33 wks pregnant and having pressure and pain in lower abdomen

[Kara_robbie]

I'm 33 wks pregnant and have been having lots of contractions since I was about 5 months but yesterday and today they have been stronger and painful. They cause me to get pain in my vagina, which is different than before. I have been monitored due to my past children being born early (34 and 36 wks....15 yrs ago). They have been doing a u/s to check my cervix and so far all has been good. I have not been tested for a few weeks now and I am worried. My next dr's appt is not until next monday. I am also very sore and feel pressure in my abdomen. Should I worry or is this normal. The contractions are not regular but they are painful! When the baby moves it is painful because of the soreness Also I have went into my dr's office due to many contractions in a short period of time so I feel like I don't want to "bother" them with this again. I am so uncomfortable....I just want to know if this is normal. Any info on this would help tons...if not just to put my mind at ease.

[Kara_robbie]

Yes I agree with you on all points. It seems like one min I'm in pain and the next I feel ok...so I don't know what to think. I get the contractions all day and night and sometimes I think I should just go to the hospital but by the next morning they have subsided a bit. I do think this baby will come early as well and I worry that if I wait too long to go in and get checked that I will be dialated too far to stop it. I just don't know what to do. I have an appt Monday (I will be 34 wks) and will insist they check me....I will update if anything changes! Thanks again for all your time and advise!!

[ChristineMP]

Update when you can...

with my first pregnancy, my Braxton-Hicks contractions were easily distiguishable from the real thing (when i felt my first real contraction I was like "Oh, so THAT is what a contraction feels like. Cool." and went back to sleep LOL

With my second pregnancy, I had what I thought were Braxton-Hicks contractions...they were all in front, irregular, but strong enough that I had to stop walking for a few hours..then my water broke and my son was born 41 minutes later :) I am thinking those "Braxton-Hicks" were something more LOL I had dilated to 4 without knowing it...

My point (sorry for being long winded) is that every body and every pregnancy is different. Any time there is a change-like painless irregular contractions become painful, you should let your doctor know...just in case.

I am a nursing student (only 2 more days left until i am done with school) and personally, I would rather my patient(s) tell me too much than too little. A good nurse (and the doctor(s) she works with) can sort through what you tell them and decide what needs to be addressed...but if you don't tell them they can't do anything about it :)  

[Kara_robbie]

Thanks so much for the comment. I did not call the nurse....yet. Last night was the same though and it seems like I'm getting use to the constant uncomfortable feeling. I can cope during the day as it seems to subside a bit. It will be interesting to find out if I am dialating.

[ChristineMP]

You can always call your doctor's office and talk with a nurse. It is unusual for Braxton-Hicks contractions to be painful.

Given your history and the fact that the contractions have changed in character and are painful, I would think your doctor would want to see you ASAP just in case.