I really don't know what to do!?

Question

I went into the hospital with contractions and back pain Tuesday night and I was 2cm dilated and 50% effaced. Then on Thursday afternoon they sent me home and told me to stay in bed ( I am 35 weeks). Now I am having a lot of back pain and my stomach feels constantly tight its a weird feeling. I don't really want to go back unless I know for certain that I really am in active labor. How do I now if I am really in labor?

Answer 1

Your contractions will be in regular intervals, will not change when your activity changes, and will become increasingly more intense. Make sure you time them.  A constant tightness at this point may still be Braxton Hicks or "toning" contractions. I'm 39 weeks right now. My uterus is tight and contracting (has been all day) but there is no pattern to it. That's how I know I'm not in active labor. Good luck!

Answer 2

Well the tightening of the stomach is more braxton hicks than anything.  Back pain is normal at the end of ALL pregnancies.  The baby is growing at it's fastest now in terms of weight and it's very taxing on your body.  You're not all that dilated or effaced, so you're probably not in active labor.  More than likely on the monitor they were seeing irregular contractions, no problems with the baby's heart rate and no progress from Tuesday to Thursday.  Just stick around at home and try to be comfortable.  You could spend a few more days or a few more weeks like this.  My guess it's going to be at least another 2 weeks or so - you're too early and you're not all that progressed either.  Once you hit 36 weeks if you want to walk around a lot to try to help things a lot - well then you can - however if you give birth before 38 weeks the baby will have a fairly low birth weight as they gain a pound a week from 36-40 weeks and if your baby would be 8 pounds at 40 weeks, it would only be 4 pounds at 36 weeks and that's a problem.  You can take tylenol for the back pain.  Other than that don't bother going back to the hospital unless your contractions start to get a regular pattern to them where they are getting more frequent, longer and progressively closer together. Until they're consistantly 5-6 minutes apart for 1-2 hours they're not going to admit and keep you but keep sending you home.  It's best to just wait it out.

Answer 3

The last thing on your mind when you are in active labour will be to get yourself logged onto Yahoo.

Answer 4

Call your doc or go back to the hospital. you want to try to make it to at least 36 weeks  

Answer 5

If you are at the stage where you are not sure, then you possibly are not in active labour. You can have a bloody show (mucus tinged with blood), waters break, painful and obvious contractions. I really think if you are uncertain for you to call L&D and tell them what is going on. If you are 35 weeks it is a bit premature to be having a baby yet, the longer it stays in you, the better for baby.

Answer 6

well, contractions wil come every 5 minutes for an hour.

you will know you are in true labour because of the regularity of the contractions...

good luck and stay resting.