Does heavy lifting cause premature labour?

[elliejjtiny]

I'm 30 weeks pregnant and I had to carry my 6 year old and my 3 year old today (not at the same time!) My youngest was 5 weeks early (older 3 were overdue) and I'd been lifting the children then as well, although I also had polyhydramnios which didn't help. I'm worried that I will have this baby early too. I've got nobody to help lift the DC's as DH works and isn't supposed to lift anything after his vasectomy. Bending and lifting makes my hips and tummy ache so I'm feeling sorry for myself. My 6 year old has SN and my 3 year old is just stubborn. I'm also lifting my 10 month old but he is fairly light thank goodness.

Iv never read it before. I had a thirty weeker and I was on bedrest for 5 weeks. it sounds tough for you managing by yourself.

From memory I think there is a risk of it I'm not sure of how much lifting etc. Also as your balance is off, you might be at risk of falls if you are doing heavy lifting.

I think it is particularly not recommended to lift things as there is a bigger risk of injuring your back etc

I'm a farmer and had to do lots of heavy lifting right to the end of my pg. a midwife friend said two things to me when I worried about it. One was that the risk was to me not the baby - I.e more likely to strain parts of my body. The other thing she said was that I'd know when my body needed me to stop. I really did - a week before labour I couldn't have done my farm jobs with the best will in the world, it was like my body needed to hibernate. If you're worried give the midwife a ring though.