Pregnancy Truth #4: Second Trimester...your not out of the woods yet

I saw the signs, but I chose to ignore them. Every website and book I read, two words blared from the pages, preterm labor. I decided not to investigate the issue any further. I thought my pregnancy was doing great and preterm labor could not happen to me.

May 24th 2011 is the day that I wished I had researched more on the topic of preterm labor. I went for my scheduled sonogram appointment that day, feeling pretty good. As I laid on the hospital bed, watching my twin girls actively moving, the technician said, "Let's check your cervix." This is always routine when I go for a sonogram; check the babies and then check the cervix. I wasn't nervous because last month my cervix was fine. The technician squeezed  a clear blue gel onto the prob and inserted. Her face said it all. "Have you been feeling cramps?" she asked looking at the screen with an unpleasant look. I nodded. "Yes, but they didn't hurt, I thought it was my uterus stretching." But it wasn't my uterus stretching. My cervix had opened 1 cm. It was visibly clear on the monitor. My cervix look like a canal and on the far left I could see the babies head trying to enter.

Al pregnant women are relieved when they are finished with the first trimester because the chance of a miscarriage is extremely high. However, while most baby books say that second trimester is a breeze, in reality it is not.

What is preterm labor? Preterm labor is the contracting of the uterus around 24 to 37 weeks. In some cases, the cervical canal opens, in which the woman has an incompetent cervix or a weak cervix. This means that the cervix was not strong enough to hold the weight of the baby(ies) and that cervix is shorter.  There isn't an explanation as to why the cervix opens. However, in preterm labor, women will experience the following symptoms:

• Menstrual like cramps, abdomen pains, low dull backache (especially if you never had it before) 
• Vaginal bleeding 
• Change or increase in discharge (watery like) 
• leaking (like a faucet) 
• contractions (every 5 minutes to an hour) 

If pregnant women are feeling any or all of these symptoms, they must go to a hospital immediately. Just a disclaimer, these symptoms in no way mean that a pregnant woman is going to go into labor. With technology always improving, there are ways to stop the contractions, which I will get to later.

Finding out that I was having contractions and seeing my cervix opened on the screen made my heart stop. I began to blame myself for this occurrence.  I should have not walked so much. I shouldn't have carried that bag.  A lot of thoughts were running through my mind. How could have this happened? Is this the end all? Am I going to have my babies at 24 weeks?

The answer is, if a woman is at the right place at the right time, mean at the doctors or at a hospital then no.  To ease women's mind who may read this, preterm labor or the cervix opening is in no way the woman's fault. It just happens. If a woman is less than 20 weeks, the doctors can close the cervix, which can also cause complications. I am not an expert on that subject, therefore I will stick to what I know. When the woman goes to the hospital, the following will happen:

• A nurse will administer an IV (this is to keep the you and the baby(ies) hydrated) 
• Do another sonogram 
• Monitor the baby(ies) heart rate by place a disk or two disks on the belly. 
• Monitor the contractions by placing a disk on the belly.

The IV is actually a benefit because most of the time contractions occur because the pregnant women is dehydrated, hence why most baby books stress drink lots and lots of water. Yet, if there is no change in the contractions, here are the next steps:

• The nurse will administer two doses of steroids (6 hours in between). This is to mature the lungs just in case the baby(ies) come early. Remember, around 24 weeks, the organs are not fully developed yet. 
• Most likely, the pregnant woman will be admitted into the hospital to monitor the contractions and the baby and to administer the second dose of steroids. 
• Nifedipine also known as Procardia.  This medication is a brown and round pill that is suppose to stop preterm labor from occurring. It does not stop the contractions completely but slows them down. 
• Magnesium Sulfate. Okay, this stuff will turn a pregnant woman from nice to the hulk in seconds. Let me explain. Magnesium Sulfate is administered in an IV for 24 hours or for 48 hours. This is to mature the baby(ies) brain and prevent cerebral palsy. It is also said to prevent preterm labor as well. The side effects of the drug is, grogginess, headache, not being able to think straight, stressed, frustrated and angry to the tenth power. (I will get into detail in another blog). 

