I will be 29 weeks with ggg triplets on Friday. I have been in and out of the hospital for the past month with an irritable uterus. Contractions are extremely strong and painful. Sometimes only 2 min. Apart. Sometimes on a scheduled pattern and sometimes not. We are talking about delivery once I get my 2ndi round of steriod shots. the contractions are just so sting and painful I don't think I can do it much longer without pain pills. I am on procardia to help control contractions. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. My doctor is reluctanct to give pain meds bc of risk of me and babies getting addicted. Other doctors say take the drugs and get the babies bigger. It is very confusing. Have any of you delivered at 29 weeks? And have any of you had to take pain meds like morophine or percaset while pregnant. Did it hurt the babies?

Mom to Ava, 18 months
pregnant with triplets
Naomi

Although I did not have that experience, I know others have taken pain medicine. Personally, I would do whatever it takes to keep those babies cooking longer. If the babies are not in distress and there is not another medical reason for delivery due to your health I would try and wait. Even a couple of weeks will make a big difference. Hopefully someone who actually took pain medicine will chime in with what they took and how it affected them.

Lori

http://yesidohavemyhandsfull.blogspot.com/

Hi -

What a scary time...I'm having flash-backs. I delivered at 29w6days - I was in and out of the hospital for the last month with pain/contractions and hospitalized for the last week of that. I was having on and off contractions and my cervix was dialating despite my attempts to will it to stay closed...

Anyway - I was given morphine and something else that eased the contractions ?adalat - I don't that's right. The morphine was helpful to settle the muscle contractions and I was able to rest and stave off contractions for hours/days at a time. You're NOT going to get addicted to it and neither will the babies - it will be a short duration and only to settle the uterus so that you can hang on to the babies for a bit longer.

You've done well to get them to this point - all you can do now is trust your body and your doctors. Take the pain medicine if it is offered and they think it will benefit you - you may not need to repeat it too often if your uterus settles down. Stay in bed - and try to relax. My mistake was believing that, once things had settled, I could get up and go to the bathroom, a little walk (20 feet) down the hall....stay horizontal!
Hang in there....

Janet
G - 12/07 35 weeks
GGG-04/10 30 weeks

I took pain medication for an existing problem throughout my pregnancy. I did it under the care of my ob and peri. No one got addicted and at age 6 they are happy healthy kids. I was in a similar situation and procaedia helped me get to 32 weeks. We spent 1 month in the nice with no complicationss. I would do what you can do to keep the babies in. If your in that much pain and I was you I would pack my bag and have them admit me and start taking care of the pain and giving the babies as many days as possible. Remember taking pain pills can dull the senses so that is why I would be at the hospital so they can monitor you closely. I spent 8 weeks in the hospital and would have gladly spent another couple of weeks.

I hope you find the right answer for you

Born 6/19/05 @ 32 Weeks
Kylie Mae 2lbs 13oz
Ashby Ray 3lbs 5oz
Eadan Sean 3lbs 2oz

The morophine worked when they gave it to me. Sometimes it worked for a couple of days. One day I needed 2 does. They really have not offered any alternative pain medications. I want these babies to stay in as,long as my cervix is cooperating and babies are ok. I am just in full labor s couple of times a day for hours and I am breaking down from being tired and in pain. Other docs have commented that taking the morophine once a day for the remainder of the pregnancy would not hurt the babies and is better for both Me and the babies to keep them in but my main doctor disagrees. I think she thinks the pain is in my head bc my cervix isn't changing. But I never take any pain meds. Ever. So for me to be asking for them, my family knows is a big deal. What should I do? Change my high risk doc?

Mom to Ava, 18 months
pregnant with triplets
Naomi

It's definitely a personal call -- my GGG all needed a bit of support. We had 2 doses of steroids around 26 weeks and then again another dose 24 hours before I delivered. The babies were good - they did need some cpap - nasal prongs and Sipap...with intermittent O2 at times briefly.

I was never offered that the pain meds could hurt them nor do I believe they would have done better ie- not needed cpap etc if I hadn't taken the meds.

It's a stressful time. Trust your gut. I don't regret taking the medications but that is just me.

