34 weeks and period cramps

[ammanda]

I am 34 weeks pregnant, and yesterday after I was done getting around for the day, I started getting cramps, just like the ones I got during the first couple days of my period, they wernt too painful, but felt just like my original period cramps, and at the same time I had a horrible pain in my lower leg, it hurt to walk and to drive.  Cause it was the same leg I use to drive with.   they went away about 20 minutes later or so.  But then I had a couple more of them today just about 30 minutes ago.. Is this normal...

And Another question I have I have is What exactly do contractions feel like?

[LosingMyMindInGA]

That's great, I'm glad all is well. It's always better to get checked jsut to be on the safe side...and for peace of mind :)

[ammanda]

Im very happy I wasnt in labor, I refuse to let him out right now. lol. atleast not for another 2 weeks when im full term lol.  

mom2ariana-  Yea im glad his room is done.. You should def start getting that worked on atleast for the most part.. you never know whats gonna happen!!!

[Victoria01]

Sorry about the infection, but glad you found the reason and are not in labor. Hope you feel better soon. :)

[MissmyAngel]

Ah, glad to hear your not in labor :) Sorry to hear about the UTI though.
To answer your question about dropping, I haven't gotten that far in pregnancy yet, but a good friend is 34 weeks as well, and she dropped a couple of weeks ago. It was really noticeable as soon as she walked into my house. Her belly just looked a lot lower all of a sudden.

[freya25]

So good to hear your not in labour!
I just caught your post n I read from top to bottom & was getting more nervous as I scrolled down!! What you were describing sounded so much like labour!! I think ur little man was trying to be mischievous already!! Lol!

Take care missy! Spk soon xXx

[mom2ariana]

yay im so glad your not in labor you had me worried!! i was thinkin though at least you have his room done..im starting to wonder if i should finish her's sooner than planned! but ill talk to you whenever your back on!!

[nickieb85]

Yay I am glad that you got the answers... I have my first UTI for this pregnancy also and if it happens again I will definitely be asking for a liquid because late at night after I take the pill I end up throwing up and it is definitely crazy! In pregnancy UTI can present itself in strange ways... I was having lower back cramps and had a sneaking suspicion but I had to wait for my doctor's appointment last week =)

[ammanda]

So I went to L &D.... After waiting 3 hours for my OBGYN to call me.. Grrr what a dependable guy..lol...  But anyway turns out I have a bladder infection.  I never knew you could get crampsfor that, I jsut thought it hurt to pee or something..  I used to get them all the time when I was younger.  Funny thing is now I dont have trouble peeing and it doesnt hurt to pee.. So I dont know, they took a urine sample and it came back for the begining of a bladder infection.. There supposed to run it somewhere else for some odd reason.. But they have me on Antibiotics for 7 days right now... Childrens frm liquid.. lol I cant take pills.. long story.. But she did check me and my cervix is closed so thats good.  his heartbeat was going crazy on the machine it was cute,, first time I seen it go above 140 lol....

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Hopefulyl it's nothing, but it would be beneficial to get checked out JUST in case.  Good luck!

[ammanda]

Ugh thanks.. I called the hospital for them to page my doctor, but of course hes not available today so i have to talk to a different Ob, whom Ive never met.  I dont know if ill like that, cause usually if there not your doc. they dont care and will just tell you its normal or something.. Im waiting for her to call me back.. Ill let you know what she saids when she calls..  thanks losingmymindinGA youve been a great help

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Many women do NOT lose their mucus plug until they are in full blown getting ready to push labor. You can dialate before you lose your plug.  Out of all my deliveries I only lost my plug prior to going into labor ONE time.  

What you just described about the constipated feeling and the pressure in your butt....THAT sounds like labor to me.  I've given birth 5 times so and that's what it felt like to me.  I would DEFIANETLY call your doc and explain what you have been feeling.  NOT every women has the incredible painful contractions.  I really think your doc needs to get you in and get you checked.  

[ammanda]

Thanks
But Im sad to report i have had these cramps since 1 am in the morning and it is now a quarter after 9.. i didnt get any sleep last night.  And I feel constiapated too.  Like when some of the cramps come, I can feel pressure in like my butt area, its really wierd.  And it hurts to walk, like my stomach.  My back doesnt hurt anymore.  Should I call my doctor, or just lay down for the day and relax?  Its not like crazy horrible pain.  but it hurts enough to keep me up all night and focused on them.  

Is it possible to go into labor when you havnt lost your mucus plug yet? I though you dont start dialating until thats gone, cause thats what is lining it.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Cramps are normal, the pressure in the area of your cervix is normal, especially if you are having contractions (even BH).  You could have dropped and baby could by laying on a nerve like nickie said.  The backache is also normal.  But like another poster said, nto all women go into labor the "typical" way.  Some women don't get the painful regular contractions.  My mom didn't know she was in labor, she just thought she had diarrhea really bad, spent the night on the toilet, til her mother made her go to the hospital...my brother was born less than an hour and half of getting there.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

It sounds to me like you were experiencing braxton hicks contractions.  Remember that period cramps are your uterus contracting in order to shed the lining.  Braxton hicks are your uterus doing practice contractions so it can very well feel the same.

