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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Could the hospital have been wrong?

164 replies

Tezco · 22/10/2022 08:13

Hi all,

I'm 36 weeks pregnant.

Just a bit of advice please so yesterday from dinner time I was having period like pains in my back and lower part of my belly and they seem to happen every day 20 minutes so I called the maternity unit because I'm having a elcs and they told me to come in and check me over - they checked me over, there was some mild tightening but my cervix was closed and it was deemed not to be labour, doctor thought it might be baby moving around and stretching my uterus, midwife thought it might be braxton hicks - which was fine I didn't want baby coming yet anyway but it's been happening all through the night and is still happening and it's way more painful than yesterday so I was wondering could they have been wrong?

Should I keep an eye on it? I'm just worried as I don't want to leave it too long and not have a c section but don't want to waste their time again so just thought I'd ask here in case anyone had any advice.

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 22/10/2022 08:18

How often are they happening? Do they ease in a warm bath or with a hot water bottle?

KangarooKenny · 22/10/2022 08:19

Are the pains getting closer together and lasting longer ? You need to time them.

Original poster
Tezco · 22/10/2022 08:20

girlmom21 · 22/10/2022 08:18

How often are they happening? Do they ease in a warm bath or with a hot water bottle?

They're still coming every 20 minutes or so, they've gotten worse over the period of time.

A warm bath didn't help yesterday but I'm gonna take some pain relief and get in the bath now as they're making me cry a bit (I'm a wuss haha)

The doctor did proscribe me stronger pain killers so I'm gonna get DH to pick them up today - I'm just wondering what they could be if not contractions really

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 22/10/2022 08:20

Yes they could have been wrong.
Happened to me at 31 weeks. Fortunately the GP the following day disagreed and took me back to hospital.

BigSidLittleSid · 22/10/2022 08:21

Phone back and say what you have here- pain has increased and you are worried. Things change and they should bring you back in to be rechecked

40andfit · 22/10/2022 08:23

It’s got worse since you were assessed so you need to get more medical advice. I would insist on being assessed in person.

girlmom21 · 22/10/2022 08:24

I'd go back. You're not being a wimp - it's bloody painful!

Idontevenknow · 22/10/2022 08:25

Yes they could have been wrong, or you could have felt things in your body starting which weren't yet visible. Things can happen really quickly. I went and got checked at the hospital and was told the same- then 5 hours later he was here.

The3Ls · 22/10/2022 08:26

I had false labour for 6 weeks before spontaneous labour. It was like that though after a few hours it tended to go away. Although it made me gasp I wouldn't say cry but we all handle pain differently also it was my second and I definitely handled it better the second time as being anxious scared the first time made the pain all worse. If the intensity keeps increasing I'd go back. But you d have to have the baby in the birth canal before they d not do the c section so still plenty of time. In my experience they are used to women being anxious and worried about pain and understanding. They might roll their eyes in the staff room but also investigated to reassure!

lannistunut · 22/10/2022 08:26

They were not necessarily wrong when they examined you but you are saying things have changed/worsened so should be re-examined.

Curiosity101 · 22/10/2022 08:26

Agree with others. If they're stronger or more regular you could definitely be in early labour. Not everyone progresses the same way, some people do genuinely go from a completely closed cervix to delivering really fast.

Did they put you on a monitor whilst you were there? What did that say?

Badgirlriri · 22/10/2022 08:27

It’s not that they were wrong but things change. Your cervix could have been closed yesterday and today it’s 4cm!

LoveBluey · 22/10/2022 08:27

I'd go back for sure. I had my baby at 36 weeks and it was a precipitous labour so didn't make it to the planned csection.

I waited at home for an hour or so not sure if I should be going in to hospital and I wish I had gone at the first sign of pains as I probably would have got to theatre in time.

YoSofi · 22/10/2022 08:29

The fact that they didn’t ease in the bath and that they are worsening means your should go and get checked again.

parsniiips · 22/10/2022 08:31

They won't have been wrong yesterday, mild sporadic pain and a closed cervix isn't labour.

