Mumsnet Talk

Hi. I started at 34+3 and they drugs stopped contractions, I was given the steroids for baby's lungs, stabilised and sent home to await the main event!

My question is .. For those of you that have experienced this how long did you go until the next labour started? It has only been 2 days butter like they are kicking in again.

I just don't want to turn into that crazy lady who rocks up at the delivery suite with every twinge!

Any advice / stories gratefully heard.

has a uti been ruled out as this is what causes my preterm labour, and contractions settle once i am on antibiotics.

My preterm labour was stopped at 35 weeks. Continued to have strong BH until DD arrived (in a hurry) at 40+4.

Mine was stopped at 31+4, then I had DD at 32 weeks.

As to worrying about going into the labour ward too often, don't worry at all. I am one of natures worriers and attended the ward loads for pains, ?reduced movements, various things - they had to add extra pages to my handheld notes.

Every time I worried before calling that I was calling unnecessarily and was told each time they'd rather see me than me worrying. Ever time it was nothing and they sent me home, I apologised for "wasting their time" and was told that they were glad I came and old always rather check someone over.

Mine were stopped at nearly 33 weeks - I was admitted for just over two weeks, while drugs were administered by 24 hour drip.

discharged from clinic at 36 weeks, DS arrived 39 weeks (ish) - very quick labour and delivery (contractions started at 5am, he was born at 8:45 am)

ashira .. Yes you are spot on. I have a uti so on anti biotics. Well, I guess it means I could be sat around for a while then so I will just have to be patient.

sweettea .. Thank you for that, I think I will just trust myself and go in /phone if I feel nervous.

dc 1 started at 31w delivered on due date
dc2 started at 28w delivered 39,+5
dc3 delivered 40+6

DS2 pre-term labour stopped at 26 weeks and needed inducing at 40+5 due to low amniotic fluid levels.

I'm interested to hear that they are stopping labour at 34+ weeks. I've been told (overseas) that they won't stop labour after 34 weeks .

When they tested the drugs, they found 90% of women treated for preterm labour went home after 48 hours. But 70% also went home when given a placebo. THis means a lot of what is diagnosed as preterm labour isn't really labour. Apparently, it can be very difficult to be sure of preterm labour. I guess there are plenty of UTIs, irritable uteruses etc. Where I live they also do monthly vaginal tests and find loads of women with soft, slightly dilated or otherwise ripeing cervixes well before term - the women duly all go off on early ML and almost always get to term....

Wow, this is really interesting, had no idea the drugs could be so effective.
No ones waters had gone I presume?

My preterm labour stopped at 28.3,
I was induced last monday at 42.1!

Best of luck!

LeBFG: interesting, encouraging - my cervix was checked at 21wk scan and I've been told I'm at increased risk (25%) of pre-term labour. I'm now on progesterone, to go back for fortnightly scans and half expect to get signed off on early mat leave/ sick. That was only 2wks ago, desperately hoping to get to 24wks but of course there is a75% chance I'll get to term.

Sorry op didn't mean to hijack. I am interested that they "stop" preterm labour with drugs hence the curious click as I might need this data.

You were all much more successful than me!
My waters didn't break by themselves at all: the medical staff did it pre - use of foreceps.

Dizzy77 drugs to stop pre-term labour are usually an attempt to stop contractions. If you have a short cervix, its more likely that your waters would break early or you get quite far along in the process without contractions - what I'm saying is the sort of drugs people are talking about wouldn't be useful for you I'm afraid.

Cervical length stuff they might try progesterone or preventative/emergency stitch.

Good luck it sounds like a scary situation, as I'm sure you know people can get quite far along with not much cervical length, and babies can do quite well even when they are early.

And yes I thought they didn't try to stop labour after 34 weeks.

I read a study that the progesterone worked best on women with a short cervix and previous preterm labour starting spontaneously before rupture of membranes. But yes Dizzy, statistics are all well and good but they are never really very reassuring. There always has to be women who make up the 25% who go early. Remember that anything before 37 weeks is considered preterm. If I give birth at 36 weeks I'd still be extremely happy .

Thanks all. Helpful to clarify and good to understand. DS was born naturally at term, I've no other history as such so I am taking some comfort from all the anecdotes about people who have dilation etc at an early stage but still end up overdue .

Mine was stopped at 25weeks exactly then the little bugger didnt come till 40+6 x

Just wanted to add my experiences.

With DC1 I went into pre-term labour at 33+1 weeks, which was stopped. Started up again at 34+0 weeks, and I was told that my hospital's policy was not to try to stop labour from 34 weeks onwards (I am in the UK), so he was born at 34+1.

DC2 was admitted at 27 weeks with contractions and cervical shortening, managed to stop labour. Re-admitted at 29 weeks with same thing, got to 2-3cm dilated before managing to stop everything. Ended up being induced at 38 weeks for completely unrelated reasons!

More encouraging stories! Thanks both.