Pre-labour, Early Labour? Any Labour?

Morning all, I haven't wanted to publicise it and hex it, but I'm at the point where I really need some input! Sorry it's long, and maybe TMI too....

I woke up about 2.30am Thurs morning, forgetting I was pregnant, and thought ohhh crap I'm getting my period, as I had the most shoking period pain wake me. Then I remembered I'm due and thought yay this is it. I continued to have period like pains every 10 mins until 7.30am, dozing on and off through them, very manageable, and then they petered out to about every 1/2 hr or 20 mins. This continued most of the day.

About 1pm as I was walking down the hall I had a little 'gush' and thought my waters broke, continued to leak a little, but then it all stopped. Oh and I'd had quite a bit of show and plug on the pad I was wearing throughtout the morning too. Rang the MW, they said lay down with a clean pad on for 1/2 hr, get up walk around and then ring. Nothing happened after laying down, and by then I'd pretty much thought it was leukorea (spg? sorry) and they agreed. Ctx on and off all afternoon, still manageable, wiggling fingers and breathing through some of them. Trying to conserve as much energy as I could. I had been booked in to see OB that afternoon if nothing had been happening to have a S&S, but because things were starting up we all decided to give the appt a miss.

So I go to bed Thurs night, another small gush at about 10.30pm, did the same thing with a pad, same result, wasn't worried, then fell asleep. Woke at about 1am with a ctx and continued to have them every 10 - 15 mins until about 7.30am again. At one point I had four 5 mins apart and got up and sat on the fitball as they were getting quite ouchy, then they stopped. I just dozed through the rest of them as they picked up again once lying in bed.

10am yesterday (Fri) MW check up, all good, bub fine, gave me pads to wear if anymore gushing occurs as they want to double check it's not membranes, send me home and said rest up, eat well, drink lots of water and sometimes it can be 2 - 3 days of this especially for a first timer. Trick is not to get too tired. Of course I didn't have any ctx whilst at the hospital, but they assured me what I was describing did sound like ctx. Oh and they didn't do an internal either, I didn't push for one and they are quite hands off unless they need to be so we all just agreed to leave the internal as my body is obviously on it's way. Albeit slowly!

Well here I am, after another night of sleeping fairly soundly from 9.30pm to 1am, then had ctx every 10 mins until 7.30am this morning, some of them quite intense and really having to breathe through them and tap my feet. But dozing in between and still trying to conserve energy. Now we're at about 1/2 hr apart again, still quite strong, but I'm beginning to feel like I'm getting nowhere. And I'm starting to get tired, and teary, and I can tell my 'headspace' is changing. I've been so confident up til now, and I'm starting to get really frustrated and disheartened.

On one hand I think how amazing is my body to be doing such good prep work for when bub really does decide it's time to arrive, but on the other hand I feel like my body is letting me down too, iykwim?

I guess I'm posting to a) get it all off my chest and out of my head b) see if anyone has had similar and c) if you have any hints or tips for this impatient mum-to-be!

Sorry it's been such a long winded explanation, and thanks for reading :)

Hi there,

It all fantastic and very much like my recent experience with DD3.

Your body is not letting you down - it's preparing for birth There are a few things you can try.

Rest and good nutrition is very important. Eating foods like pasta, porridge, chicken & rice - things to give you energy to keep going. Try to sleep in between as much as possible. Some women benefit from accupuncture (with one specialised in obstetric accupuncture). If you've been doing chiro, sometimes an adjustment can help to balance your body. If you're familiar with yoga, try some meditation or positioning exercises perhaps. I enjoyed having a hot water bottle on my lower back to help

Keep visualising birthing your baby - with your contractions try to relax into them rather than draw back from them. Remember each one is bringing you closer to meeting your beautiful baby.

Is there anything on your mind that's worrying you? Our fears and worries can cause us to hold back sometimes. Talk through things with your partner.

When i started getting despondant, i found trying to do a few of these made me feel like i was being proactive.

