HELP please: Any MWs/experienced mums able to assist? Irritable uterus/early labour questions

[TimeyWimeyStuff]

I was admitted to the AN ward overnight earlier this week because I was having regular (2-3 mins apart) mildly painful contractions at 28 weeks. They lessened in regularity by the time I was in hospital, cervix shut, and fibronectin (sp?) test negative. Doc suggested irritable uterus.

Had a run of 2-3min apart tightenings, some with shooting pains down my vagina, others more like the pain/discomfort of really needing to poo this afternoon. Now having some fairly powerful, but not drastically sore, tightenings at 4-5 min intervals. Felt the need to stand and sway through some.

Is it worth me phoning the hospital again? fN test indicates no prem labour in the next week, so I'm wondering whether I should wait it out here or risk being pulled in for another sleepless, uncomfortable night in hospital. I'd prob have to go myself as DD is sick so DH will have to stay with her. Hospital is 40 mins away. We have no one close nearby. wWYD?

[FestiveDigestive]

Hi again everyone! I'm just back for a quick moan.

willitbe - Thank you for answering my questions, that's reassured me about getting checked.

Yesterday I had severe back pain & tightenings that were seven minutes apart for 2 hrs so I phoned the hospital & was told to go over abs be out on the monitor. When I got there they'd moved to 4/5 minutes apart and the monitor picked them up at those intervals. It was almost nice to see them appearing on the graph as at least it confirmed that it is not all in my own mind!

But my cervix is still closed and they did another ffn test which was negative. So the Dr was happy to send me home with painkillers and said I could just carry on like this from now on...

She didn't seem at all worried about the contractions because the ffn test was negative but I still feel a bit skeptical about that, for some reason...

As I was leaving, the midwife told me that urine test had come back showing blood ++ in my urine which could indicate a kidney infection & explain the back pain. I have been phoning my midwives office this morning to ask them to chase the results but, as usual, no-one is answering the phone . Still having contractions 10 mins apart & starting to feel a bit sorry for myself now.

I hope you are all feeling well and in a better mood than I am this morning . I have for my toddler sitting in bed with me watching C-Beebies - again - so am also feeling guilty about the amount of TV she has bed watching lately as I feel too grotty to take her to the park or playgroup.

[SoYo]

FFN negative is >90% accurate that you won't deliver in next week (some of the studies said 2 weeks but less patients in them so less sure). FFN positive gives approx 30% chance that you will deliver in next 7 days.

Hope that helps.

[willitbe]

FestiveDigestive - do worry about the amount of TV for your toddler, it will be like that when the baby arrives for a while anyway. But more importantly - drink lots..... especially if there is a chance of urine infection, that could cause backache and also could trigger contractions which you do not need. So go get another drink -now..... (bossyboots here, having learnt from experience!)

Nananaps - big wave (yes I do remember you from your first thread of "this can't be happening!!!)

Timeywimey - hope things have settled for you.

[TimeyWimeyStuff]

Hi all, it's been a crazy week here with baby throwing up a few more issues. Just had an hour and a half of tightenings so keeping a close eye. Hope you are all ok.

[FestiveDigestive]

willitbe - Thanks, my DH keeps lecturing me about drinking more water. I've bought quite a few lemons as it's easier to drink if it has a bit of flavour but I still need to remind myself!

TimeyWimey - How are you feeling? I had the worst night so far last night. I woke at 2am with really sore tightenings that I couldn't sleep through. I got up & took paracetamol & was then awake until 4am ish, with them coming every 5 mins and and hurting. Managed to sleep until 5.30 then they woke me again. I've been up since 7am with DD & I can still still feel them but they are more like 10 mins apart & uncomfortable rather than sore. Aaaggh!

I am just so tired now & have another month until I'm booked for a section at 37 weeks. Last night I was totally convinced that I would be going in this morning & that I was in early labour. Now it's eased off I don't know what to think. If I stand up and walk my bump just goes rock hard and period painy so I can hardly walk. Planning to phone the midwife for advice this morning but not sure what they can actually do.. Not much I suspect!

SoYo - Thanks for info about FFN. I had the last one 8 days ago now.

[Doraemon]

Morning all. I'm lying in bed feeling knackered and obsessing over Braxton hicks. Got sent in to assessment unit on Monday but only one contraction showed in twenty minutes and cervix looked fine. But had loads of tighteningp last night and this morning. Have downloaded contractions app lo try lo keep track of them.

[TimeyWimeyStuff]

Morning. Festive, the couple of days you describe sounds like me at the weekend. I phoned in on Friday night but we agreed I'd take more pain relief and wait it out. In the end I managed to sleep and it subsided by morning, only to start again the next afternoon. BUT When I did absolutely nothing for 24 hours I got a complete break from the tightenings. Went as far as the GPs and they started up again while I was in the waiting room. It's such a PITA.

Now fully signed off work and taking regular codeine for the IU and SPD, which are both irritating a longer-standing back problem. I've stopped counting tightenings even when they are quite bad because I'm pretty assured that it is just an irritable uterus and, although I don't like it, I have to live with it. Baby and bump did some rapid expansion over the last few weeks, so I reckon that was the trigger. Her abdomen is measuring 3 and a half week ahead of dates! I'll pester the MWs if I experience anything bigger/worse than I have already, but as I was curled up in pain on Friday night, it will take something really big (or waters/show).

I hope the next few weeks pass quickly for you Festive. Is Christmas likely to prove a good distraction?

Dora, hope you can get some rest and relief too.