A braxton hicks contraction will feel like just your uterus getting tighterr and harder and then releasing.  REAL contractions typically start in your back and the pain/sensation sort of wraps around to the front of your uterus as it tightens and becomes hard. For some women though they say they feel it in the front first then in the back.  

One way to tell the difference between braxton hicks and real contractions is to change your activity. If you have been doing a lot of activity, walking/cleaning/etc...go sit down with your feet propped or lay down for awhile...if you have been resting, get up and walk around.  Many times if it is just braxton hicks the change in activity will cause them to go away.  Also, drink LOTS and LOTS of water.  Not getting enough water can bring on contractions as well.  

BUT, if for some reason, baby decides it wants to come NOW...everything should be ok...at 34 weeks baby has an excellant chance of not having any lasting problems.  But if you are concerned, you should always call your ob or just go to L & D.  

[mom2ariana]

they could possibly be contractions because ive heard people describe them as really bad period cramps. but if they're not consistent i wouldn't worry too much...i imagine BH feel different the farther along you are.

[MissmyAngel]

Yes, the baby should be ok at your stage. :)

[ammanda]

missmyangel-  You know its possible, but my Mother in law told me I looked like I dropped like 2 weeks ago, i was gonna ask my doctor but I forgot, can they tell if you have just by a visual?  And i have been having alot of pressure in my vagina area for weeks now and i was told that was from him dropping.


mom2gnm- when u went into labor, with these cramps were they consistant and alot of them, cause like I said, I had them yesterday for like 20 minutes straight, and then no more till today I had a couple

[ammanda]

thanks girls, I really dont think its nothing, like I said ive had them about three times in the past week, but nothing serious and nothing consistant..  Are you not supposed to get cramps during pregnancy?  And my back does hurt alittle bit right now, and its getting harder and harder to get up out of my chair and off the bed.  I have major pressure in my Vagina area everytime I move.. But I havnt go any of those cramps yet again, for about 5 hours..  I dont think its anything.  My hospital is an hour away and I dont want to go all that way for nothing.  Im 34 weeks so if I were to go into labor now, everything would be fine right?  I dont think I should worry unless I get more cramping.. am i right on that?

Oh and nickie, yea my doctor did mention back when I was 32 weeks about possibly inducing me early cause my uterus wasnt growing, and he wouldnt have any room to grow inside me.  Cause for 2 months I was flunctuating from 27 cm to 28 cm back to 27 and then 28 again, and the last measurement was 28 cm when I was 32 weeks so I should have been 32 cm.. then I went back a few days ago when I hit 34 weeks, and my uterus grew to 32 cm.  So he thinks its starting to grow now, but he said were still gonna keep an eye on it, so he started my weekly visits now instead of 36 weeks.. So I dont know what to think about any of this.. I havnt lost any of my mucus plug or anything..  My friend just lost her entire mucus plug on Monday and went into labor 2 hours later, and she was only 36 weeks..

[MissmyAngel]

hmm, a friend of mine just said that maybe your just dropping?

[MissmyAngel]

I think you should get checked out. Labor is different for everyone. I have two friends who had babies in the last 6 months. The first didn't realize she was in labor, just had a really bad backache, and felt like she had to go to the bathroom really bad but was constipated.
The second didn't realize she was in labor either, she just said she could barely walk, because it hurt so bad. For both her pregnancies, she was nearly 5 cm dilated by the time she got to the hospital.
I'm not saying it is anything, I just think you should get things checked out to make sure.

[mom2gnm]

Ammanda,
When I was twenty six weeks along with my second son, I started to feel exactly what you described. Period like cramping, not too painful but noticeable.  I was sent to the hospital, and I was in labor!  I was put on meds to control this, with bed rest as well, and received steroid shots.  A few more times I felt the same period cramps, even on the meds, and each time, I was having contractions.  I had a healthy boy at 36 weeks.  I would call your doctor to be on the safe side, as they may want to give your baby steriods for lung development if you are in labor.  Good luck.

[nickieb85]

Didn't your doctor say something about maybe inducing you early because your baby is measuring behind schedule? You might want to call them just to be checked out just in case =) I hope you feel better soon =0 Maybe your little man is going through a growth spurt =)

[ammanda]

Thanks Nickieb85...

Is there anyone else that would care to explain this to me too
I want as many answers as possible.  

Thanks again

[nickieb85]

SO contractions are when your whole stomach tenses up and becomes as hard as a rock... kinda like BH contractions but with pain in your back that moves to the front... usually you have a hard time breathing through them... They are massively painful later on and usually are just uncomfortable in the beginning. As for your cramps, it sounds to me like your baby could just be laying on a nerve and is probably just getting more comfortable in your pelvis. If you have any other problems that consist of contractions then you might wanna contact your doctor.