Keep having faith in you, your body and your baby. Many women find a longer prelabour means a quicker labour (once you get 4cm and beyond).I personally at 6 days of more or less 10 minutely contractions (which had me working hard each time) before i even started dilating. I understand how tired you are - remember you're doing a marathon not a sprint race.

I don't have any advice or words of wisdom but I just wanted to give you a boost and say that you're doing fantastically!! Your headspace sounds like it's changing because you're tired but from what you describe, you're doing great!!

Wishing you all the best!
Sue xx

oh hunny!! not long now!
my story isnt the same but very similar.
With DD2 my water broke at 35 weeks, so off to the hospital, hossy i was booked in to couldnt cater for a prem bub so i was given something to stop contractions so i didnt have her in the ambo. anyway 3 days in hospital with nothing happening i was sent home.

That night i thought she was coming, contractions getting stronger and closer together and about 3 hours later it all stops! happens again during the day, stops. happens again that night and stops.
This went on for 3 days!!! i was pulling my hair out and so frustrated because i thought she was never going to come out the exit!
I had a monitoring appointment on the friday told the MW what was happening, she said it was most likely BX, but i said, well it cant be because these contractions make me stop and breathe through them, so she said it was all normal and my body was just getting ready.
DD2 came the next day.

So in other words, its soooo annoying and i totally feel for you, but just go with the flow of them, your little one will be here very very soon, i've got my money on b4 monday!

hugs and kisses, you're doing an amazing job!

Thanks so much for the support and advice, it's reassuring to know it's all normal. Even though I do know it is, being really tired just really added to my emotional state! I had a good chat with the MW and took a few panadol and curled up with the heat pack (why I didn't think of it earlier?!) and slept soundly for a couple of hours at lunch. Felt alot better and more focused now I'm more rested, and resisting this mad urge to clean my kitchen like mad ha ha I also did one of my hypnotherapy cd's whilst curled up a little earlier and am feeling really good - with ctx starting to pick up again. I'll just go with the flow and see what happens!

Hope to let you all know about bub's arrival soon, and thanks again for your help.

I feel a bit the same, lots of pressure and stabbing vaginal pains, pressure in my bottom, and back making it hard to sit, very strong BH contractions...

With my first baby I had weeks of these type of pains but with the others nothing until this bubs, I feel really upset and depressed becasue every night I am thinking tonight is the night and then nothing I am really hopefull that this prelabour is doing a lot of good and the real thing will be a lot shorter and more effective than other times. Tonight I keep checking to see if my waters have broken i feel a little trickle but when I check there is nothing there, no wee, no plug, no waters, so maybe it is happening very slowly, I am a bit envious you have seen your plug, at least you know it is getting close for sure..
Goodluck it won't be much longer now.

I'm feeling for you too, you have put my 2 days over into perspective, I hope I'm as composed as you if bubs hasn't arrived by this time next week for me.

Hang in there, you are doing a great job. Embrace the labor.

Thanks again for the feedback. Just to update quickly, my contractions never really got closer than 10 mins apart, and by the Monday (after it all firing up on the Thurs so 5 days later!) afternoon I was completely exhausted and over it. Was booked into Ob at 5pm for a check/S&S to finally kick start things (either that or be induced the following morning) and when I walked in his office I was 8 cm dialated and he sent me packing to the hospital!! I really hadn't realised how far I'd gotten at home, it had definitely gotten tougher, but I kept thinking it had to get a lot worse!

So hence, a huge shock for DH and I, but off we went to the hospital and 3.5hrs after arriving our baby girl arrived in a beautiful warm bath and all drug free. Wow. My head is still spinning :)

Thanks for reassuring me when I was near freaking out! Took me awhile to really surrender to it (the 'you're going to be induced tomorrow' phonecall helped I think!) but we got there in the end.

So cool, can't wait to read your extended birth story (when you are ready).

xx

WOW!! Congratulations!!!!!!!! You did so well!! :D Welcome Miss A xx

wow what a beautiful ending :)congrats :)