Contractions Or Just Really Bad D?

[Melzo]

I thought all you prego people out there would find my story a little too funny. This morning I thought for sure that I was having contractions. I am way too early to be having those (as much as I want this baby to be here already; I am only 32 weeks along for pete's sake!). I had about three or four of these "contractions." I drank plenty of water and laid down. Missed work because I was so worried.

BUT....I suspect that I was glutened instead. I just had really bad D cramps (the doubling over kind). I went to the bathroom twice today and haven't had anymore of these contractions. ha. My Lamaze instructor was telling the entire class that she wished incredible D cramps on everyone so that they can breath through them and kind of get the feel of a contraction. That is not funny to a person who has Celiac Disease.

My guess is that my Bob's Red Mill "Gluten-Free" brownies were the cause. I put gluten-free in paranthesis because I think that they were not.

[jayhawkmom]

Are you sure you aren't having Braxton Hicks contractions? At 32 weeks, that's VERY possible!!!

I've had 3 - and they got earlier and earlier with each subsequent pregnancy. With my 1st, I was about 32 weeks or so when the BH contrax started!! Ooohhh... the countdown is on!!!! =) =) =) =)

[CarlaB]

I always had lots of BH contractions, too. They really started early for me, too.

Also, once I felt like it was labor and it was a urinary tract infection. Be sure you're okay there.

LOL if it was "just" the d!!!

[Michi8]

As others mentioned, it could definitely be Braxton Hicks contractions. I started feeling them very early in my 3rd pregnancy.

Michelle

[Melzo]

Not sure if they were BH or not. My doc said that the BH contractions should not be painful but just a tightening of the uterus???? So I wasn't really thinking of that. Although, later on in the day it proved to be a severe case of glutening if you know what I mean. So, it ended up being funny in a way. All of you mothers out there can have a good laugh at my expense. When a first timer doesn't know the difference between contractions and severe celiac D cramps! HA HA HA HA

[CarlaB]

Trust me, when the real contractions come, you won't need to ask "Do you think these are contractions?"

[GFBetsy]

Trust me, when the real contractions come, you won't need to ask "Do you think these are contractions?"

Actually, with my first, I thought I had a really bad case of food poisoning. I kept asking my husband: Don't you feel awful? I feel awful. You're going to be getting this any time now! Of course, he never did

I think the reason I was so confused was that it all came on so fast - After only an hour and a quarter, I was at an 8. But my contractions were so close together and so strong that I honestly thought that I just really needed to have a bowel movement. It was my husband who suggested that I might be in labor . . . and then he had the gall to try and tie his shoes before leaving the house I must admit I was a little bit short with him as I suggested that he could do that later!

[hannahsue01]

That is kinda silly. I just can't not say anything though. You state your 32 weeks pregnant and that is to early. Be aware that is not always the case! My last was born at 29 weeks. I kept having I guess BH in in my lower abdoman where it turns out she was attached didn't think to much of it because it went away after rest. Then I ended up with no warning having a placental abrubtion.....so don't necisarly take things to light. I hope everything continues to go well and you don't get glutened again!!!

[tiredofdoctors]

Braxton-Hicks contractions can stop you in your tracks! You do need to be careful, though. With my first, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis . . . I had D for 5 weeks continuously. My OB kept saying, "Take Kaopectate". I had gone through CASES of it. Finally, my mother came over to our apartment, and I was evidently looking pretty bad. She felt my belly, because I told her that every time I felt like I was going to have diarrhea, the baby went into a big ball . . . I WAS having contractions. Thank goodness, my doctor's partner was on call when my mother called, and was more assertive than I've seen her in my life! She said that he HAD to do something . . . he immediately admitted me into the hospital . . . stayed there for 10 days. He said that because my abdomen was SO inflammed, and all of the nerves were irritated, there WAS carryover. They stopped the contractions, stopped the diarrhea, and rehydrated me. I was on 100% bedrest, though . . .

The odd part to this was that HE was pretty angry with his partner for not addressing the diarrhea much much sooner . . . . he said that he couldn't believe that amount of blood in my stool, and his question to me that was SO CUTE "doesn't your bottom hurt? -- it has to be RAW." I told him, yes, he was right, it was RAW. He ordered some cream to help it -- don't know what it was, but it did the trick!

