Labour and Delivery Again - Irritable Uterus?

Hi Everyone

I am new here.  I spent last night in L&D again (the first time being Sept 11). I had about 25-30 contractions through the day and they seemed to get stronger in the evening. My cervix is still closed and no signs of preterm labour - thank God. The OBs tell me they are not comfortable making the assumption that it is just an irritable uterus at this stage in the pregnancy - 25 1/2 weeks - since it is too soon for me to go into labour, but that it's likely that this is what is going on. They want me to continue to come in for monitoring if I have alot of contractions, if they are close together and if they feel stronger. I really don't want to spend another night in L&D and I have a feeling, based on the last week, that these contractions aren't going to suddenly go away.

My question, has anyone else been told they have an irritable uterus? How many contractions do you have in a day? What helps stop them? When mine get going, nothing seems to stop them although being up and about yesterday seemed to make them worse. I get so stressed when I have that many in a day and some of them are downright uncomfortable. I wouldn't call them painful...like what I would expect from labour pains...but they are like menstrual cramps.

I was having about 5 per day for about a month or longer but in the last week I have had anywhere from 10-30 per day and I don't understand why the sudden increase. If anyone has ANY advice, suggestions, ideas, etc I am all ears!

Thanks!

Ev

[acro50]

This post may be a bit late to help you Ev, but hopefully it will help the next person. I am expieriencing very similar things. I am 26 weeks pregnant and have been having contractions pretty regularly for about a week. I had them monitored but since I am not dialating my OB says to keep an eye on them and call if they become very close together or increase in intensity. I have been on partial bed rest since I was 13 weeks due to regular cramping, sometimes like menstral cramps and other times more painful. I am thankful for the FFN test they have out now. It can help predict preterm labor and if it is negative (as my first test was) then you are almost guarenteed not to go into labor in the next two weeks. Helps to put my mind at ease since I too feel that these contractions are not going to go away and it is VERY frustrating. The biggest frustration I have is not knowing if my actions or lack there of will make a difference. If I knew activity on my part would increase the liklehood of these contractions causing me to dialate, then I could stay in bed and know I was doing everything I could to stop it. On the other hand my activity level so far has not caused dilation, so can I continue and just "put up" with it being uncomfortable? I guess no one knows the answer but I sure wish they did!