Hi all,
Yesterday morning at 35wks+4 I was experiencing tightenings at the top of my stomach that were painful. This is my first baby so I don't know what a contraction feels like, but I didn't think I was experiencing contractions as there didn't seem to be any rest period between the pain. I called the hospital after 4 hours of non-stop pain and they advised me to go in to be checked over. On the way to the hospital in the car, alongside the existing pain, I was experiencing stronger and more painful tightenings intermittently. There was still no break in pain, as when these stronger ones went, I still had the previous constant pain. At the hospital I was told that they could see the tightenings but that my cervix was still closed. They did an ffn test to test for preterm labour and this came back positive (I am aware it can be a false positive). As a result I was given a steroid injection to help develop the baby's lungs incase the pains progressed to active labour. I was admitted to the antenatal ward and was given paracetamol and coedine. This took the pain off but the tightenings were still present. I refused the next dose of codeine as I wanted to be able to tell what was going on with my body. The pains returned with the tightenings, but there was still no break between the pains which makes me feel like they weren't contractions. I had another steroid injection, was put on IV fluids and had blood tests taken. I had a high temp and heart rate at this point. The midwife advised that I take the coedine so I obliged, and they took the pains off again. The tightenings stopped and haven't returned. I was kept in hospital overnight until my obs had returned to normal and they discharged me this morning. I asked whether the pains and tightenings were contractions, they said they could be and that due to the ffn test, there is a 75% chance the baby will arrive within 1-2 weeks. The doctor told me this morning that if baby is going to come early, it is likely to be within the week.
Has anyone experienced anything like this? I feel a bit lost as I spent so long experiencing pains and tightenings, assuming I would be giving birth over the course of the next day or so, for the whole thing to stop with very little explanation from the midwives and doctors. Can labour just stop all of a sudden? Were these pains contractions? Any experience stories would be much appreciated!! X