Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Preterm Labor

It was 3 a.m., and I was unable to get comfortable with my 36-week big belly. I decided that perhaps the couch would be a bit more comfortable. I was feeling slight cramps. I remembered the doctor telling me to drink some water and lay on my left side. So, after sipping down some water, I tried to get comfortable on my left side. I can imagine how funny I must have looked. I had pillows behind me to offer support, under my stomach to prop me up and one between my knees to try to keep my spin aligned to help ease some of the back pain I was feeling.

As I laid there trying to rest, I started to notice that the pains were still coming. I figured at the time that it was Braxton hicks. I still had a good four weeks before the baby was to arrive. Sleeping had become the impossible task. My back was aching, my stomach tightening. "It is too soon" I thought to myself. So, I got up and got a second drink of water and tried switching positions. I opted for propping my feet up on ottoman and relaxing in the chair. I must have been comfortable, as I managed to doze off.

I am awakened again to back pain jolting up my back. I get up and walk a bit as I debated on calling the doctor. I know that if I call they will want me to come in. I question whether or not I am really experiencing labor or not. I decide to log on to check out March of Dimes website. I knew they would be a great source of information cause they deal with premature births and I could see if what I was experiencing was indeed preterm labor or not. It did not take long until I found the information I was looking for.

I started with the definition of preterm labor. March of Dimes states that it's labor that occurs if you go into labor before you complete your 37^th week. "Hmmm", I thought to myself, "this could be me". So, I read on, contractions 10 minutes or less apart. I thought I should start timing them. I timed the contractions for an hour. They were more than 10 minutes apart. They were not consistent enough at this time to worry about it. While timing the contractions, I continued to read the website. Another thing that March of Dimes sited as a sign was low dull backache. Eek! I was experiencing this too. At this point I was not experiencing any other signs that were listed: Change in vaginal discharge, Pelvic pressure, Cramps that feel like your period, Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea.

I opted to follow the suggestions listed. I drank more water, rested on my left side again. I felt sure they were going to go away. The next thing I knew, the darkness of night was leading way to dawn. My husband was getting up for work. At this point, I decided that maybe I should go with the last suggestion listed on the March of Dimes site and go to the hospital. I should have went much earlier on, but my symptoms did not get worse, they remained the same, except for the contractions. They had improved and were becoming regular.

I arrived at the emergency room where I was sent to a room for monitoring. I was having contractions 4 minutes apart. They were preparing for my dear daughters arrival. Then it happened, the contractions slowed down. I spent the day and night in the hospital monitoring the situation. They then decided that even though the contractions were 4 minutes apart, it was not causing any progression. I was discharged the next evening. I was sent home with instructions to be seen in the office in 2 days if the baby did not arrive before the.

At the point of discharge, I was still having contractions that were 4 minutes apart. I have never felt more exhausted than I did at that point. I was not able to get any rest at all. I went to my doctor's appointment 2 days later. I guess I looked horrible cause the doctor did not even ask me how I was feeling. He knew I was to be a repeat c-section, which was not planned for another 2 weeks. At that point, he suggested that we move up the date and go ahead and take the baby. I was never so happy to hear those words. I had experienced contractions every 4 minutes from the time I arrived at the hospital. I was elated that it was finally going to end. He also gave me something to help me get some much needed rest and stop the contractions. I showered often because the warm water felt so go to my back. I rested on my left side when I was not in the shower. I also had my wonderful husband rub my back to help ease some of the pain I was feeling.

Having a baby is not always an easy task. The constant contractions put me out of commission from my normal motherly duties and housecleaning tasks. I relied on my husband to make meals, care for our son when he could, and do the laundry. I could not take long car rides as the bumpy roads did not help the way I was feeling. However, all that is forgotten when they placed my daughter in my arms for the first time.

I suggest that if you are experiencing preterm labor, you do not wait and call your doctor. Each person is different so is each pregnancy. Preterm labor is very real and can result in a birth of a baby that needs medical care immediately. My daughter spent 5 hours on oxygen after she was born. She also experienced Jaundice which they say was caused by her early birth. She was treated for the Jaundice at the hospital as well as home. In my opinion, she was rather healthy considering what she could have experienced had she been born too soon.

Preterm labor can happen to anyone, even those who have regular prenatal care.

Sources:
http://marchofdimes.com/prematurity/21239_5809.asp