Baby #2-Contractions at 31 Weeks...

This is my first pregnancy I'm 27 weeks and having the same problem. I was also told to rest and to drink lots of water.

Hello, congratulations on baby # two. I had my second child last November at 36 weeks. Started having contractions at 24 weeks. Dr put me on tributaline, with no real restrictions other than pelvic rest (no sex) and rest when at all possible. She took me off of the tributaline at 36 weeks and the next day I went into labor and baby Patrick was here. He was tiny but healthy and will be a year old next week.

Good Luck!

I had a lot of contractions starting at 5 months pregnant. When I got further along they started to hurt more. I wouldnt say they were really painful just umfortable, kinda cramping and the tightening. When I would lay down or rest it would usually get better. My doctor also said more than 5 an hour I need to call. I can remember several times writing them down because I felt like I was having a lot. I think its fairly common and a very good thing that you are not dialating. But yes I would say take it easy when you notice a lot. I always found it hard to slow down when I was busy but if you dont you never know what could happen. I thought many times my water was going to break and never got nothin! (This was my 2nd baby too) I went all the way to 39 weeks and the only reason he was a week early was because he was 9 lbs and I said if I had to go one more week I was going to slap someone. I had a scheduled c-section. Good luck and take it easy!

K.,
I had baby #3 seven months ago. At 32 weeks I started having contractions at work, they became 7 minutes apart. I went to the hospital, I didn't dialate but they did have to stop the contractions. My doctor put me on house arrest for two weeks, because she said 32 weeks is too early. After two weeks I went back and she gave me the option to return to work. I think your doctor should be taking this a little more seriously than one day off work. Talk to him about it again, and let him know your concerns, but in the mean time take it easy, my doctor told my husband and our oldest son (he's 11) that they had to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry etc. so that I wouldn't go into early labor. Rest, rest, and more rest!

K.
I know exactly what you are going through. I am 32 and a half weeks and having the exact same problems as you. My advice is listen to your dr and rest as much as possible.

This is going to sound like a really dumb question, but are you drinking lots of water? I started having the contractions early with my first and ended up at the Women's Evaluation Unit at the hospital, which at the hospital at went to is like an ER for pregnant woman. Anyway, I was having 5 an hour and they made me lay on my side and drink a gallon of water within an hour, I am not kidding either, a gallon of water, and my contractions started going away. By that evening, I had them stopped. But, I was told to keep drinking lots and lots of water. They did a urine sample and it wasn't showing that I was dehydrating yet, but if you even start to get dehydrated, you can go into pre-term labor. Again, probably a dumb question and/or advice, but it saved me. I would have never guessed that water would have made them stop, but it did. Then after that, anytime I would start to feel anything or start to complain about any pains, my husband would start forcing water upon me, and it usually made anything go away.

I am going through the same thing at the moment and did with my second child as well. Braxton-Hicks are a lot more common then anyone tells you they are when you hear all the other moms talk about their pregnancies. I also never went into labor with my first, we had a c-section because she was breech, so I was very concerned when they started with the second. With my second one, I started having them about 30 weeks and started to dialate a few weeks after that. I never dialated past a 1 and she was born 2 days before her due date by c-section as well. With this one, my doctors have told me that if I have more then 6 in an hour to go lay down (I add drink a big glass of water at this point). If I have another 6 in the next hour, that is when I should call. I do not have any restrictions from the doctor at this point (31 weeks), but I have had to limit myself a lot. If I am on my feet too much, the contractions get worse. If I stress out or yell at the kids too much, they get worse. When my little ones go down for a nap, so do I. I at least lay down in the afternoon if I don't sleep. My husband has had to help a lot with the house work. Some days are better then others and some days you really just feel pretty useless. Listen to your body and when it says it has had enough for the day, quit doing everything and relax for a little while. I have read a lot of books lately. It is no fun but just remember that your #1 job right now is making a baby and everything else has to come after that. Good luck with your little one!

Maybe I have a bad doctor but I went into labor at 30 weeks with my oldest. (They were able to stop it.) Even though I continued to contract regularly, she only reduced my working (only 5 hours a day). With my second the contractions started to become regular at 26 weeks. I was dilated at 32 weeks but again I just took my meds like she said and that was it. Both girls were eventually induced and healthy.

All this to say, I think it's just your body preparing for birth. If they become a regular pattern, then I'd call for sure. But I think it's just par for the course! Keep your head up! Rest, rest, rest all that you can! Forget the laundry and cooking. Just rest!!!!

Are you drinking plenty of fluid? I'm a doula and we get plenty of moms, who come in contracting, and then it turns out that they are dehydrated. Dehydration, causes contractions. Fortunately, you are not dialating. Listen to what you doctor says and stay hydrated.
Good luck.
V.

I was dilated to a 4 and effaced at 90% at 32 weeks. I was licensed for 10 kids at the time, worked on my own and kept 2 shifts of care. So with 20 full-time children and 3 of my own, I didn't rest. She hung in there until 38 weeks when we had the doctor break my water. She was there in 20 minutes! Be happy. It sounds like your body is just getting ready.

