Contractions 10 minutes apart, when will they get closer??

Hi all,

Just after some advice from those who have been here before...

My due date was yesterday. Yesterday afternoon I started getting painful contractions about 10 minutes apart, I went to bed at about midnight and they continued on and off through the night, but more like every half hour to hour.

Today they were random, every hour or so, until I woke up from a nap at 6.00pm, since then they've been very painful, about 30 seconds long and about 10 minutes apart (sometimes 8 mins, sometimes 13 minutes, but on average 10 minutes)....

I know theres nothing I can do to speed things up, the baby will come when it's ready, but this is exhausting. I'm wondering if anyone else has been though this, how long until you went into proper labour?

Firstly how exciting - this sounds like it is very much "IT"!!!!!

My first labour started out at about 15mins apart, then it went down to 10, then about 4-5 and then 2 - the total length of labour was 12hrs.

It really is a 'how long is a piece of string' question though hun and there is no way of knowing how long it will take for them to get closer - it could be ages or it could happen within the hour. The most important thing now is to just focus on them, work with them and know that each one is opening up your cervix and getting it ready for your beautiful babe to make it's way out. If you feel you need to rest, then have a rest, if you feel you need to be active, then walk around your house, or in your yard or finish packing your bag.

Good luck and I can't wait to hear the announcement

ETA - here is an article from the main site that you should read to give you some tips and how to cope while you're still at home
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/...ps-suggestions

Hi Kristin!

Firstly congratulations on the impending arrival!

Also, if the contractions are coming pretty much 10 mins apart and are lasting that long, i would say you are in ridgy didge labour.

I know that it's mad to say, but basically the best is to try (and i say this with much sympathy!) to rest between them. especially while they are 10 mins apart. by resting i mean even just sitting under a shower, or on the bed/couch etc. i found that helped to keep the energy. also, while you are in this early stage, get the glucose happening for energy (i raided my jelly bean packet from my labour bag pretty early in the piece). i found that when i was in 'active' labour, (ie 2 mins apart) i was too preoccupied to eat, and my energy was getting sapped pretty quick.

Also, if the pain is getting really yuck, try and pee! sometimes, your bladder is full and causing the pain to worsen...

eeepp i hope this helps! and exciting times for you and bubs! not long now!

My labour stopped and started over 36 hours. My midwife examined me 3 times in that period and I had only gone 3cm. She asked me if I want my waters broken to see if that would jump start things so to speak. From waters broken at 0915, DD born at 1440 the same day. It was a good easy labour (hurt a heck though). I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

But yeah, it sounds like you're on your way to active labour. Good luck and rest and soothe yourself as much as possible. Eat normally so you're not hungry during labour or sick. Well done and don't worry. I went in twice with contractions at 5 minutes apart but labour kept stopping. Doesn't mean that will happen to you though. Ring the hospital and the midwives there will advise you when to go in. Good luck sweetie, its nearly over and soon you'll be cradling your precious baby.

Thanks for your quick replies Ladies - I know it's not easy for you to answer the how long is a piece of string?? It's great to hear your ideas and experiences though...

They're now 6-8 mins apart so thats progress, I'm starting to feel sick with them and my back is aching. So looks like I'm on my way...

I'll keep you updated... thanks again...

Hi Kirstin
I think that you are already in 'proper labour'. However birth could still be quite some time away. Rest as much as you can. Make sure that you still drink plenty of water. Have a few small snacks rather than a full meal. Make sure that your bag is packed.
I will be looking out for your anouncement.

Hey hun we posted at the same time
6-8 mins apart is great progress.
Your baby will be here soon

LOL Kirsten, meaning that you just don't know how long it is going to be. You are making such great progress by the sound of it - so don't bother keeping us updated - you just go and focus on birthing this baby of yours.

oooohhhh, how exciting!!!!!

Wishing you all the best, you will have your baby in your arms soon!!!!

Thinking of you Kirsten! I bet your doing a marvellous job!

Kristen I am very jealous it's not me!!! :lol:

Hope all goes well and we read your announcement soon!!!!!!!

looking forward to the announcement :D:clap:

Hope things have progressed well for you! going by how quick you went from 10 to 6 minutes apart, i reckon pretty good progress!

Hopefully by the time i have written this, your gorgeous little bubby is in this world scoring big hugs from you!

Hoping that this finds you all well and you giving your new baby lots of hugs.

Hi all,

Thanks so much for your support, unfortunately still no baby.

We went to the hospital this morning at about 3am, my contractions were about 4 minutes apart and very painful... Whilst in hospital they didn't get any worse, I was exhausted (I know-already!) so they gave me some pain killers and I had a sleep. At 6am there was no further progress (was only 1cm dialated!) so they sent me home with more pain killers to get some rest. Which I have done... Felt like a bit of a wuss going in only being that far along, but the pain was unbearable. Baby is posterior too which they said would have added to the pain....

Contractions are back, much more painful and longer, but only every 10-15 minutes, so I'll have to wait and see.... This is really hard work! I never thought it would be this drawn out...

Thanks again everyone :)

okay maybe im not jealous now :)

Hopefully things get going and are not so painful!! Just concentrate on the beautiful bundle you will get for all of your hard work!

I know exactly what you're going through. Same thing happened to me. Have your waters broken yet? Try to rest and relax as much as possible. Who knows how long it will be until you are in established labour. Good luck sweetie. I went through this from about lunch on a wed, and they stopped at 11pm, started at 9am the next day, stopped a few hours later, started at 2am on friday morning, waters manually ruptured at 9.15am and DD born at 2.40pm friday.

