Pre labour has started... now what?

Well there it is, pre labour, awesome right? Well I'm over it already lol. It started 46hrs ago (the ctx anyway) and have been steadily sitting at 8mins apart when active, slowing to 15mins apart when resting with only slight cervical chances in the past day. Cervix is in a medium position, soft (sometimes firming when being too active and it starts swelling), long and 2.5cm dilated. Really disheartening with all that damn pain. I am very listless and getting 15min sleep intervals and just can't sit/lay still, even though this is exhausting me. Bub is in a fantastic position and straight down the center of my tummy. TMI my body has had the loose stools and I have lost interest in eating food. I also feel "loose" in the JJ, even DP has noticed and that's making it a tad difficult to finish (for me anyways).

So now what do I do until active labour actually starts?!
I've tried ramping things up by dtd and walking heaps (went shopping and a walk around the school oval), been up cooking for my baby shower tomorrow, been bouncing on my ball, taking my epo and rlt religiously, etc. I can't be doing this for days or weeks because I'm already exhausted enough.

Part of me questions if this really is pre labour or just a cruel trick my body is playing on me and that just makes me want to cry, something I have been doing often which is quite unusual for me...especially in front of people.

Is there anything that can help speed up this phase or do I just have to accept this is the way it'll be from now on?

Nothing positive to say sorry. But I've been in prelabour for over 4w, and I'm over it. I've got an irritable uterus too, so if I do too much I end up with lots of Braxton hicks. And I also suffer from spd so have aching pelvis and hips. Don't have any advice to offer, just letting you know you're not alone ;)

you are nearly there!!! I have pre-labour for three weeks before I birth my babies... the good news is that my longest labour has been 3 hours from start to finish... so hopefully something is happening for you.

I would say, sleep and rest as much as you can and try not to get to depressed if the baby doesn't arrive as soon as you think...


yay... you are nearly there!! xx

I would go with the rest option too. I had pre-labour for a few weeks with both of mine too.

hang in there.

No advice just hugs & support xx

My advice is cry. I had shocking prelabour for a week with ds and I cried and cried. I think you need to get your baby shower over with too. Anything else on your mind?

Start lighting a candle and meditating on the image of holding your baby in your arms. Write in a diary. Take time to yourself. Just you. Sit in a garden or quiet space and reflect.

Think about breathe, relax, open.

This dance is normal and perfect and you will hold your baby soon.

I have irritable uterus but I don't think that would be causing my constant ctx. 5mins when up and about and 10 when resting but nothing much seems to be happening down below :( My pelvis feels like it is ripping apart and last night what kicked up the ctx was bub dropping lower and onto my nerves causing my legs and feet to cramp and the only position they could relax was with me squatting, bum below knees, otherwise I was screaming. Poor DP didn't know what to do as he tried giving me a foot massage but that made me scream more :( Seeing OB tomorrow, there's no way this hip/pelvic thing is normal, it has never been this bad and its third baby. I'm expecting to still wait a while longer before established labour but I want it to hurry and be over :(

Does a bath help?

I had a lot of prelabour with dd and I found a bath with rose oil and lavender oil helped. Even if it is just the mental relaxation, it helped with the pain for me.

Hope your visit with the ob tomorrow helps with the hip pain.

oh no, that doesn't sound fun. can you see an osteo, physio or just get a massage? maybe something is out of position or something.

Damprye I hope your Ob can offer you some relief/answers. Good luck xxx

Well it turns out that high stress levels can get rid of labour. Will see what the next few weeks hold. Not long now anyways :)

I believe this too. I had a few super important things I needed to finalize before dd's birth. The night of the day I finished them, labour started.

Hope your stress dies down soon x