Suzi

Hi Krista: I went into PTL @ 29 weeks my first pg . . > i wouldnt have even known it (as I thought the baby was just balling up and moving) but I was sent to L&D and put on Magnesium for 2 days (it was a horrible experience) and I was not dialating either . . . hospitalized for 6 days and I was then put on 22 hours of b/r until week 37 (along with procardia 2x a day). I delivered her 4 days after I was off of my bedrest. Make sure you get plenty of fluid, and if you feel them coming on get your feet up and try to relax. good luck and let us know how its going~

it sounds like braxton-hicks contractions. I had them in a
major way in my second pregnancy, too-starting at about 31
weeks. some of them were really hard, too. I did the whole
taking it easy and going day by day routine and if I felt
them starting I would get off my feet for awhile. make sure
you are getting plenty of fluid, too. dehydration can bring
them on as well. I just had to slow it down and take it easy.
and then I ended up having to be induced at 41 weeks! go
figure!

Just with my fourth child, I had something similar happen to me. I was having fairly strong contractions about every five minutes over the course of a couple of hours and I have never started going into labor on my own. But what happen at the very end of my third pregnancy helped me. I thought I was in labor but as soon as they started me on IV fluids at the hospital, I stopped contracting on my own and had to be induced. At the time the nurse explained to me that you might begin contracting if you are dehydrated, even if you don't think you are. So when these contractions started, I laid there relaxing and drinking several glasses of water and sure enough the contractions stopped. After that I just tried to remember to drink extra water even if I wasn't thirsty. And as usual, I never went into labor on my own and had to be induced once again. Hope this helps!

Good question I was going to ask this myself as I stil may because you are farther along than i'am.It is strongly advised that you seek medical attention for an accurate diagnosis.This is my 3rd pregnancy and I feel as if i'm having contractions i'm 22 weeks and have discussed this with my doctor 2 weeks ago she advised to me that it may be irratable uterus from having other children.I was told to empty bladder drink plenty of water and lay on left side to rest.Just a few nites ago I had sex with my husband and was having contractions they were painful at times but nothing came about.I hope not to deliver early i'm due in March and will be having another Girl YA.I will be calling my Gyno to let them know that the contractions are more now than they were at my last appt. and to see where to go from there.

YES. I had contractions from 24 weeks with my first (some productive, some not), and from almost that early with my second. The first time was scary, because I didn't know what was going on. The second time, I slowed down little by little, just paying attention to my body and what would trigger the contractions. I teach a fitness class, and I started having more of them, so I slowed down during class, and this kept happening little by little until I was sitting down during class! Then I decided to go on my maternity leave a little early, and my second son was born two days before full term. He's beautiful; he's fine!

Your situation is probably different, of course. One thing that is good is that those Braxton-Hicks contractions (the ones that don't dilate you) are really good for toning your uterus for the birth. It's just your body doing a little bit of exercise. Just sit back and watch it do what it needs to do. It's amazing really. With my second baby I had natural childbirth. Amazing, I really just had to hold on for the ride - my body knew what to do and I just got out of the way.

Listen to your body, rest when it feels like you are contracting a lot. It's a good excuse to rest now, before the baby comes! AND, drink lots of water! Good for your muscles, and helps slow or stop contractions!

Did your doctor think they were Braxton-Hicks contractions. I started having those around 20 weeks until I delivered on my due date. If they let up with decreased activity I bet thats what they are. Good luck to you!

With my first baby I had those braxton hicks and would get in the bath tub and they'd magically go away. Until, that is, the day she decided to be born (a week prior to her "due date"). With the second...um...no so nice and easy. I had contractions starting about your stage except that I was dialating. I was at the hospital twice to get monitored b/c I thought I was in labor (and, mind you I had gone through labor the first time - so I imagine you are that much more nervous). I was also on bed rest for two weeks to keep that ornery little boy in there. Then, after all that trying to keep him in and being restricted from leaving my little suburb and all that hassle, we had to induce the little guy out of there! So, I say, take it easy and follow your doctor's advice. Your body is probably warming up for your new baby. It has been here done this before and is getting ready. Get your feet up and ask your husband for major help. No amount of money you miss out on from work is worth risking your baby. In a few months you'll be begging your baby girl to come out and meet you all safe and healthy! Congrats on your second baby!

With my first one, I was basically having contractions all the time... some took my breath away. I still went to work (desk job) and did everything I normally would, but I just had to be sure to be near a wall "just in case". My second one, I only felt the contractions when I went into labor. Not really any answers, sorry, but I know what it's like. It is a little scary. But everything will work out fine. And as long as your doctor is informed and working with you, you and your daughter will be fine.

Braxton Hicks can sometimes seem pretty worrisome. You don't notice them too much on the first pregnancy, but from there, your body is just getting ready. I started having them at 5 mos with my second. I think the dr called it an aggravated uterus. It was going to be my first VBAC, so that was probably the issue. No foreplay with your breasts with DH. THAT is a big one that can cause ctx. Drink plenty of water, actually a little more than usual will keep ctx down because a full bladder can interfere with any labor, real or not. If you aren't having any mucus show or back aches, I wouldn't be too worried. If you've had an U/S and the baby is fine, then I would think he will probably stay in there for a while longer. Drink OJ or take Vit C. If you have any kind of virus, no matter how small, it can cause preterm labor. Do take it easy, but light work isn't usually a problem. If a woman is going to end up with preterm delivery, usually bedrest doesn't prevent it, but it can help determine which way it may end up.