> Magda's Story (Due Date: 2006)

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I was diagnosed with an IU with my first baby and my first hospitalization was at 27 weeks. Here is my story.

I had started having strong Braxton hicks with strong lower back pain, the BH were irregular in timing and strength. I also remember feeling very fatigued. After about 2 hours I rang Labor and Delivery and was asked to come in. I was hooked up to a monitor and my contractions were measured, the mid-wife checked my cervix, however it did not seem to be dilating. I was given nifedipine.

The contractions seemed to stop and I was admitted over night for observation. After a few hours my contraction started up again – this time they were 10 minutes apart with more lower back pain and menstrual like cramping. I was given a shot of steroids to help develop the babies lungs (just in case), and I was given more nifedipine. My contractions continued to get stronger and were now 5 minutes apart – I was given the maximum amount of nifedipine as well as some sleeping tablets. For about 2 hours my contractions were gone but soon started up again. I was then transferred to a larger hospital where I was given a final dose of nifedipine together with panadeine forte – this final combination stopped my contractions. I remained in hospital on 4 hourly nifedipine and with mild contraction for the next 5 days. An ultrasound of my cervix showed no dilation. I was then sent home and continued the nifedipine for about one week after. I was off work, but was not on bed rest and was still allowed to do moderate exercise (prenatal pilates).

All was going well I was only experiencing mild BH until …

31 weeks:
I started experiencing strong BH in the morning which later developed into the lower back pain and menstrual like cramps. Again I rang L&D and was asked to come in, as before I was given steroid shots and nifedipine 4 hourly. After several hours my contractions lessened in intensity. I remained in hospital for 3 days this time and returned home where my mild contractions continued.

35 weeks (memory gets a bit sketchy):
As before I started getting stronger contractions so I rang L&D, was hospitalised and given nifedipine and pethadine, however my contractions continued through the night. I was discharged in the morning with an IU.

39 weeks:
After having almost constant mild 10 minute apart contractions for the past 2 weeks I went to see my OBGYN. She did an internal and I was 3 cm dilated. I was induced 2 days later. After 15 hours of irregular contraction (on oxytocin (pitocin)) my contractions stopped just as my son was crowning and they had to use forceps to pull him out – whether this was a result of my IU I do not know.

Notes:
I did increase my water intake but not by a lot. I didn’t find that changing position or drinking water altered my contractions.