braxton hicks, preterm contractions and exercise

K

ksandvoss

Cathlete
Hi there,

Has anyone had excessive braxton hicks that you could sear were preterm labor? And have any of you been told not to exercise anymore because of too many braxton hicks?

I am 31 weeks and I have been having constant braxton hicks since 28 weeks. This past week the contractions have become less painful but more frequent, particularly during exercise. One night they came every 2 minutes for about an hour and were accompanied by lower back pain and menstrual like cramps. I thought I was in preterm labor, but the doctor had me drink a pitcher of water and sit in a warm bath tub for 30 minutes. The pain and contractions subsided. The braxton hicks are still frequent, but just not that bad. My doctor still wants me to not exercise even though it is braxton hicks.

One more thing, my water broke with my 1st pregnancy at 16 weeks. I was sealed shut, so they had to induce labor. But I had a c-section

KBS
 
I'd like to hear what some have to say about this too. I'm having BH right now. They have been going on all day. They started for me around week 28 also. So far, my dr. has not said to stop exercising.


Susan C.M.
[link=http://lilypie.com][img noborder]http://bd.lilypie.com/2BB3m5.png[/img][/link]
 
Fair Warning: my experiance was NOT the norm...

BUT... at 28 weeks I started have BH's that would last for hours long. I was put on meds, and ended up being put on a terebutaline pump. I had an irritable uterus, that just contracted like crazy. I ended up even contracting for hours on the meds. I was put bedrest for 8 weeks. At 8 weeks of bedrest completed I was 36 wks. I went off my meds at 36wks and delivered w/in 24hours due to actual preterm labor. If the dr says no exercise I would take him seriously. As I'm sure you know the idea of a preterm baby is quite scary. While BH's are completely normal and especially in subsequent pregnancies - you never know when it will change to preterm labor, even if rare. Activity just exasperates the situation, so if you keep contracting like you say w/pain off and on, I'd lay off as the dr advised. Back pain and menstreul pain is the definition of possible preterm labor, as I assume you well know.

This is just my experiance though, you could always as another dr for a second oppinion. Like I said I was NOT the norm even for women with irritable uterus. Actually only 20% of women w/irritable uterus actually go into preterm labor, I just happen to be that 20%. That was told to me by a OB specialist. I ended up in the hospital for 1 week stay and about 15 other visits to L&D - so for me BH was very serious.
 
Julie...I'm sorry to hear about your tough experience.

My experience was frustrating and began like yours. Actually around 3-4 months I began feeling my uterus contract and it continued right up to the end. When I was pregnant with the first baby I looked at it as practise labor until I mentioned it to the doctor who hooked me up to the monitor (the one to time contractions and measure their strength) and flipped out to see that I was having such strong contractions (this was at 4-5 months). He immediately admitted me to the hospital and gave me strong meds to relax my uterus and sent me home a few days later with LOTS of terbutaline (which I still continued to have contractions). I couldn't figure out why it was so serious, but they kept me on this until 36 weeks and then upon taking me off.....nothing happened except more incredibly painful contractions. Finally I was so miserable at 38 weeks, they broke my water and I went into labor and dilated from 1-10 in 50 minutes.

The next birth I moved and had a new doctor and told him my history and he said he thought the BH were okay and he'd let it go. I went 9 days over my due date. I had BH contractions from 3 months on the same as the first birth. Activity (as in long days of walking at the mall, etc...being overtired) always increased them. I've had 6 babies and I've learned to ignore them. But as Julie pointed out....for her it was serious. For me it meant absolutely nothing and the more I exercised....the better I felt and the less I experienced these contractions. I actually read an article that spoke of women with irritable uterus and exercise being very helpful. For me....that was absolutely the case. The more I exercise...the better I feel. You have to make the decision as I have no idea where you fall. I just know how irritated I was with the doctors that handled my first pregnancy as they stopped me from exercising which was the answer to lessoning the contractions in my case. Hope all goes well with your pregnancy, maybe get a second opinion to be sure.

Briee
 
Good thing I read on, my reaction was the same 16 weeks:eek:
I haven't experience what you are, but it is very interesting. Keep us posted. Good luck, I know how much contractions hurt;(
 
Julie and Briee,

Thank you for sharing your experiences. Like Briee's 2nd doctor, my doctor believes what I'm experiencing is false contractions or braxton hicks and completely acceptable. He recognized my anxiousness over having constant painful contractions, so he did a cervical exam today and monitored my contractions on a monitor. Everything was sealed shut. I was happy to hear that. He sent off a test called the fetal fibronectin (fFN) test. If it is positive, my doctor will consider me high risk for going early and keep me on limited activity. If it is negative, then he will allow me to resume some limited exercise. He still wants me to take it easy because I went early with my 1st pregnancy. And since exercise brings on even more contractions, I think he believes I should take it easy. I don't know why if they are harmless Braxton hicks.

