Early contractions but not dilated

Hi, I had an interesting Saturday evening.  I started getting contractions all day saturday.  It was uncomfortable but not painful.  We were out with friends for dinner and I started timing these and I had 7 contractions in an hour.  I called my Ob and I was told to stay with my feet up and drink a litre of water.  We were done with dinner so I am sure the restaurant would not have wanted us to hang around for an hour with my feet up.  We were literally 2 blocks away from the hospital but me being me I did not want to check inso we went to my in laws place who live 10 minutes.  I did everything I was told to but the contractions did not stop so we had to go to L& D.  They observed me for about 4 hours I was not dilated but the contractions have continued.  I am really concerned as I don't want my baby born at 34 weeks.  Hsa this happened to anyone else where they had contractions but could were not dilated and baby was born after 37 weeks ?  

[BradyAm]

i starting having contractions at work last sunday (at 37 weeks) they ended up getting to about 4 minutes apart and hubby took me to hospital. they monitored me and baby for 30 minutes, they had me walk for an hour. my contractions got closer together (3minutes apart) but there was no change in my cervix so they sent me home. false later is common at the end of pregnancy. but supposedly we'll "know" the difference when real labor does start. still no baby for me (38 1/2 weeks now).

[AuroraSage]

I was just speaking with my mom this morning about her birth experiences... and for the first time, she tells me that she went into early labour with me at this point!!  34.5 weeks along.  Her contractions got to be 3 minutes apart but was only 1cm dialated... they got her calmed down (her words) and sent her home to be on bed rest.  She ended up having me at 38 weeks with a fairly textbook labour and delivery.. all was good.  :)

[mamom15]

I believe the reason is because at 34 weeks the baby can survive outside the womb.  However they would still keep her in Nicu for maybe 8 days (that's an average).  I went for a stress test and yes the contractions picked up on the fetal monitor cannot differentiate with regular contractions vs BH I am not dilated at all but the babies head is really low - don't know what that means, am I going to hav an easy delivery.  AS usual I am clueless  

[armywife88]

This sounds exactly like my visit to the hospital last week (at 35 weeks) except I did not realize I was having real contractions. I was having sharp sharp pains in my belly and back and I wasn't feeling the baby move so I went to the hospital and they made sure the baby was okay and then informed me I was having contractions. I felt like a dork for not knowing they were contractions but oh well lol. They checked my cervix and I wasn't dilated at all so they gave me medicine to stop the contractions and told me to try drinking more water.

Since then I have had these similar pains (contractions I guess lol) at least once a day. It really worries my husband but they told me that unless I have I think 5 of them in an hour I shouldn't come in.

Did they tell you what could have caused the contractions?? That is the one thing that I didn't really feel like they told me about. My husband wants me to just lay around because he's so afraid it's gonna happen again.

[mamom15]

I am really bad with these things , I feel like a dork too.  One of the nurses mentioned that it's my body's way of getting ready for labor.  That's the only explanation I got.  I had the same thing happen again last evening and I drank some more water.

[armywife88]

Well at least we aren't alone through all of this!! lol And if that is the reason than I'm okay with it. I am soooo worried that I won't be ready for labor or that I won't know that I am truly in labor! Everyone just keeps saying "you'll know when it's time"....what if I'm the one person who doesn't know it's time??? When I have the pains again I just try laying down and drinking water. It seems to help me calm down but as far as the pains it doesn't really change much.

[Vaehsmommie19]

I am 35 weeks pregnant and at risk for preterm labor with my first child and im having the same exact pains i get this on and off pain in my stomach and a sharp pain in my pubic area i have been to the hospital 3 times this month for contractions that was minutes apart but when i tell my mother about the pains she tells me take a hot shower and i do but the pain only stays away when im in the shower