[MrsTiffy]

I went to L&D yesterday because I had been having contractions 3 min apart for about 3 hours. All they did was check my cervix (still closed), hook me up to the monitors to confirm the contractions, ran a fetal fibronectin test (came back negative), and that was it. By the time I got home I was still having contractions 3 min apart, and had been having them for 7 hours at that point. I am so frustrated because they wouldn't do anything to stop the contractions. I never actually seen the Ob that was on call. All the nurse did was call him. I feel like every time I go up there it is just a waste of my time. As I'm leaving the nurse tells me to come back if I have the same problem again. I told her "well then I guess I shouldn't be leaving because as you told me when you took me off the monitors I am still contracting every 3 min." Why the heck should I keep going up there if they aren't even going to do anything? I am glad that the baby is fine and my cervix hasn't changed, but I just wish they would stop these stupid contractions. Until my cervix changes they wont do anything. You would think they would want to stop them before the contractions change my cervix. I should know better by now that the things that make sense are not the way things actually work. I am still having contractions. I had them all night. They kept waking me up. Now it has been 20 hours of dealing with these contractions. I am uncomfortable, tired, my back hurts, and I am just slightly cranky (if you couldn't tell). I am going to talk to my midwife about it at my appointment next Thursday to see if there is anything else we can do, so I guess until then I just have to suck it up and deal with it.

*Update*
My midwife is awesome. She explained the FFN test to me more. I guess it has nothing to do with if my water will break or not, and with my preterm baby my water broke before I went into labor. It just means that I wont be going into active labor on my own, but my water could break at anytime. There isn't anything they can do to predict or stop that. My contractions are being caused by bacterial vaginosis. I am supposed to start an antibiotic for that tonight. I'm glad that my midwife caught that since I have no symptoms of it aside from increased discharge. She said that my cervix is closed and thick. She did say it looked irritated, but that was probably from the infection. They are taking me off the procardia and putting me on terbutaline. She also wants me to start taking a magnesium supplement to see if that helps with the contractions. I am also going to go in and get steroid shots to help develop Maura's lungs. I will go in tomorrow for the first shot, and I will get the second shot on Friday. She said that if my water breaks that pretty much all they would do is keep me in the hospital and monitor me until it is safe for Maura to be born. They can't do any more for the contractions because they aren't causing changes, so if the new meds don't work then I will have to just deal with them. The treatment for stopping the contractions has to many risks with it for them to use it when my cervix isn't changing. I don't feel so frustrated now that it has been explained to me, and at least I have some answers now. I am feeling much better about it even though I am still having contractions. I still go in for my 3 hour test tomorrow, and I have my ultrasound and appointment next week still. It is nice when someone actually takes the time to listen to me, explain things to me, and give me options.

[3Sapphires]

that is very frustrating, just because they aren't changing your cervix, doens't me they won't! I've never had to deal with this type situation, but it seems weird they don't want the contrx to stop.

[destiny hope]

I would go back and tell them they need to do something hun seriously they need to take it more serious a couple hours fine but seven and then 20 hours shouldn't be happening. I would not wait till next thursday call your mw and see what she has to say.. good luck drink lots of water and keep ur feet up. I will be sending u prayers that it passes.. good luck

[MrsTiffy]

Well with my history I thought they would take it more seriously. I would think that have already having a preterm baby, and then having contractions like this would be cause for concern. This is the second time I have been sent home from L&D still having contractions. My dh was pretty upset about the whole thing. I am just mad. I can't move my appointment with the midwife because I am also getting a ultrasound that day. If I call the office to leave a message for her they would tell me to just go to the hospital if I am having contractions.

[momma_d]

I would call your office and explain to them how long they have been going on and that all they are doing is confirming that you are having contractions, and not giving you anything to try and stop them. I always thought that when you are having true contractions that they gave you a shot of something to try and stop them??