Janet
G - 12/07 35 weeks
GGG-04/10 30 weeks

Stadol and morphine were my friends!!!! I had PROM (Premature rupture of membrane) which was really a slow leak not a full rupture s they were able to hold off delivery. I was stuck in the hospital on Mag and pain killers for a long time. Though I still delivered at about 30 weeks. I will tell you the longer you can hold off the better! Listen to the other doctors!!!!! I don't think the pain meds hurt the babies at all. They are now happy healthy 11 year olds. Have no long term health effect from anything related to their birth, including the pain meds. There are a lot more risks associated with premature birth than the use of the pain meds. Stadol is used during pregnancies quite often.

Tasha
Have children afraid of monsters or just looking for a fun kids app? http://www.goawaymonster.com/

I started PTL just before 24w. I was on hospital bedrest for 7w and home bedrest for another 3. They were able to use procardia to keep my ctx under control (20mg every 6 hours) and a lot of fluid (sometimes IV). Have they talked about upping your procardia? I'm surprised your drs. haven't talked about admitting you. I would think longer (time in) and stronger would be better than dealing with issues due to prematurity which can be long term, for the babies.

I had horrible issues with morphine, but that was just me. Have you tried morphine previously? And percaset doesn't work for some people, plus you have the effects on your liver from the acetiminophen (sp?). What about stadol that someone else mentioned? Good luck!

I was in a similar situation as well. Those contractions hurt and I was entirely exhausted from being in actual labor so darn long. I had an irritable uterus and pre-term labor from 18 weeks on (diagnosed at 20w), and from 27 weeks on, my contractions were never more than 8 minutes apart. The last few weeks of my pregnancy, they were never more than 5 minutes apart, ranging from 1-5 minutes, and were. The constant pain was unbearable.

I didn't actually deliver until late in the evening of 30w5d, when Baby A's water broke. The docs had given me morphine during my hospital stay, but I have an oversensitivity to the medication, so I couldnt' take it anymore. If you feel it is working, and it is what will get you through, then you may want to opt for the pain meds. The above posters are right - it is a personal decision and go with your gut. 29 weeks is great! Hang in there. You CAN do this!

Nik
GBG triplets born 4/2/05
30w5d
www.thebestthingscomein3.blogspot.com

I delivered at 29 weeks exactly due to HELLP Syndrome. Had some morophine the last 48 hours due to being in so much pain. No lasting effects that we are aware of. Babies were in the NICU for a couple of months, but now they are almost 5 years old and are perfectly "normal" bundles of energy. If it works out to keep them in longer that of course is super, but if it turns out to not be an option it'll be ok.

A friend has a 25 weeker in the NICU right now (at 25 weeks a whole different ball game than 29) and her little kiddo is actually being given morphine - not sure why, but just thinking might be better to have it through mom than have to have it in the NICU?

Hang in there. Sending lots of positive thoughts your way!

Jennifer
GBG 2/20/2007
@29 weeks

I would take the meds and keep the babies cooking as long as possible.

Our Blog http://tripmomma.blogspot.com/

I delivered the boys at 29 weeks, 5 days due to HELLP Syndrome.

I was put in the hospital at 24 weeks due to a PPROM on Baby C. They started me on mag on that day, and I did not go off until I delivered.

The mag SUCKED, but I did whatever I could to keep those boys in. Every day in is three less days in the NICU.

Maybe instead of pain meds, they can put you on mag to scale back the contracts and hence the pain?

As for delivering at 29 weeks ... I had the steriod shot series at 24 weeks. My boys came out around 3 pounds each and were put on room air nasal canulas only. They are now healthy, happy 5 year olds. I really think the steriod shots helped.

Jessica
http://lilypie.com>

Our triplets were born at 29 and one half weeks and are thankfully four years old now and doing really well.

http://tripletmomplusone.blogspot.com/

Mom to BBG 4 year old Triplets and 2 year old Singleton boy.

Hi there. Sorry you are going through this! I know it seems like it will never end... but, if you can, hang in there as long as you can! I would choose pain meds over delivery at this point. I had to deliver at 30 weeks, 4 days..... It was way early. One had to be intibated right away, and another was on cpap.... not to mention all of the other complications you could run into. Mine are 2 now, and very healthy (just delayed in speech, and growth) I was severely eclamptic and also was in pre-term labor. One of my girls stuck her foot through my cervix, and that was what what made the final decision to deliver that early. I would, if at all possible, keep them in there longer!! Every day, every week will help them that much more! Mine were in the NICU for 68 days. Hang in there sister! You can do it!!

Proud first time mom to GBG triplets! Born Feb. 07,2010
30weeks 4 days gestation
2.6lbs., 3.2lbs., 2.7lbs.