Don't Want To Be Induced But...

OK, this is more to get things out of my system than anything else.

I'm 40 weeks and 1 day. About a week ago I had period-type pain for a couple of hours and again on Saturday.

It started happening again at about 2am and I also got what felt like pressure in my bum! Since then I've also had a few minor contractions. Not particularly hurty but not painless like Braxton Hicks either.

Now my problem is that my partner is a train driver and depending on what train he is driving he could be less than an hour from home or up to three-four hours. And I also know that the pains I've been having could turn into actual labour or they could just be another false alarm like the previous weeks.

This makes it a bit tricky to relax. So, for instance at the moment, I should be trying to just sleep things off (having had 3 hours sleep) and waiting and seeing but I know that if I don't catch him before his 7.17am train, he couldn't make the hospital before about 10.30am.

Now if the baby ends up coming today, that's fine, no drama BUT what if these false starts happen all week or longer? I don't think I'm going to be able to relax at all and will end up being completely exhausted.

What would you do? I'm considering just saying "bugger it, just go on carer's leave for the whole week."

Due to see my obstetrician later today so will obviously ask his advice. As I said in the headline, I don't really want to be induced but if this sort of shemozzle goes on all week, I'll be beside myself.

Fiona, firstly I just wanted to say that the word false labour is very misleading - it's all pre-labour doing some actual work to get your cervix and uterus ready for labour. This warm up stuff is actually good! Your cervix has to be thinned and effaced so pre-labour can mean a less intense labour as some work is being done now. It has lots of building up to do yet, it has a way to go but its definitely not doing anything.

Because it's your first labour, I wouldn't be worrying about the difference between those two trains, first labours are typically long, and I am sure he would make it to you in time. I am sure the baby wont come in the next couple of hours.

Keep resting, have faith in your body that it's doing the right thing, and that your baby knows the way and will come when he is ready.

Remember, the stats are quite high for first time mothers having inductions ending up with epiduals and c/s so patience really is your best friend here. You can do it!!!! Don't forget to check out the article on the main site, Early Labour Tips and Coping Strategies

Thanks Kelly, I just read that article and it helped a lot (particularly after I'd timed my very minor contractions that came in at 11 mins, 6 mins then 2 mins apart and after that I decided that given that they were completely all over the shop, I'd just stop timing until they were significantly more hurty).

I actually told myself (and the baby) that I wanted a long pre-labour so I could kind of get in the zone and try my various pain management techniques so I'm using it as an opportunity to do that.

Feel significantly calmer after putting on my CD compilation and have told my partner not to come home because I'm having too nice a time at home on Belly Belly and listening to my music. He's probably one of the world's loudest men so if he dashed home, he'd walk in the door hollering "what's this rubbish you're listening to darl?" and destroy my newly-found innner calm!

Fiona

Hey Fiona

WIshing you all the best chickie!

I'm 40 weeks today and are experiencing much the same thing as you are...though probably not as much...

I really like what you said Kelly...that this is pre-labour and our body doing the 'prep' work, hopefully for a less intense labour!!!

I'm trying to keep myself calm and peaceful too...lots of wonderful music, reading some books, having some oils burning and generally just keeping "mellowed"...it's sort of nice to have these days of reflection and calm....

But every now and then, impatience rears it's head...that's for sure!

Hi Monnie

Good for you for managing to keep calm. I completely panicked and found it very difficult to relax for quite some time and then started torturing myself with "my goodness, if I'm like this with just a bit of period-like pain, how am I going to be with full on labour."

But things calmed down (which for me is good, I think I'd prefer an on/off type thing rather than full bore) and in the meantime I kept my obstetrician's appointment. He did an internal and said all was looking good cervix-wise (starting to lenthen and efface) and I was 1-2cm dilated and he expects me to go into 'proper' (my words not his) labour within 1-3 days.

So very happy with that. I think the hardest part when the pains go away is that you tend to think they were all in your head.

HI gals, I'm in the same boat. Sick of it all, over it....al lof the above.
I was induced with DD and had a very favourable labour, so was considering seriously talking about induction to the OB when I see him tomorrow. Not so sure now, as I too have loved Kelly's explanation of preparation and the possibility of a shorter labour in the end. I'm feeling a bit better now.

Back to the heat pack I think.

Good on you ladies, keep letting your body work for you and go gently into a strong labour, don't let yourself have this nice ease into labour only to be thrust into full labour with a drip! You can do it :)

Go ladies go! Its much nicer this way.

oh girls *hugs* I was like this the last 2 weeks of pregnancy. Please schedule something to help you relax, a massage will work wonders & may help things along! Baths & oils help too... with relaxing music. The more relaxed your body is, the less tense it is at the start of labour & the more painful it can be. I know with my contractions if I walked or breathed through them it helped but if I tensed and thought about them they hurt!