Just be careful, and listen to your body. If you've had a baby previously, you know the real thing. If the contractions are too hard during the diarrhea, call your doctor. He probably needs to know about it. Hugs to you, Lynne

[Rikki Tikki]

With my second I felt like I had to have a bowel movement, bad cramping and called my doctor. He said it didn't sound like labor and to call back in the morning. I ended up having my son that night.

[tiredofdoctors]

Forgot to put in there . . . I was only 26 weeks pregnant . . . .

[wonkabar]

Trust me, when the real contractions come, you won't need to ask "Do you think these are contractions?"

Carla, You took the words right out of my mouth!!! "Aint nothing like the real thing baby..."

With my first pregnancy I had awful "cramping and lower back pain" at 27 weeks. I was still teaching and could barely walk at times. The cramps were uncomfortable and it felt like someone was digging the heel of their shoe in my back. I started to spot a couple days later........can you say back labor??!! I was only 27 weeks and 50% effaced. I was hospitalized and put on bedrest until I delivered at 32 weeks. Listen to your body but know that pre-term stuff like this doesn't happen to everyone and your cramps are probably BH. I promise that you WILL know when you're in labor.

My brother called me and asked me how he'd know when his wife was in labor. My response was, "When she's holding onto the side of the bed bitting down really hard on air!" His answer was, "Oh."

[Melzo]

I am doing better today. My stomach is still a little bit upset but no D. I hope that I don't get glutened again because I really don't enjoy it.

To everyone: I took a lot of your advice to heart. I should be more careful and aware as to what is going on. I am just so laid back and have really no worries that I don't call the doctor when I should. I will keep my eye on any warning signs you all have given to me. Trust me, the advice is much appreciated. This is my first pregnancy and I don't really know what to expect (as far as being a celiac goes). I can read all the books I want about pregnancy but it really doesn't help when you throw a disease into the mix. It can sometimes be confusing.

And if contractions are worse than D pains - I don't want to have ANYTHING to do with them. HA HA

I really hope that all your "babies" that were born prematurely are doing well now. I would be interested to know if you had celiac disease and were eating gluten-free at that time or not? I have heard conflicting things. Like if you stay gluten free during pregnancy you have a better chance of having a healthy baby more so than a "normal" woman. Then I look around this forum and see that a lot of you have had babies early, or the babies have issues later on in life. It worries me some in that aspect.

I hope and pray that she doesn't develop the problems I have or worse, ones that I don't have. I did think long and hard about having a baby for that reason. I was torn between having my own baby and to be a wonderful mother (hopefully) and thinking about all the "what ifs." I figured that I would "what if" myself to death and I jumped off the bridge with that decision. I figured I would leave it in the hands of a higher power. If I was meant to be pregnant, I would become pregnant - and sure enough..........

Thanks to all of you!!!

[tiredofdoctors]

I did have to laugh at the story of the "false labor" stories . . . I was 36 weeks pregnant with my daughter -- they already knew that she was BIG, and my first one was 9lb 13 oz. They WANTED her born early, because they said that even though I was tall, my frame really isn't suited for a vaginal delivery of a baby that large. I started having contractions that were 5 minutes apart . . . . they were SO mild. I waited about three to four hours, then called my doctor. I told him that he said if I had contractions 5 minutes apart or closer to call him. He FREAKED OUT when I said I'd had them for hours . . . he said to get to the hospital immediately. I told him it was false labor . . . he asked how I knew -- I told him it was because I had a baby before!!!!!!! I told him I'd wait awhile, and if they got any closer, I'd call. They got to three minutes apart, let them stay that way for a couple of hours, then called. He was going ballistic!! I went to the hospital, he made me stay the night because I was having "contractions" . . . then they let me go the next morning. I had to go back to the doctor -- he said the "I told you so's" because I was dilated over one cm. BIG DEAL. Ashley was born -- induced labor -- exactly one month later!!!!! So, you really DO know when it's the real thing! xoxoxoxo Lynne

[nikki-uk]

I did have to laugh at the story of the "false labor" stories . . . I was 36 weeks pregnant with my daughter -- they already knew that she was BIG, and my first one was 9lb 13 oz.

9lb 130z! (Ouch!)