Below they mention a ultrasound. I have a girlfriend who said that I should have a vaginal ultrasound because they could see changes in her cervix that indicated she was at risk for premature labor. Her external cervical exam didn't show any changes. She also was not having contractions





Here is some info on that test:


The fetal fibronectin (fFN) test can't tell you for sure that you are in labor, but it can tell you that you're not. This is useful because in the early stages of preterm labor, it's very difficult to tell if a woman really is in labor based on her symptoms and a pelvic exam.

A negative result on the fFN test means it's highly unlikely that you'll give birth in the next week or two, which can set your mind at ease and allow your practitioner to hold off on treatments that may prove to be unnecessary. A positive result, on the other hand, is not as useful. It means you're at a higher risk of giving birth early, but it doesn't guarantee that you're about to give birth or that you'll deliver early at all, so it won't help your practitioner decide how to manage your situation.

If you're having symptoms of preterm labor, your practitioner may also order an ultrasound to see if your cervix is effacing (thinning out). During true labor, the cervix effaces and dilates (opens) so your baby can come out. If your cervix doesn't appear to be changing, it's another sign that you're not in labor.

Thanks again,

Kathy
 
Kathy....it sounds as if you are getting some answers and I'll pray that you are given wise advise. It's so hard to tell someone what to do because you don't want an early baby, but on the flip side you want to remain healthy and active if you can.

Interestingly...I would get sometimes 8 straight hours of strong contractions 2 minutes apart right on the dot, but they usually occurred when I had a stressful day on my feet or was extremely overtired. On the other hand, if I put in a good weight/cardio workout, my day ALWAYS seemed to go better and I would rest better at night and I experienced less contractions with this pattern. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT and I can't say that this would help you. I wish I could find the article that said exercise could help an irritable uterus, but it was several years ago when I came across this. They also checked my cervix and were convinced that there were changes....but they were wrong. As you noted above...they really can't tell just by "visual changes" in the cervix and I think it's wonderful that there is a test to better ascertain these changes (fFN). Sending prayers that you will have a healthy and safe pregnancy and delivery.

Briee
 
Oh yes fFn - I had them every two weeks, it is a source of comfort. Glad your dr was more decriptive w/you in his dr orders. Good Luck! :)
 
Thank you again Briee and Julie,

Julie,

Did your doctor say your cervix was changing, or was your dr just concerened with your contractions?

Kathy
 
My cervix did not change at all. I was monitored very closely with vaginal and abdominal u/s every week. The abdominal u/s was due to the fact they wanted to watch the fluids as one of the meds I was on to repress the contractions can affect the fluid. Once I got off the meds my cervix immediately changed and like I said I was in preterm labor within 24 hours of being taken off the meds. I also was monitored at home with a national nursing 24 hr service called Matria and had an at home monitor to monitor my contractions 2 or more times a day. My terebutaline was administered through a cathider in my leg and the terebutaline was in a syringe put in a machine called a pump that looks like a big pager. My body was VERY VERY persistive in contracting even though I was taking 3-4 meds a day. This is why my dr was so concerned. Most women on these meds stop contracting or contract a little, I could/would contract from 4-10 hours a day well exceeding the 6 an hour that is seen as too many. I actually capped out on the amount of the terebutaline I could take and that is why I was in the hospital for one stay. They took me off terb (it was HELL ON EARTH btw) and was still on the other meds, to resensitize my body to the terb. Then I was put back on the terb until 36 wks. Consequently I am done having children and DH is getting a vasectamy (sp?) soon. I'm at a high risk of having the same problem in another pregnancy and earlier. I would hate to bring a baby into the world knowing it would be a preemie and it could have healthy problems. We felt done anyway before the problems arose.

I hate to say it but I would take it easy and see what your body does. Even though some may do better with activity the NORM is the more activity the more aggrivated the BH's are. And even if they aren't turning into real labor they can be debilitating making you take it easy anyway. I think it's great that your dr said easy exercise was fine, I just would advise not to push it past that. I worked out right up to the day before these contractions started - 28wks, and I attribute that to why my body isn't in worse shape after being on bedrest for 8 weeks. Bedrest is know to be very bad for your muscles and for causing back problems. So I am a HUGE believer in exercise. But as for exercise at any point, there is a good level and bad level - everyone is different. Push fluids big time, rest when you feel them come on, lay on your left side if they are a problem for you and the norm is they will stop in an hour or so or decrease, the not norm is (as for me) this doesn't help.
 