Thanks everyone. It's good to know I'm not the only one going through the uncertainty. I'm more than happy for this to go on for a few days - it's just my partner's potential unavailability that makes it hard to relax especially as this is my first baby. So he's trying to get onto a roster where he'll only be half an hour away at any particlar time. I think that will help a lot.

I've done lots of reading about labour/pain management (probably too much) but now it's getting to the crunch I'm getting terrified again which sucks!

And my obstetrician "hates doing inductions" (his words) so he'll definitely not be trying to pressure me into it, thank goodness.

What's your latest Monnie and Kirst?

Try massaging your tummy with Clary Sage Oil, it is supposed to bring on labour. I used it every night for a week before our DS arrived but I wasn't one of the ones it worked for! We were scheduled for an induction on the Monday and he arrived on the Sunday morning - 41 weeks and 6 days, little bugger!

Good luck.

Little update - waters broke at 5am (all over new doona cover!) so phoned hospital thinking that as long as I wasn't doubled over in pain they'd encourage me to stay home. Anyhow, they said I'd best go in. Got in there about 7.30 and they did about half an hour of monitoring. Having v mild contractions so they said best to go home again and try to get more sleep (I've only had 3 hours AGAIN).

So now back home. Thought I'd want to come home but was quite happy to be there so at least I know that it's an environment I can relax in and all the staff we saw were lovely.

Having a cuppa, then will try to get some shut-eye.

oooh we'll stay tuned!

Ohhhh....Fiona...how exciting!

Wishing you all the very best!

Thanks guys. Now back to being paranoid about drip-based inductions again cos my ob might want to do one if there's a risk of infection (because my waters have broken). Really don't fancy it (because from what I've read the pain seems to be that much more full-on) and my ob is probably as low intervention as you can get so I don't think he will be recommending one unless he really thinks it's for the best.

Oh well, just have to wait and see I guess. Hopefully things will ramp up again naturally but it's looking all quiet on the western front.

Here's what I recommend once waters have broken with my clients:

Step up the optimal fetal positioning - babes find it harder to move once waters have broken and need any help they can get to be in the right possie. Especially if labour is a couple of days away, babe might not be in the best position and needs to turn for birth anyways...

Options - if you are getting pressure for the drip, you can negotiate. Monash here lets you go up to 72 hours (3 days) providing everything is okay. You can agree to oral antibiotics to counteract their concerns of infection, you can take your temps at home every 4 hours or so to see if there is any change and you can agree to monitoring. So there are some things you can do.

Most of all I would say positioning is important, have had a few malpositioned babies from rupture of membranes where labour was slow to build up or no labour... perhaps check in with a chiro to make sure your body is in alignment ready for birth. Good luck!

Good luck Fiona. Sending you lots of speedy labour vibes :D

Thought I'd posted this but can't see it so apols if I'm repeating myself:

************

Thanks for that info Kelly. Could you please publish the link/thread for the optimal fetal positioning stuff so I can give it a whirl. I've currently got an sacroiliac pain/unstable pelvis so that limits my ability to stand/bend for long periods but hopefully that's not required. Will take a looksie anyhow.

Fiona

I think its just spinningbabies.com - have to dash out for the kinder run now but I am sure you will find it.

I had bad sacroiliac probs with Marisa, I was prescribed panadeine forte for when it got bad, but I found I had no back problems in labour at all. It's not all about standing up, but just making sure you are sitting in the right possie even, with your bum above your knees (no slouching). You can acheive this sitting on the edge of a seat, sitting backwards on a chair, or sitting on a pillow, so your bum/hips is higher than your knees... also walking and stairs is helpful for moving your pelvis, gentle lunges, etc... even on a small stool. Its going to help you alot. Not a good idea to do any deep squats until you know bubby is in a great possie/towards the end when pushing.

Whoa! Wasn't expecting this news when I opened the thread! Good luck Fiona!

My update though (becasue I was asked) is that the OB is leaving any intervention in my court. I am booked for an induction next week just in case things don't go my way, but have the option of cancelling it at any time. I'm feeling pretty good and relaxed today, so maybe I won't need it, and I can let bub come in its own time. But at least the option is there.........

Just hoping that it decides to greet us soon.

Okey dokey - getting a bit grumpy now. Pains/contractions still all over the shop - sometimes 2 mins apart, sometimes 5 mins, sometimes 10 mins. Sometimes v hurty, sometimes not. So still in pre-labour . But in enough pain not to be able to sleep through for third night in a row. And this has been going on for more than 12 hours.

So tomorrow, if nothing happens overnight, I'm going to bite the bullet and get induced because I'm just sick of wondering what's happening, whether this pain is comparable to actual labour pain and I'm driving myself around the twist.

The fun of pre-labour hey :) You may find it picks up overnight for you, especially given your waters have broken I am sure it will pick up very soon.

In established labour, you will have contractions that will increase in strength to 90+ seconds long and come every 2-3 mins and they will increase in strength of course. You'll need your energy, try and get lots of sleep tonight and rest up. You'll fare better if you have energy and strength.

Wishing you all the very best Fiona...

Take care!