In the UK the midwives do a very scientific thing to check if your frame can take a normal delivery-they check the size of your feet!!

[tiredofdoctors]

Except your feet get bigger with each pregnancy!!!!!!! BTW: He induced her when she was two days overdue . . . he said that had he waited the standard two weeks, she would have been 12 pounds!!!! Now, I thought pushing out a 9lb 13oz one was hard. My second was face up -- had SHE been 12 pounds, I KNOW i couldn't have done it! xoxoxoxoLynne

[ravenwoodglass]

Except your feet get bigger with each pregnancy!!!!!!!

I just have to comment on this, I was under this misconception also for years, I gained almost a shoe size with each child. After about 6 months gluten-free I was back down to my prepregnacy shoe size. From a 7.5 to a 6 to 6.5. A size I had not worn in over 15 years! My feet got bigger each time because with each pregnacy my whole body edema would become a bit worse. I also lost a ring size for the same reason but my fingers would fluctuate daily. My feet would not.

And if contractions are worse than D pains - I don't want to have ANYTHING to do with them. HA HA

I am so glad you are feeling better. Contractions are not comfortable by any means but you will get through them. I can't speak for anyone else of course but in my experience my pain with D FAR surpassed what I had when in labor. I had a long labor with the first a 6.5 lb and in a very short and intense (only 2 hours) with my second a 10 lb girl. I would go through labor anyday compared to the pain from a glutening. And the end result of labor is much more pretty to look at.

[tiredofdoctors]

Have to add my two cents' worth on the pregnancy and feet growth . . . actually, by the time you are 5 weeks pregnant, your body is between 55 and 75% PHYSIOLOGICALLY (meaning that ligamants have softened, etc.) to give birth. The increased progesterone in the beginning gives you a huge amount of ligamentous laxity. In your third trimester, you receive another remarkably huge influx of estrogen and progesterone . . . both of these are designed to further soften the ligaments within the pelvic ring to add increased ability for expansion during birth.

Unfortunately, these hormones are not selective. They affect EVERY ligament in your body. With the increased weight, gravity, and marked increase in the laxity of the ligaments, the feet actually DO spread quite a bit. And, with each additional pregnancy, the same thing happens . . . hence, the old adage, "for each child, a shoe size". It isn't necessarily a full shoe size, necessarily. What happens more often than not is that the laxity allows for "navicular drop" -- a tarsal bone toward the back of your foot. If you've had kids, especially, you can stand up, watch it drop, then feel where it is! Then, it allows for the rest of your feet to do the same -- the goal of your feet is to get as much on the ground as they can in order to keep you stable. Your feet don't necessarily get GROW, per se . . . but because of the expansion, and the increased pronation of the feet, it causes them to "splay out".

Wearing VERY supportive cross-training shoes during pregnancy (allows for not only forward-backward stability, but lateral stability as well -- and during pregnancy, you DEFININTELY need that), along with an insert such as a Spenco cross-training insert --supportive, but not hard or rigid -- won't make your feet HURT -- will help counteract that somewhat.

Please understand, I am NOT trying to be "instigative" -- there are enough of those I've found throughout my experience on the forum . . . just adding another perspective!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Lynne

[ravenwoodglass]

Have to add my two cents' worth on the pregnancy and feet growth . . . actually, by the time you are 5 weeks pregnant, your body is between 55 and 75% PHYSIOLOGICALLY (meaning that ligamants have softened, etc.) to give birth. The increased progesterone in the beginning gives you a huge amount of ligamentous laxity. In your third trimester, you receive another remarkably huge influx of estrogen and progesterone . . . both of these are designed to further soften the ligaments within the pelvic ring to add increased ability for expansion during birth.

Unfortunately, these hormones are not selective. They affect EVERY ligament in your body. With the increased weight, gravity, and marked increase in the laxity of the ligaments, the feet actually DO spread quite a bit. And, with each additional pregnancy, the same thing happens . . . hence, the old adage, "for each child, a shoe size". It isn't necessarily a full shoe size, necessarily. What happens more often than not is that the laxity allows for "navicular drop" -- a tarsal bone toward the back of your foot. If you've had kids, especially, you can stand up, watch it drop, then feel where it is! Then, it allows for the rest of your feet to do the same -- the goal of your feet is to get as much on the ground as they can in order to keep you stable. Your feet don't necessarily get GROW, per se . . . but because of the expansion, and the increased pronation of the feet, it causes them to "splay out".

