Frustrated by prelabour - or is it the real thing?

**bronners** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:08 PM

I have been having prelabour on and off for the past 36 hours. Starting at about 10pm last night, contractions five minutes apart lasting about 30 secs, for four hours. Pain was bearable - but still strong and I needed a heat pack and movement to deal with it. I was in bed most of the time - trying to sleep in between (but 5 mins isn't very long!)Eventually I got so tired that I fell asleep and they eased off then stopped.

Today they started again after DTD - 3pm until now (8pm). Same story, about 5 mins apart 30 secs long. Had some quite strong ones around 7pm, much closer and significantly more painful. Had a bath with my little one and now they have eased off a bit, maybe 8 mins apart, lasting only 20 secs and not as strong.

So this leaves me wondering if this is going to become the real thing or is it just more annoying prelabour. Anyone else dealt with this? Maybe I should just go to bed?! Bub is fine, had a CTG today (9 days past EDD), just don't want to exhaust myself or get my hopes up. My first was 40+14 and I had some prelabour but not quite this much.

Thanks!! xx

**OceanPrincess** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:10 PM

Hey bronners! How exciting - its so close for you now!!

I'd say go to bed - sounds more promising than last night but you don't want to be exhausted. Can you take some pain killers and try to sleep? That'd be my plan.

Good luck - look forward to reading the BA!

**briggsy's girl** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:11 PM

bron - get some rest whle you can hun - if it's slowed, it's probably not quite time, but i can understand your frustration! i'm not far away if you need anything - give me a yell - and let me know when you pop hun! i can't believe you're nine days over and still staying relatively sane!

**AliBaby** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:13 PM

I agree with OP. Sounds exactly like what happened to me. I think tomorrow will be the day. Go to bed and rest and remember showers and baths slow things down so dont hop in until it is really established (say 3-4min apart and ouchy)

**Jas** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:23 PM

Oh hun,

I can imagine this is frustrating! The way I would look at it is will it continue to intensify until bubs is born, well eventually it will seeing as u r 9days over but if you still have a few bouts before that happens i would say they r at least helping out to make your actual labour shorter! I hope it happens soon for both of us!

**~clover~** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:32 PM

All my labours started while I was in bed over night, so I think some real sleep would be the best thing if you can get it.
Good luck

**bronners** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:32 PM

Thanks for all your replies - I didn't expect them so quickly! Yes I think just going to bed and taking it easy might be the way to go. Fingers crossed I will be awoken in the middle of the night!
BG - thanks, I will definetely let you know when bub is here! I think after having DS at 40+14 I have been mentally prepared that it could happen again and it is keeping me sane

I wonder if lots of prelabour statistically does make the real thing shorter - is my cervix dilating with all this activity?

**~Raven~** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:32 PM

Sounds like prelabour to me hun

Once they start being 60+ seconds then it's business

I know it's frustrating

But I think it does help it happen quicker when it starts for real. It did in my case

**~clover~** · April 22nd, 2009, 08:40 PM

I had 20 hours of pre labour with DD2.
The contractions were still 30 minutes apart when I decided to leave for hossy & they hit me 5 minutes apart. When I got there 40 minutes later I was 7cm dialated, so I do think the prelabour was doing something.
It still took 5 hours to get the last 3cm.

**bronners** · April 23rd, 2009, 08:10 AM

Well, everything stopped by about 9pm last night. So I got a full nights sleep and ready to go again today. I'm trying to keep my spirits up....thanks for all your support

**briggsy's girl** · April 23rd, 2009, 10:24 AM

yay for sleep - but grrrrrrrrrrrr for everything stopping - hope it's not too long til your bubba puts in an appearance for you hun!

**~clover~** · April 23rd, 2009, 01:34 PM

Do you have the energy for a walk today?
It might just get things going if your up to it.

Hope it happens soon.

**bronners** · April 23rd, 2009, 02:41 PM

I've had some more prelabour again today, started up at about 10am and stopped at about 1.30pm. The contractions were getting quite intense so I was hoping that either it would just turn into the real deal or stop and give me a break. So after they eased I had a little nap and was woken by another contraction just recently. Just having occasional ones now, not so painful. It's just a bit all over the place. Thank goodness my partner is home as I feel a bit useless and becoming overwhelmed by it all.

oops forgot to add, a bit TMI but I think I lost my plug this morning!

**~clover~** · April 23rd, 2009, 02:45 PM

Just keep thinking that this is bringing you closer.
Its going to happen soon. Hopefully very soon.
Goodluck.

**BekZ** · April 23rd, 2009, 09:32 PM

I think you'll be giving birth overnight hon...All the best

**Cricket** · April 24th, 2009, 04:23 AM

Prelabour is torture.

I had plenty of it with my third baby, and it's no fun at all. You can't rest, you're emotionally strained and exhausted, just want to be done, but things aren't "really" happening. But, the good news is, they really do get you ready to deliver. When that baby does decide it's ready, things should move along pretty quickly for you. With DD3, I had pre-labour off and on for a few days, and then had about 10 hours of steady, painful contractions with no dilation.

And then all of a sudden, BAM, the real thing started, and 2 hours later, she was born.
Here's hoping you don't have too much longer to wait! Sounds like you are getting really close! All the best.