Planning a Baby  Discussion Forum

i Archie,

Hope you and your family are doing fine. How is Advait doing? Do post his latest snaps.

All is well till now for me. I have completed 38 weeks. I have few queries now.

1) EVery now and then I feel tightness in my stomach. I told Doc about this and she did an internal checkup and told me that everything is fine. These are mild contractions which should eventually turn into labor pain.She just wants me to keep tab on the baby movements. As long as the baby movememnts are fine, nothing to worry is what she told me. Baby movements are fine for me till now.

2) MY doc has advised me to do a scan today just to check how the baby is doing and also to check the fluid level. Is this a normal procedure at this stage.

3) My due date as per my very fist scan is 15th march and during subsequent scans it came to March 11th. My doc is saying she won't wait till March 11th. If I don't get pain in another 3 or 4 days, I will have to get admitted and she will start inducing pain. When I have one more week time, why should it be started earlier. Is it something to do with the stomach tightness I am getting. What exactly is the procedure for inducing pain?

4) When doc does internal checkup, I feel a lot of pain in the vagina. Just for an internal checkup itself I feel so much pain means, how will it be when I actually get the labor pain. Can you give me some tips on how to face the labor pain confidently. I WANT to have a normal delivery.

Thanks in advance for your patience in replying to my queries.

Take Care,
-Meenu
archie replied. Dear Meenu,

All is going fine with you and pregnancy this is what I can comment after reading your post.

1. Tightening of tummy is very normal and the frequency will increase as you near the term. They are called Braxton Hicks Contraction. These are often confusing to some women and they make trips to hospital considering they are in labor but the fact is these are not real labor contractions and called therefore a false labor.
What you should do, try and change activity, if you were seating then take a short walk. If it happens while walking then rest in the bed for some time. But BHC are good and help effacing (thining) your cervix and in term also start dilating (opening) your cervix and this is must for any vaginal birth.

2. Yes the scan at this stage is very good idea. This scan will tell a lot. It will tell and estimate the baby's weight at the time of birth. It will tell if the fluid level is adequate or scanty. In scanty fluid level you will be immediately asked to go for C-section. This scan will also tell how good the placenta is functioning, the solitary source of nutrient to your littleone. Anytime around week 40 or onward placenta starts deteriorating and baby must be born within 48 hours thereafter. But if the scan shows normal placenta functioning then you can be asked to wait as long as 42 weeks just in case the labor does not happen on time.

3. I would not worry much on due date things. It keeps fluctuating in many cases and as long as descrapancy is within 15 days all is OK. I however do not understand rush of your Dr. to induce you before completion of week 40. I think most of us have to go with Dr. no matter whether or not you like to do. Besides your baby is full term and can be delivered anytime. She will use prostaglandins to efface cervix and then she should use pitocin to induce contractions and in tern dilation of the cervix. Keep your options open for C-section or vaginal.

5. Labor will be painful for sure. YOu can ask for painreliever just in case pain is unbearable. I think you will have to focus and concentrate on your labor and baby while going through contractions. Just think of holding your baby and remember baby is also going through hard time while making his/her entry to the real world from your narrow vaginal path.

I will have you included in my prayers for easy and vaginal birth.

good luck
Archie