# Now what? After stopping preterm labor...



## katerdid

So I'm back from hospital after 3 long days of successfully being on magnesium sulfate to stop my contractions. Now what?

I went into labor at 30wks2days. Went all the way to 2cm dilated and 70% effaced (still there actually). Baby is fine and healthy - such a trooper. No distress, heartbeat was strong the whole time and he was kicking away like a mad man. 

I have a doctor's appt this afternoon to discuss The Plan as I like to call it. But I'm going stir crazy on bed rest until then. 

So now what? Are ppl normally on bed rest until the remainder of the pregnancy? How strict is it? What happens if I get contractions again? How great of a chance do I have of delivering early? What can I do to prevent it?

Any help, suggestions, advice would be appreciated.


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## happysaurus

I've nothing useful to advise you but I hope everything goes well at your doctor's appointment.


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## JaydensMommy1

Depending on progression you might be on pretty strict bed rest. Your effacement is pretty high % wise. Luckily you are in your third trimester with a high high survival rate Hun. Have they given you steroid injections? What level bed rest are you?


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## katerdid

I've gotten steroid injections, so that eases my mind a bit. 
But I'm on bed rest for 4 weeks at least. I can get up to pee, etc, but I have to lay down as much as possible. I get cramping anyways if I'm up for too long, so I don't plan on walking around too much as it is. Too scary. 
My dr sounded pretty worried about not making it full term, so that scares me. 
I'm in the middle of moving across town, we have no family here to help us, it's just me and my husband who is gone for 12 hours to work, so I'm pretty much by myself. Trying hard not to stress out.


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## JaydensMommy1

I know how hard it can be. Sounds like your moderate bedrest. Permission to use bathroom, shower and eat basically huh? I had that this pregnancy for a week due to a hemorrhage and while yes to be honest it sucks but it's best for your baby so hang in there:) my husband is military and hr is gone for months at a time. He was just gone for a month which sucked but I can relate to you. Not having friends or family around can be really hard. I lived across the country from family and friends during all pregnancy and labor and that in itself was real hard. 
Laying down relieves pressure off your cervix which is real good for you. Staying hydrated keeps contractions away too to an extent. Have you got anything to do in bedrest? Netflix? Reading? Even coloring saved me from boredom:)


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## NashiPear

I am guessing that you will probably deliver earlier, but with the bed rest they may aim for that month you were talking about. That is so close to full term you will be fine. 

At the moment, try not to stress too much about your baby. I had complications at 22 weeks (and am amazingly still pregnant now at 32 weeks), but we met with a neonatologist to find out what to expect if I was early. Mine was due to water's breaking, not early labour! Basically, from 30 weeks outcomes are really good, but still it does mean a stay in neonatal and being separated from your little one which will be hard. They will probably need a little support with breathing and with temperature regulation and feeding. It would not be easy, but we were always so relieved after being told we were likely going to lose our baby that there was a lot they can do if we got a few more weeks along. 

The hardest bit for you will be the lack of support and the stress of moving because your husband is working long hours and you do not have family or friends around. I really think you need to think of a plan B for your move across town. Options like putting it off until later, getting hubby to take some time off now to pack and move, paying someone else to do it or asking a relative that might be able to come out and help. I really don't think you will be able to do it.

I do feel your stress about it though. We had our unit on the market and it sold a few days before my water's broke. I was put on modified bed rest at home and couldn't do much at all. We were very lucky to find the house we wanted just before I went to hospital (I was on my way to do the paperwork after the GP when I was sent to hospital!). I was so worried about it, but I was a little luckier than you and managed to get my family to help and I could do a little. 

You can still be a support if you have access to a computer or similar in hospital. I organised removalists, rang real estates and organised insurance and all sorts of things over the phone. Still, you do feel pretty helpless.

So sorry this has happened to you. It is horrible now, but take it each day at a time and think about that little bubba that you are working towards taking home at the end. What a prize!


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