Lulumama - I need your help PLEASE!!!!!!!!

[mrsjetson]

Hi there - remember you are supposed to be online Doula in November??!

To cut a long story short - I was 30 wks on Wednesday. I have been having harder more frequent BH for the last few days. We had the MW come and see us (we are not in the UK) and she said that I was already 3.5cms!! This is number 4 which she said was normal. I have been under a lot of stress recently and apparently this has caused these contractions to become stronger. The MW told me to take Magnesium as this would stop the contractions!! Do her words make sense to you?? We can't get a flight out until mid next week.

Thank you for your time and any advice that you are able to pass on!!

Dont know if this will help but i know with no4 on way it is normal to be dilated already. your cervix doesnt fully close after baby no1. I also have 4 children and had very strong, regualar braxton hicks from about 25 weeks. From about 30-32 weeks the midwives kept telling me i was in labour as the contractions registered so high and regular on my trace. However I was induced at 40 weeks as ds2 made no appearance!! So my bulging bag of waters and strong regular contractions meant nothing!! It may be the same with you

My bump went completely like a normal contraction with my braxton hicks. For the last 10 wks of pregnancy I just had a rock solid lump attached to me!!

hello sweets ! of course i remember !

seems you have had some excellent advice

re dilation - you are always 1 - 2 cm dilated once you have given birth, and you clearly have a cervix that is terribly efficient !!

stress, and tiredness and dehdration can give you strong BH.. as long as no loss of fluid, no pattern or regularity to the pains, and they ease off, then try not to panic! easier said than done though

try to drink plenty of water , and avoid anything like raspberry leaf tea or tablets that can stimulate your uterus in any way

also, might be a good idea to avoid love making for the time being, as that can trigger contractions....

i know that with 3 DCs , resting is not much of a hope, but try to lie down as and when, and taking any help that is offered

also, unless absolutely vital, no more internal exams, as they can also stimulate contractions and a rigorous internal can pop your waters if your membranes are bulging at all.....

take care and keep us posted xxx

mrsjetson

I don't mean to alarm you but if the midwife is telling you that you are 3.5cms dilated at 30 weeks - it most certainly is not alright

You might be a little dilated after 3 kids but you are at high risk of preterm labour if you are contracting and dilating. I think you should go to the nearest maternity hospital for a full assessment, because if you turned up at a UK hospital contracting and dilating at 30 weeks you would be admitted and offered steroids (to mature babys lungs), possibly nifedipine, salbutamol or atosiban (to stop contractions and let the steroids have a chance to work) plus monitoring and swabs / bloods etc.

Magnesium will do nothing to stop contractions, in fact it is used in high doses in severe pre-eclampsia to stop fitting!

If the midwife got this so wrong, heres hoping she got the VE wrong too.

Also, if you tell the airline you are dilated and contracting, they will probably refuse to let you on board. Where are you at the moment?

Good luck

mintpurple...are VEs not a bit subjective.....? but i guess you are right to be more matter of fact about this...maybe a second opinion would be a Good Thing?

just checked re magnesium

apparently magnesium sulphate can be given to try to stop prem labour, but via an IV...

definitely time for a second opinion

Lulumama

You are right about the MgSO4, it is apparently used in some US centres, never heard of it being used in the UK to stop contractions, in fact we sometimes actually induce women with syntocinon who have PET while they are on Mg IV!

It really isn't a drug of choice, especially as it is a very dangerous drug in itself, given in high doses, and requires the woman be very closely monitored. There are much safer, more efficient tocolytics around. Anyway, she couldn't get the IV stuff in the local chemists!

As for VEs, to a certain extent they are subjective, but any 30 weeker at 2-3cm is at risk, let alone if the m/w underestimated.

I see patients with these presenting symptoms most days, and while most settle, some will go on to deliver, so I strongly recommend going along to the local hospital.
(I dont know where she is, but if she is somewhere very remote or not well served by a big local hospital, and she goes into full labour, it would not be an ideal situation)

interesting , isn;t it? anyhoo, hope mrsjetson is ok...and that she hangs on in there...

i think she is somewhere in europe, iIRC, but might be wrong...

Thank you for your messages!!

OK - so now I am REALLY panicking!!

I'm in West Africa!!!!!!! My two Doctors are out of country until the end of September - we are due to return to the UK on the 22nd. Literally I ahve you guys as supprt and the 'advice centre' right now. In the UK we are booked at The Portland until 36 weeks when we transfer to Cheltenham - maybe I should call them to see what they want me to do??

Oh dear......thank you again for all fo teh advice.

Hi MrsJ, glad to hear you are still ok!

Please don't panic, the fact that nothing has happened yet is really good, and makes me think that everything is going to be alright.

Might be worth taking it easy though until you get back to the Uk and then seeing your doc when you get back.

Good Luck and let us know how you go.

i agree. think things are ok. just take it easy and seek advice as soon as you're in uk.

hello

glad you are hanging on in there

i guess i was a bit out with my recollection of where you were !!!

hope all goes well xxx keep us posted