Julie,

I can't believe what you went through. I certainly apprecaite you sharing your story. I will keep it all in mind in how I respond to my contractions.

My dr called and said the test was negative, which is good news. He said I could resume light exercise. But he wants me to keep him informed when I have episodes of painful and frequent contractions. I am going to try light swimming tomorrow.

I'll keep this post updated.

thank you again for responding,

Kathy
 
Man Julie you did have a tough time. My terbutaline experience was the same....made me incredibly crazy. As I read through your experience it was quite a lot like my own...but I have a question for you. When you were taken off the terbutaline and you mentioned that you immediately went into preterm labor...can you tell me what symptoms you had.

I ask this because as I approach the end I go through weeks of what the doctor (if I went to one anymore)would call preterm labor. I would spend hours with hard contractions many times 2 minutes apart for hours on end. In fact with my last baby the preceding nights before the birth I had strong contractions 2-3 minutes apart for 6-8 hours several nights in a row...but in the morning they would die down to 15 minutes apart. It is TRULY FRUSTRATING, but I now know that my body just does this. My uterus is EXTREMELY irritable...but I tend to go OVER my date even though you'd think I'd be delivering anytime. And baby has always been healthy and strong, but I am a little looney by the time I actually go into labor. People around me flip out because I have to pause to have a contraction as I walk through stores, etc, and they are worried about me delivering immediately and I have to continually explain that I'll be going through weeks of this so don't worry.

This is so interesting to me because I've never met anyone who had as "irritable of uterus" as mine, except for you. How many babies have you had?

Kathy....I'm so glad to hear that your test was negative. Keep us posted.

Briee
 
Oops Julie...I just read back and noticed that you had two babies. Did you have the same experience with both babies??
 
Briee,

I look forward to hearing Julie's response. I'm wondering also if either of you had any bleeding.

I just want to mention that aside from having numerous contractions when I exercise, my experience with contractions has been similar. Starting at about 6pm I have contractions all night. Some nights they are every 2 minutes. Then they subside after I wake up in the morning.

Even after today when my doctor said my cervix hasn't changed and that the Ffn test was negative, I have friends and relatives still nervous for me. From what you describe, I am thinking I am just a contractor.

Briee, you sound like you are pregnant right now. Are you?

Kathy
 
I had BH contractions pretty bad for the last several weeks of my pregnancy. I remember one night trying to get through either All Step or Step and Intervals and I kept getting BH contractions something fierce! I had to stop working out and sit down until they passed. I tried to finish the work out but it just wasn't happening...they kept coming. I finally gave up and eventually the contactions stopped. I was concerned at first that it was pre-term labor but it was not. I was never advised to discontinue my exercise due to BH contractions. They are normal and everything was going along as it should be. I exercised right up to the day before I had my son! :+

Best of luck to you!
 
Briee - preterm labor has nothing to do w/how many BH's you have. The definition is going into actual labor any time before 37 wks. The definition of labor is effective contractions that make you dialate. 24 hrs off the terb my contractions became quite painful and as I expected I was effacing & dialating overnight - DD was c/s that night after 14 hrs of real labor. As the specialist told me most women w/irritable uterus go full term and sometimes have to be INDUCED - isn't that horrible! I just knw in my heart I wasn't going to be so lucky - and my gut was right. My first pregnancy was picture perfect and I only had like 5 BH's the whole time - so this experiance through us for a huge loop. I did bleed this time but only at 6 wks - probably implantation bleeding.

Also the dr told me the contractions often are at night - that was true for me starting between 6-10 and lasting till 2 am sometimes.
 
Thanks for sharing that Julie. You're right...we had two VERY different situations going on. Very interesting what your specialist told you regarding women with irritable uterus having to be induced....just doesn't seem fair that after all those contractions we go over our date!!!!!x( x( x( Used to irritate me something awful until I've finally accepted it!! Pregnancy does have "ways" of throwing you for loops. I've had 6 babies and everytime it's a little bit different and there is some new challenge. The blessing is that you have healthy babies when all is said and done!!! Thanks to Fitmom too for your comments. I have NO friends that have gone through this and I'm pretty much in the boonies and seems doctors just aren't quite as knowledgable. Although I was living in Harrisburg PA when I had my first and you would have thought at a giant teaching hospital they could have known a little bit more at the time. Julie, your doctors seem quite a bit more informed on this subject. Thanks again.

Briee
 
No problem and yes contracting all the time is BEYOND frustrating. Kathy I hope you have an easier go of it than I did! Good luck on your pregnancy and Briee I agree it's nice to talk to someone who has had irritable uterus. Most mom's think I'm talking about the same experiance as normal occational BH's in late pregnancy.

See you both around! :)
 
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