Today though you may start to dilate and pain increasing and more frequent, which means labour may be starting.

Just phone them and tell them the pain is worse and more frequent and ask to be assessed again.

Original poster
Tezco · 22/10/2022 08:34

Thank you everyone, I was monitored and they were some mild cramping which baby was reacting too but nothing else really, checked my cervix and gave me a prescription for stronger pain killers.

I've taken some pain killers that we have at home (the pharmacy was closed last night so need to go back to hospital today but cars in for it's MOT ofcourse so DH will go this afternoon for the stronger ones) I'm gonna take another bath and I've downloaded one of those contraction counters so I'll do it over the next couple of hours and see if it subsides or gets worse and take it from there.

Also I feel a bit rude asking if they were wrong now, I just meant could it be that my cervix was closed then and could be opening now and I was actually in very early labour or was it just something else.

I've had a baby before but I never even had anything like this with him, didn't even get braxton hicks so it's all new to me.

OP posts:
pilates · 22/10/2022 08:39

Go and get checked again. Things could have changed from yesterday.

SummerBummers · 22/10/2022 08:44

They could be wrong. I was due to have an elcs due to PTSD. I was having regular pain/ tightening so went in to be monitored. They said Bracton Hicks and have me paracetamol and sent me home. My baby was born 2 hours later (vaginally). I naively trusted I wasn’t in labour, as a consequence I thought I must be dying if I’m honest, it was only when I had to start pushing I realised it was labour.

OhNoOhDearOh · 22/10/2022 08:51

This is how my labour started. Started at around 11pm and stayed like that until 6pm the next day when my waters went and contractions started.

urrrgh46 · 22/10/2022 09:08

Did they do a urine test? Urinary infections can cause you to contract. I had one in my second pregnancy at 32 weeks that set of contractions. I would definitely want that ruled out. I had no other symptoms with it, just contractions.

Otherwise it's perfectly possible that your cervix was closed but has begun to open and that you are in the early stages of labour.

Either way the fact that these contractions have carried on without stopping all night does mean you should be rechecked imo.

I have had 9 children so been through pregnancy a few times! 🤣

MimiSunshine · 22/10/2022 09:51

Definitely go back in. It’s basically an educated guess on whether or not you’re in early labour, even by the medical staff.

i arrived in hospital in labour and told only 3.5-4cm dilated so expect baby in about 6hrs.
They we’re born 45mins later. Things progress at different rates and can change rapidly.

AllThatAndMore · 22/10/2022 10:03

With my first born it took nearly all day of contractions before I started dilating at all so they can’t know by looking at your cervix.

Don’t feel embarrassed by going back. Even if you are wrong it’s better to be certain. When I was in labour with my second , I also wasn’t progressing much but I suddenly felt myself go into active labour . I insisted on being checked ( I was already in hospital due to high blood pressure). They didn’t want to check me because they had checked me half an hour ago and even if I had progressed I wasn’t likely to be past 4cm’s. I insisted they check as “ I know what active labour feels like” . They checked and ….. I hadn’t progressed at all LOL! I was so embarrassed 😳!

Anyway the point of this story is even if you are wrong and it’s embarrassing, it will be okay haha!

wimbler · 22/10/2022 10:26

If you don't feel like its normal go in. 100% everytime go in. They would rather you go in and it be nothing than not go in and it be something. Any decent midwife will agree with this. Trust your instinct on this one.

DottyLittleRainbow · 22/10/2022 10:27

Call your maternity triage and go back, things change. Don’t let fear of being embarrassed stop you from getting proper advice.

Bows74 · 22/10/2022 10:48

They could definitely be wrong, when getting induced I was getting contractions every 2 minutes midwife said I was only 2cm and probably not in Labour the pains were from the pessaries, an hour later I gave birth. Ring back up they really won’t mind having you in and checking you over again.

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