It happens, it peed me off so much but by the end, it wasn't as long as I thought. My mum was saying "you're nearly there" all day, and I was going to strangle her when I was at 8cm. Once I'd pushed DD's head out, mum said, "you did it!" I breathed a big sigh of relief. "You pushed the head out!" And I just cried. "Pull it out already!!!" One more push and she was out. I remember saying, where's my baby? I'd forgotten to open my eyes (duh!) Then I tried picking her up, but could only hold her between my legs, the cord was quite short. I couldn't see what she was and asked what is it? Everyone looked at XP and he said "oh, its a girl." He was really quite useless in my labour. Just rubbing my back, and giving me things to drink and snacks. I wouldn't expect much from someone who forgot when my birthing classes were and started a course those nights.

Good luck to you darl and bubby will be here within a coupl of days (hopefully by tomorrow!)

Never mind things can progress pretty quickly I went from 3 cm to 8 cm in and hour, so hang in there hun and your baby will be here soon.

Don't feel silly - you may not be all that much dilated, but you have started and your cervix is still doing a lot of hard work thinning out and and getting shorter with each contraction. I can vouch for painful posterior births - I have had two of them now. try to do everything you can to get baby to turn to a better postion - all fours, sitting on the toilet with your legs apart (this will make the space at the back of the pelvis smaller, encouraging baby to turn to the front of the pelvis where it is bigger from your legs being apart) and walking - gravity is the key here - so walking, all 4's and sitting on the loo will all help with baby getting in the right possie. And don't forget to rest when you can - make a nest out of a heap of pillows and nestle your belly in the hollow so you can lay down but still keep in the best position.

Good luck - you can do this!!!!

pegasus - no my waters haven't broken yet. They said they could manually do that if it doesn't happen soon. Did that help you? Did that really kick your labour on? Wow you had a marathon birth too, you must have been exhausted!

Trillian - thanks for the tips on turning baby, I just went for a long walk and it was great, contractions were much easier to handle because I was moving. Will I feel it if baby moves out of the posterior poss? The nurse mentioned an epidural can help if I really need it for the back pain, I would like to avoid one if I can, although I'll never say never!

Your doing great hun, at this rate you wont need the epidural. I had a posterior labour too, and it took about 10 hours for contractions to go from 5mins apart to 1 min apart. I spent alot of the time in the bath to help through the contractions, with great support, and massage I went 27hrs with no drugs! In the end I had the epidural as contractions were 1 min apart, lasting 45 seconds and baby was stuck, all efforts to move her head failed so I had emergency c/s. But had I known she would get stuck, I would have done heaps more walking (like you!) and moving around, and even the all fours thing like Trillian suggested. So keep doing what your doing and you will be birthing your beautiful bub in no time. Best of luck sweety :D

Ps I was having regular 10 min contractions for about 7 hours

You will notice it because you wont feel it so much in your back as what you probably are now. And don't dare get an epidural - it is the worst possible thing you can do if you have a posterior baby because it will mean you are fixed to the bed and you wont be able to help your baby turn - meaning that it will be more drawn out and longer and possibly end up with further intervention so while it will help you to not feel the pain, it really isn't in yours and your babys best interest to have one. You are going great guns - stay at home as long as you can.

Well the wed and thurs were just tiring and annoying but i felt ok most of the time. I'd had a lot of achiness and some BH (not as strong as my prelabour contractions) and I'd finally got to sleep at about midnight thurs. but just 2 hours later the contractions started and were getting stronger and stronger. That's when I called my midwife in tears that I wasn't in labour and she'd send me home again (this would be my thrid time in) but she said that this time she'd make it happen.

When she broke my waters, apart from feeling like I wet the bed, eeeuuuwww!, the contractions were very strong. It really did bring my labour on. Plus I spend the whole day moving around. In the two days of prelabour, I walked and sat on an exercise ball all day and night. My mindset was, so help me, I'm going to keep it going until I get the bloody baby out (I was in a fair bit of discomfort).

.....

sounds like things are moving along for you, i will be watching and waiting.

Good luck and hope you have that bub in your arms soon.

wondering how thing are going kristin27, hope you are holding bub now and all went well.

I'd like to assume that you haven't posted in a while because you had your baby, but I'd better not. Hope all is well and that it won't be long until you have your baby. xoxo

Hi,

I'm pleased to announce my little princess Olivia was born on June 10 via emergency c-section. She is absolutely gorgeous and all the pain was totally worth it... She was stressed during the contractions and stuck, so unfortunately I needed a c-section.

Thanks so much for your advice and suppport, you all made it so much easier answering my constant questions!! XXX

Congratulations and welcome [COLOR="Magenta"]Olivia

Congratulations!!!!! What a beautiful name. Glad you went for the c/s when she was distressed. Well worth it. And play up the "my stiches are sore" as much as possible so you can get all the help you can. Good on you darl, and congrats again.

Congratulations Kristen!! Welcome Olivia :)

Congratulations Kristen and welcome to Miss Olivia!

Congratulations Kristin and Olivia!! You guys are champs!!:cheer::cheer:

Congratulations sweety! I had emergency c/s too, but its all worth it in the end :D Hope you and Miss Olivia are doing well. Little girls are just the best ;)