Pre-Term Labor

[c.garcia]

What are the signs of Pre-Term Labor? And what exactly does a contraction feel like?

[Kari]

Preterm labor signs are pretty much like term labor signs only earlier. You want to look for cramping and contractions (like braxton hicks) that come a regular intervals. Back pain that is associated w/ those contractions. As for what contraction actually feels like, it's hard to describe as it can feel differently for different people. For me, it started out as mild but sharp pain in the area of my pubic bone but inside further. It graduallly built in intensity until it peaked then gradually went down in intensity. In early labor these would take a total of about a minute to complete the cycle, but in later labor they would last a minute and a half or more before it went back down.

Other signs of labor would be water leaking, blood in your mucus or when you wipe, sometimes nausea and diareaha are also linked to early labor as your body empties itself to prepare the way. If you think you may be going into labor, or even suspect it a tiny bit, call your Dr. and speak with them. They can often tell you whether or not you are by talking to you on the phone. Where you are PG w/ twins, early labor is something that is much more likely to occur.

Best of luck!

[Jennie]

Yeah, Kari pretty much covered it. When I went into pre-term labor with my twin boys, I was having very bad back pains the night before. Then I woke up to what I thought were contractions in my stomach and back. Once I got to the OB, my water broke. But back pain, severe back pain, was my first sign.

[c.garcia]

Thanks Krobie & Jennie726 I appreciate the info. I know now what to expect later on in my pregnancy.

[LittleMamaT]

Your doc should be going over things like that later on in your pregnancy.

my water leaked & I didn't know at first if it was urine or my water's. But it happened every 1/2 a little gush, enough for a pad. I never had any contractions just a tinling sensation in my pubic bone area. It was never uncomfortable & I ended up being 2cm. I had no back pain, no upper abdominal pain, no nausea. Just a tingling in my pubic area that was regular & I could almost time them in 6 min. intervals lasting about 30secs. Anyway, I found out that waters can leak or even break BEFORE the mucous plug is released. My baby came 4 weeks early so maybe my signs would be different if he was full term.
My friend had her baby the other day & she had severe pain in the abdominal area for about 3 hrs then it stopped. She was at the ob the next day but they didn't say much. Started early labor day after that with regular abdominal cramping that lasted all day. About 5 minutes apart & then throughout the day going from about 30 secs then longer throughout the day. Went into hospital at about 2:30 a.m. contracting regular intervals, dialeted quickly so at about 5:00 was fully dialated BUT then she pushed for over 2hrs & then finally doctors did an episiotimy & had to use a vacumm on the babies head- so for a total of 2hrs 45 minutes of pushing her baby was born. I felt sooooo bad for her. I did only 17 minutes of pushing & he was born. So, all is different for each person. She was 1 week early.

Kate