas that are having pregnancy troubles. It helped me tremendously to know others like me were out there. Good luck!