Most likely, these methods will work and the woman will be allowed to go home. However, all activities will cease. The doctor will recommend bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy, which is a plus and a negative.  The plus side to bed rest is the swelling of the feet and hands (if experienced) will go down dramatically. The negative side is boredom, but I will have a blog on how to make bed rest enjoyable. The woman will also go home with Nifedipine 30 mg. If necessary, the doctor can prescribe 60 mg, but be warn, SEVERE HEADACHE and DIZZINESS is a common side effect with 60 mg. The headache last for days that switching back to 30 mg might not be a bad idea.

Water, Water, Water! Drink plenty of it, more than eight glasses. This will help cease the contractions as well.

There is no prevention to cervical opening, it if is opened it will remain open. However, the steps that I mention before will hopefully keep the cervix from not changing. To prevent preterm labor, be aware of the symptoms that I have mentioned. Drink lots of water and stay off the feet as much as possible. Less movement is better.

Until next time.


Have any questions about pregnancy? Email me at jamilatsimmons@gmail.com

Pregnancy Truth # 3: Sex Becomes a Job in its self!

Once the first trimester passes, it is true, pregnant women start to regain that libido they once had before they were pregnant (if they had any libido). My fiance and I were sex machines prior to the pregnancy but when I started my first trimester, even the thought of sex made me gag. Fortunately, now that I am almost out of my second trimester, I am able to stomach sex and even time to time crave for it.

Why is Sex a Job in Its Self when you are pregnant? Here is another truth, you don't appreciate the your pre-pregnant body until you are pregnant. Now that the belly is growing at a grueling rate, it is hard to find that comfortable position to have sex. When being on top or on the bottom was once your favorite positions, now, you find it hard to breathe with your spouse crushing your baby or the baby moving on your bladder when you "try to be creative."

Truth, you start to have discussions wtih your partner during play time to figure out how this is going to work so that you both are happy. It seems like a business meeting. If you are not interested in the pleasing him method or pleasing him all the time with out you getting anything in return method here is what I recommend:

1. Side way position: Your mate is behind you and you are in front of him with one leg up. It feels good, you can rest on your side and the more you leg can go up, the more pleasurable it is.


2. Different locations: Go behind your couch, place one leg on the cushion and the other on the floor and your mate behind you, creative and it is comfortable.

3. Pillows, Pillows, Pillows: If you are the type that likes your mate to "play from behind" then I recommend placing pillow below your stomach. Doctors have stated that laying on your stomach is not the greatest thing, however your not laying (you are own all fours), but it gives your stomach some cushion.

4. Face each other: One of my friends called this "the scissors", in which you and your partner are facing each other and your legs acting like scissors. I haven't tried this move yet, but when I do, I will let you know.

5. Forplay: If you are into that, sometimes just the touch of your mate any where on your body is enough.

Sex becomes a job for a number of reasons but mainly because your body is not how it use to be, sometimes although you are craving it you may not be in the mood, the positions are a little uncomfortable and you get worried that baby might get hurt (which is not the case, the baby is fine).

If you have any advice, please share! Until next time....

My Pregnancy Truth # 2: Can't share your pregnancy news with everyone

Good morning readers (or lack there of),

So far, I have gotten positive responses about my blog, although, not a lot of readers or comments. Hopefully, things will pick up, if not, then I know I can always read this to my twin babies when they get older. 

Today's truth, sometimes, you can't share your experiences of being pregnant with everyone. I know, this sounds strange, especially if this is your first pregnancy, you want to tell the world, but there are some people who fall into these categories: 

1. The Know It All

2. Negative Nancy
3. The Nonchalant

When you first find out that you are pregnant (somewhere around 6-10 weeks), you might want to post it on facebook, twitter, text your friends and family, but BE CAREFUL! I say this with eager caution and I say this from experience. I have this friend that through out my pregnancy so far, she feels the need to tell me what to do and in the beginning of my pregnancy, was very negative.

