Pre-term early labour - stopped?!

[Cluelessfirsttimemum]

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

I don't have any experience sorry but didn't want to leave you with no replies. Even if your baby is born in the next week or two they're at a really good gestation, you've had the steroids so they've got every advantage.

Good luck! Just take it easy over the next few days and see what happens I guess x

It's great that you have managed two steroid injections. I only managed one before the baby came. I am not too bad with pain but oh my, the one I had really stung.

My waters went at 34 weeks. We got to the hospital and was told they would keep me in for 24 hours and assess in the morning. I wasn't showing contractions on the monitor so I didn't think my pains were contractions. I was given codeine but it didn't seem to help. Late on in the evening the midwife said I shouldn't be reacting the way I was if I wasn't in labour ( constant need to walk the pain off, constant need to sit on the toilet as it seemed to help the pain). It just felt like period pain but stronger. She called the doctor and I was 5cm dilated. I had the baby 5 hours later.

My baby was born with lung problems as they weren't fully developed. She spend 4 weeks in SCBU. I kept blaming my self for not being able to get the second steroid injection but they are spaced out by 12 hours, When it was time for the second I was almost finished giving birth.

My child is almost 2 and has no issues. It was my first child so I had no idea what to expect re labour. The midwives said it was possible I would go in the first 24 hours or closer to full term. My baby chose the first 24 hours .

Having a preemie is a lot to process. SCBU is a part of postnatal that I didn't really consider before my baby.

If you have been sent home make sure you trust you instincts. I didn't think I was in labour because the midwives told me I wasn't. Luckily for me, I was still in hospital. If I had been sent home it could have been a different story. I went from a closed cervix to 5cm dilated in a few hours. Things can change quickly.

I wish you lots of luck and remember, having the two steroid injections will help make the baby stronger if you do go early.

@Dereynolds thank you for sharing your experience. My waters haven't broken but they didn't check my cervix apart from when I was first admitted and they did the ffn test. I felt the same as you - needing to walk around to help the pain. The midwives advised me against this and said I should not be adopting positions that would help the process along, instead laying on my side (I guess they were trying to stop the labour happening?). I'm just really confused now because if the pains I had were contractions, they definitely weren't anything like I expected. I didn't think the pain was supposed to be constant throughout. Feel so on edge... Whereas I was on a 5 week countdown until the due date I'm now just waiting to see if it happens each day!

Yes the pain was in waves for me. I could feel them coming on and off. I can't remember it being constant. Are you still having them now? I can't imagine what you are going through. For me it was all really quick so I didn't have much time to think about it. I hadn't even sorted my hospital bag as I was of the same thinking that I had ages to go .

It's safer for the baby to be in the womb and the fact that your body is keeping the baby in is a positive. You will soon come to realise just how amazing your body is. Please let me know how you are getting on. It's scary enough without there being things like this thrown into the mix.

No, the pains have stopped completely. I feel really heavy down below and am just getting the odd twinge and a bit of lower back ache that comes and goes. Nothing else now. I hadn't packed my hospital bag either but it's ready to go now!