True vs. False labor

[alinatmom]

I haven't posted much on here for a long time due to craziness of life (2 young kids, moving 700 miles in June, baby due May 3rd but have to be seen 3x a week for monitoring extra fluid in his brain, trying to sell a house) anyways I go in Mondays for Stress monitoring and it was showing contractions every 3-4 min for the hour I was there. They were ready to admit me but honestly the contractions weren't that bad more just annoying. I have still been having them non-stop but its really not that bad. I am hoping he hangs on a few weeks (I am 36 weeks today) I know he is big enough but with his other issues I don't want him to have other stuff to worry about plus my MIL is coming the 23rd and it would be easier to leave our 2 girls home with her. Anyways all this being said has anyone had regular contractions for a long period of time. They don't feel these are braxton hicks because they are so regular.

[nml12903]

With my last 3 pregnancies I have had regular contactions for weeks! They all started around 28 weeks and one pregnancy went until 33 weeks, the other until 38 weeks, and I'm currently 34 weeks. I was also dialated with all four of my pregnancies for a long time. With my last one I was 3cm at 28 weeks, 5 cm at 32 weeks, and 7 cm at 36 weeks. He was finally born at 38 weeks after my dr sent me to the hospital because I was 10 cm!

[tjsacosta]

My doc has me on terbutaline for 2 weeks b/c I went into L&D with contractions 3-5 mins apart and was 1 cm dialated. They will take me off of it at 36 weeks and then its up to my LO to decide LOL. My contractions weren't painful really. Just pressure and tightening. They went on for alittle over an hour b4 they gave me my terbulatine to stop them. I have always noticed that contractions aren't bad at all til you hit true, hard labor. THat and a normal contraction for me is nothing considering Ive been on pitocin for both of my other births. Pitocin contractions are 20x worse than natural ones.

[doodah]

I also had regular contractions for weeks pre-baby during both my pregnancies. Some bouts lasted for as long as 36 hours! This time around I have already had two of these incidents. Each time one happens, I take warm bath and lay down as long as possible. Drink lots of fluids and just chill. Perhaps with all the chaos you are just doing too much and your body is not handling that well. Stress, tummy aches, over activity, dehydration can all put your body into a tailspin.

[watermelon]

I had strong regular contraction with my last 3 pregnancies. This time however, they weren't even regular or strong...just daily. But the girls came at 26 1/2 weeks. Did they check your cervix? If I hadn't asked to be checked at 19 weeks they wouldn't have...I had no signs except things I was feeling. They monitored me very carefully after that and admitted me at 21 1/2 weeks. I would definitely take things seriously and get checked just in case .

[Free Thinker]

At 36 weeks I don't think I would worry about it or call unless they become painful. FOr me, I will have cx. off and on, sometimes timeable, before labor, but once labor starts they get *really* uncomfortable, and I know it sounds weird but I do almost feel my cervix opening up, like it feels stretched down there durring each cx.

[alinatmom]

I have definatly been under a lot of stress and not taking it easy at all. Its hard because 1. I have to be at the doctor 3 times a week for monitoring, 2 I have two other kids and my DH doesn't have a very flexible job, 3. we are trying to sell the house so I always have to be getting it ready for showings, 4. I am trying to pack as much as possible now So I don't have to with a newborn. I do drink non stop so I don't think that an issue. They did check me after being on the monitor, I was at 2 but some people are at 2 for months.

[mama21]

I've been having VERY REGULAR contractions for the past almost 3 weeks now. Some days they're only 3-9 min apart for the ENTIRE day or for hrs at a time. I've been checked 2X and no dilation yet. I just saw my OB this morning and she at his point isn't really worried since I'm not having any real cramping or discharge. I'm almost to 34 weeks and she told me once I reach 35 weeks, they'd just let me go into labor if that's the case. Today she didn't even bother to check for dilation since these BH seem to be "status quo" (her words) for now.

With my first, I didn't have contractions like this until just a couple of weeks before delivery and that was almost 39 wks.