Managing Painful Contractions in High-Risk Pregnancy (Diabetes & Pre-eclampsia)

Question
My due date is Aug.1.06.  I am currently 34weeks and 1day.  My pregnancy is considered high risk because I am diabetic.  I also had pre-eclampsia with last pregnancy.  I have been contracting a lot during this pregnancy and doc. put me on Procardia XL 60mg. took this med. for two weeks and contractions have become stronger and now take Procardia XL90mg.  Two days worth of this med. and contractions are still coming every 2 min. and starting to become very painful but not dialated at all.  Currently doing NST's twice a week and always contracting every 2 min. so I just want to know is this normal?  Was given the steroid shot at 34 weeks to mature baby's lungs and getting another one today.  I also have to much amniotic fluid it measures at 29.  So could this be causing my painful contractions?  I see a perinatologist once a week for the amniotic fluid problem.  Please help explain why contractions are 2-3 min. and painful but doc. still sends me home if I am so High-Risk as he says.

Answer
If you have excessive amounts of amniotic fluid, it certainly can cause pain if you have contractions. As long as you are not dilating your cervix, it wont be a problem with the baby. What are the results of the NST?  If you are  going into labor, you should have contractions at the level of your belly button that come every 3 minutes,and last(remain hard) for a full minute. If the NST is 8 our ot 10 and you have an AFI of over 10, it is O.K. You will not get any more steroid shots. If these contractions conue to come until  you reach July 1, you can be admitted and induced. The baby will be mature by 37 weeks gesttion.