Experts have stated that miscarriages are very common during your first trimester. Once you are in your second trimester, it is kind of smooth sailing...for most. I have had a miscarriage and I was very excited that I had past the week that I lost my baby a year ago. Ms. Negative Nancy/Ms. Know It All stated to me, "Well don't get too excited because you can still have a miscarriage." You would think I would have stopped mentioning my pregnancy to her right?? I didn't learn my lesson.

There is another category, but I am not sure how to title it. Basically, it is one who thinks they are rules to pregnancy, such as when to announce you are pregnant, when you should start your nursery, when you should planning your baby shower. Those people, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, do not tell them anymore about your pregnancy. If they ask, just simply say "Everything is fine." That's it, nothing more, nothing less.

Sometimes, especially during the second trimester, you will fill some cramping (period like). Don't be alarm, it is just the uterus stretching. However, if you feel something is wrong, Ms. Negative Nancy, Ms. Know It All and Ms. Baby Rules are not the people to go to. They will just bring you down.

This is brings me to the last one, Ms. Nonchalant. This is the person who that you told was pregnant and really didn't show any kind of emotion. This is the person who doesn't call to see how your pregnancy is doing, told you that they might not buy you a gift for your baby shower and simply doesn't give a damn. AVOID those people and frankly, you might loose a friendship over it.

Although you think everyone should be happy for you, and they are, some people love to add their two cents when it isn't necessary. Sometimes, those who have something say, forget that they were once pregnant (if they were) and forget that they too were excited and wanted to tell the world. Don't let anyone steal your joy, just be careful who you tell your joy to.

My Pregnancy Truth #1: Ptyalism

If you are not pregnant, get familiar with the word. If you have been pregnant and haven't experienced this, congratulations. If you are pregnant now and if haven't dealt with this, good for you. If you are pregnant now and know what I am talking about, then please emphathize with me.


Have you ever been on the train or bus and seen a women sitting down and every so often she would place her purse towards her lips and then put it back down glancing around to see if anyone was looking at her? Or have you ever seen a women take a mysterious looking bottle to her lips as if she took a sip of something and then quickly put down, wiping her mouth and putting her head down in shame?

Heres some clarity, she isn't crazy she is just pregnant. What she is doing is spiting. Yes seriously, spiting. No, it is not the kind of spit that people do over the train station platform onto the tracks; this is a kind of spit that if you swallow will make you go running to the bathroom and putting your head in the toilet.

It is called Ptyalism, excessive saliva production and a condition during pregnancy that is still unknown. Ptyalism is having so much saliva produced that women need to spit it out to deal with it.

Some experts have stated that ptyalism is caused by nausea which first occurs during the first trimester and can continue to the end of your pregnancy. Some believe that Ptyalism is caused by heart burn, which is also a common symptom during pregnancy.


I have been dealing with Ptyalism for 5 months now almost six and it is the most uncomfortable part of being pregnant. I need at least two cups around me 24/7 because I always have to spit. Yes, I am one of those women who are in the corner of the train spitting into a plastic bottle or anything I could get my hands on.

One of My Spit Cups (Half way full)

My hubby has always asked me, why don't I swallow it? Simple answered, it is not that kind of spit. It is very watery and it is so much of it that fills your mouth that you can do nothing but spit it out.


How do you deal with Ptyalism? Just deal with it:
1. Get a really good sturdy cup that can handle all of your spit. (I can fill a cup in 5 minutes) 
2. Make sure you clean your spit cup daily: Don't throw it in the kitchen sink, bathroom sink preferably. If you don't clean your cups daily, it will stink up the house TRUST ME. 
3. Keep hydrated: I find if I am drink something most likely juice (water makes me want to spit more) then I am not spitting as much, but I am also thirsty a lot too. 
4. Have a really good towel by your bed to absorb the spit: You will spit in your sleep and you don't want to swallow it. 
5. Keep lip gloss HANDY! Because you are spitting constantly, your lips become very chap. I know my top lip is peeling really bad. I tend to bit my lips to keep from spitting and plus a lot of the moisture is leaving so my lips have become excessively dry. 


Remember, every pregnancy is different, but these are things that I am dealing with that I am pretty sure most people have dealt with. These are my pregnancy truths.