Wearing VERY supportive cross-training shoes during pregnancy (allows for not only forward-backward stability, but lateral stability as well -- and during pregnancy, you DEFININTELY need that), along with an insert such as a Spenco cross-training insert --supportive, but not hard or rigid -- won't make your feet HURT -- will help counteract that somewhat.

Please understand, I am NOT trying to be "instigative" -- there are enough of those I've found throughout my experience on the forum . . . just adding another perspective!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Lynne

You are, of course, quite right about this. And that is the reason for an increase for most people of course. The first couple paragraphs had to make me smile, true though they are. I also have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and the mental picture I got from your description was quite vivid. I could still bend into pretzel shapes with ease at 9 months along.

[ptjamie]

Braxton-Hicks do hurt for some women...we ended up in the ER on vaction b/c I was having them intensely at 27 weeks (and its my first) I am now 31 weeks and have them a few times a week...and they do HURT...my sisters did too. I hope you are feeling better now. Good luck!

Jamie

[tiredofdoctors]

You are, of course, quite right about this. And that is the reason for an increase for most people of course. The first couple paragraphs had to make me smile, true though they are. I also have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and the mental picture I got from your description was quite vivid. I could still bend into pretzel shapes with ease at 9 months along.

You'd better believe you could! Probably still can now . . . !!!!! I have the "cigarette paper" skin and the hyperextensibility of the forearm skin which are pretty much hallmark of Ehrler's-Danlos, severe hypermobility along with some highly personal aspects as well, but I have so daggoned many diagnoses there's no way I'm going to press the issue!

[GFBetsy]

The funny thing about foot growth (to me, anyway) is that the shoes I wore before and during most of my last pregnancy (twin girls) are too big for me now . . . in fact, some pairs of shoes I stopped wearing after my second child (because they were too tight) fit again after the twins. Now, the shoes I wore DURING the pregnancy might have stretched because of water retention . . . but those OTHER shoes shouldn't have grown . . . I finally decided that I simply wouldn't worry about the number size of my shoes, as most shoes are different sizes/shapes than the other shoes of the "same size" anyway . . . I'll just shop until I find shoes that feel FABULOUS and enjoy them!

[Merika]

Hi Melzo,

The best advice I got was not to worry about it FWIW, my first pregnancy took a few weeks to conceive, was pretty much textbook and relatively easy, baby was 8 lb 10 oz and the midwife said after the birth that it was one of the biggest and healthiest looking placentas she'd ever seen. I had been celiac for years, was still undiagnosed and consumed TONS of gluten during the third trimester (can you say chocolate cake, lol).

I am pregnant again (#2) now at 17 weeks, have been strictly gluten-free for 2 1/2 yrs, have been sick and tired like crazy throughout this pregnancy. So go figure, lol.

Honestly, this pregnancy has been quite depressing and much harder than the first, which really surprised me. And I had lots and lots of those pre-labor contractions, from very early on with both pregnancies, and they can definitely make you stop in your tracks and take a breath

I'm having a lot of digestive trouble, especially lately, alternating between constipationa and D, and while I know I haven't been glutened, I do have food allergies, and have no idea if my problems are from pregnancy or from food. It is so frustrating!

I hope you are feeling better!

Merika

I really hope that all your "babies" that were born prematurely are doing well now. I would be interested to know if you had celiac disease and were eating gluten-free at that time or not? I have heard conflicting things. Like if you stay gluten free during pregnancy you have a better chance of having a healthy baby more so than a "normal" woman. Then I look around this forum and see that a lot of you have had babies early, or the babies have issues later on in life. It worries me some in that aspect.

I hope and pray that she doesn't develop the problems I have or worse, ones that I don't have. I did think long and hard about having a baby for that reason. I was torn between having my own baby and to be a wonderful mother (hopefully) and thinking about all the "what ifs." I figured that I would "what if" myself to death and I jumped off the bridge with that decision. I figured I would leave it in the hands of a higher power. If I was meant to be pregnant, I would become pregnant - and sure enough..........

Thanks to all of you!!!