I was just put on bedrest yesterday, due to a shortened cervix. I'm 23 weeks and my cervix went from 3cm at 20 weeks, to 2.5 cm at 23 weeks. I'm now on bed rest / "couch potato duty." I had to see a specialist (perinatologist) who did the transvaginal ultrasound and then tried a digital vaginal check. It hurt so bad that she gave up after a few attempts (she was really rough. ugh.)
So as I've been looking online about preventing preterm delivery, etc, I've found descriptions of contractions that sound a lot like what I experience...and just thought was my little one moving around. sometimes, my stomach will get hard in one spot, like there's a tennis ball inside. It bulges out and I or my husband can feel exactly where the baby is. I had been describing it like a "tightening" or like he's just trying to push himself out of my stomach. I didn't think anything of it, but now I'm concerned that it's the "tightening" that's mentioned here...the kind that's painless contractions.
This is my first pregnancy, so I have no previous history of miscarriage, preterm labor, etc. It doesn't run in our families. I have another appointment with my regular doctor in a few days, and I'll ask her about it...but I wouldn't have even known that it could possibly be a contraction. The perinatologist just said to watch out for changes in discharge or for menstrual-like cramps. (I don't really get menstrual cramps, so that's a hard one for me to gauge.)
If any of you have felt these kinds of "tightenings" or baby movement, could you explain to me a little more what they're like and if it's something I should be monitoring?
Thanks!