The whole thing seems a bit hokey-- or at least maybe your office/midwife can give you insight into why they aren't doing anything to stop them... I think that you have a legitimate reason to demand some kind of answer from your office, I wouldn't take "just go to the hospital" as an acceptable answer since the hospital isn't doing much and ultimately you are under the care of your midwife, not the on-call Doctor...

[Mommy to 3 boys]

I would def contact someone or go back to the hospital and demand to SPEAK to the oncall OB. At what point are you supposed to go in and hope that your cervix hasn't changed too much. I mean we can't tell if and how much we are dilating and you are going in because of the contractions. They need to do something so you aren't sitting at home hoping nothing is happening and that the contractions will stop. It's not like you are going in with worry and nothing is wrong, your contractions are showing up on the monitor, are regular and are not easing so obviously something is happening.

[karenwalter]

Call your MWs office. That is your provider of choice so the doctor should at least speak to you and be aware of what's going on.

[MrsTiffy]

Well I called my midwifes nurse line, and left them all my information. The nurse called back after the midwife went over everything from last night. I guess the reason why they aren't stopping them is because the FFN test came back negative, and that means I am not at risk for preterm labor in the next two weeks. I asked how that could be possible since I am still having contractions. She didn't give me a good enough answer, so I told her to just get me in to see the midwife today. I got an appointment for 3:30 to see the midwife. I also told her that with my last pregnancy I had a negative FFN and a week later my baby was in the NICU, so their little test doesn't mean crap to me. I want some answers as to why I am just being blown off at the hospital, and why they wont stop these contractions. The nurse said well if they are that painful then you need to go to L&D to tell them to stop the contractions. First off why should I have to tell them to do anything? Secondly they aren't that painful but after having them for so long I am getting sore and more uncomfortable. I am sitting here in tears because I am so frustrated. I know being upset isn't going to help the contractions. I just feel like there is nothing I can do, and no one is doing anything to help me. I have been following all their advice. I have been drinking over 100 oz of water every day, resting a lot, staying out of the heat, and taking my medicine like I am supposed to. There isn't anything else I can do aside from fight with them to get them to do their job to take care of me and my baby. I really hope my midwife can do something, and that she can give me some answers because this is completely unacceptable.

[amazing_love]

I would definitely call hun. That must be so very frustrating! I would have refused to leave! It sounds serious enough that more should have been done. I hope you get in contact with someone today who does more to help. KUP!

[momma_d]

I'm so glad you called! Especially since you have gone through this before! KUP!

[amazing_love]

I posted before seeing your update. I'm glad you have an appt set up to see your midwife. I hope she will take you seriously and help give you the answers you need. I understand why you wouldn't take that test to mean much given your history!

HUGS!!

[Lyz]

update us after your appt!! I hope you can get some answers.....

[underhermantle]

Are you supplementing progesterone? That might be enough to calm down the uterus. I am so sorry you are having such a hard time .

[bettyearl]

Not sure when 3:30 is your time, but I hope your appointment goes very well. There is no way that a day of 3m apart contractions do "nothing." Just because they aren't painful doesn't mean they aren't doing small things like thinning your cervix (which they should be able to measure when you do your u/s incidentally).

And either way, they're exhausting you without any good reasons why they shouldn't stop them. Does the drug to stop contractions have a negative effect on the baby? Can they suture your cervix or something?

I am so glad to hear you are sticking to your gut instincts and making sure they take care of you. This is ridiculous!!

[RunningMommyTo3]

So glad you're going in to see her. I hope she gives you some good insight and hopefully takes some actions to stop the contractions. Given your history, there is no excuse to risk letting them continue like this. Please update us as soon as you can after your appointment!

[OatmealKisses]

Can you switch hospital/midwives through your insurance?

[Blessed Mommy Of 5]

Wow, I hope your midwife gave you some answers today and something to stop your contractions as well! I can't figure out why they would wait for the contractions to dilate your cervix before stopping them!

I hope everything went well. Please update us!!!!!!!

[MrsTiffy]

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