Pre-term contractions
Hey mamas, I know that we have enough to worry about when we’re pregnant and momming, but here's something you may not have heard about before: the possibility of having an irritable uterus.
For some women, being diagnosed with an irritable uterus means nothing more than slight contractions (that are more than Braxton-Hicks) but nothing to make a fuss over. For other women having an irritable uterus can come with much more risk (like if you're not in the third trimester yet).
My point? If you are having contractions earlier than 38-40 weeks, always tell your doc right away.
With baby number 2, I started having contractions in my second trimester, and they lasted until my son was born. Along with a couple other symptoms, my situation was nerve-wracking enough that I ended up in the hospital a couple of times so that they could monitor me and the babe. For me the game of “keep that baby in your body” began at 28 weeks.
With each fetal milestone I got more relaxed, but when the symptoms started it was a little scary. Coupled with the fact that my little baby boy was growing much faster than normal, and I was told (with the seriousness of a statue) by my OBGYN: “you need to take it easy.” You know how it is: I already had a kid turning 2, so staying still or relaxing all the time wasn’t an option.
I had contractions while I ate, while I got my nails done, and while I was sitting in my office. So really, I’m saying that it doesn’t matter what type of lifestyle you have, you need to be aware if your body is having pre-term contractions. Mine were a result of stress, fatigue and likely dehydration.
I had to stick close to home as my due date got closer, in case of pre-term labour with a big baby. While neither my OB nor I was extremely worried about the health of the baby, it was important that with all these contractions, I didn’t go too far—in case of a rapid delivery or need for a C-section.
In the end, my guy was born rapidly and wasn't teeny, so I was glad I listened to my doc.
If you want to do some reading (but please don’t get yourself in a panic, I’m just trying to share since I had a grumpy uterus), take a look at these sources discussing uterine irritability:
https://www.thebump.com/a/uterine-irritability
http://www.owletcare.com/blog/these-arent-braxton-hicks-contractions/
Has anyone else had symptoms of an irritable uterus?
xo Sara
