How long were you in latent labour?

So im 38+ 4 had a sweep 4 days ago and had on and off contractions since Saturday morn. Sunday I was having 30-45 second contractions every 3-5mins for 7 hours.. went to hospital and only 1cm so they said latent labour go home. Since I have had more contractions on and off sometimes regular sometimes they fade off, not really increasing in pain much and I am already OVER it. Have barely slept in 2 days but hospital wont do anything until I’m 3cm and I’m only 1cm.

How long should I expect to be in this latent phase of labour? What can I do to help go into active labour?

A couple of days for me,and like others I got no sleep. It was dreadful.

Absolutely exhausted and then couldn’t cope at all when finally admitted.
I just can’t understand how people can be in that much pain for so long and not have an epidural,perhaps if it’s ‘just’ a 12 hour labour it’s more doable.

3 weeks with my first, 5 hours with my 5th. 2nd and 3rd were about 2 days each and dc4 was an elective c-section.

I lost my plug Monday afternoon. On and off contractions to now. I'm being induced tomorrow anyway so I'm hoping this latent phase will speed up the induction!

Latent labour is 1-4cm dilated. Although you can be at 1-3cm for days and not actually be in labour at all. So I'd add an unofficial definition of having regular(ish) contractions and also being under 4cm dilated.

I have back to back babies apparently. This can cause a really long latent stage and then very sudden dilation and then getting stuck at 8-9cm but having a strong urge to push.

DC1 I was in latent stage for about 30 hours.

DC2 I was in latent stage for about 12 hours.

Latent labour was the worst thing about pregnancy! I started off on a Tuesday and didn't have baby until EMCS on Fri as I just wasn't progressing it was 3 days of hell. I'm currently pregnant again and I'm really dreading another labour with an extended latent phase.

Started getting cramps on Wednesday night, all through Thursday they were irregular and got more painful as day went on. Got more regular on Friday morning and had midwife come check me at 2pm where I was 2cm.
Didn’t go into full active labour until early Saturday morning, baby arrived at 1.48pm

Dc1 had a show at 7am gave birth at 9.50am
Dc2 had show at 2:20pm gave birth at 4:06pm

Just had contractions for 1 hour on both

36-40 hours from start of contractions to the point where I was actually starting to dilate past 4/5cm! And then suddenly dilated all the way in like an hour and gave birth!

Approximately 19hrs. The last 4 hours or so we're very grim as pain had become too difficult to manage given how exhausted I was having only slept 4hrs before it started and not being able to sleep again with the pain and anxiety.

Assessed Tuesday 0.5 dilated it’s now Monday and nothing I’m really upset ! Few contractions but only mild nothing painful

Does induce labour where you get regular contractions but hardly dilated count? First time my contractions stated on Wednesday afternoon and I got epidural on the Saturday and on the Sunday ds1 was born via c-section when I was 2cm dilated.

Second time around my induction started on a Friday and I gave birth on the Wednesday. This birth was easier as I didn’t get the drip. My labour was recorded as 1hr and 52 minutes. As they started timing from when I reached 4cm dilated.

My other births very much faster as they were elective c-sections.

I was in latent labour for over 60 hours. It was terrible I didn’t get any sleep during that time. I was exhausted. The contractions for the first couple of hours were not too bad and I could doze and watch tv through them. They soo got very painful and I couldn’t sleep. I ended up being admitted to hospital when I burst into tears after the midwife told me I wasn’t at all dilated after 24 hours of contractions and no sleep. I was reluctantly given an injection of pethidine when I begged for pain relief other than paracetamol that night and slept for approx 2 hours . By the time I went into active labour I was so exhausted I asked for an epidural. The contractions I was having during active labour were no worse than the ones during the latent phase for me. It’s been 4 weeks And I’m still a bit traumatised by the experience. Made me wonder do I just have a low pain threshold or what but I honestly don’t know how women can put up with that pain for so long at home !

I didn't experience latent labour at all. Had an exam at 40+4 and was 2-3cm dilated but I hadn't felt anything up to that point. Went into labour the following evening and was 6-7cm when I got to the hospital an hour or so after contractions started.

I'd say 48h - from first contraction to things really kicking off. Was able to go about my day as normal during that time.

I started on the Thursday morning 7days overdue.
After 8 hours of strong contractions I went into hospital as they were 4 mins apart.
They said I was 1cm and to go home

The following 2 days consisted of contractions 5m apart

After 3 days of no sleep went back in and I was 2cm

Day 4 I went back in as I felt very unwell from the pain and exhaustion they gave me a strong diazepam to sleep but did not check for dilation.
Day 5 went home carried on labouring
Day 7 saw consultant and I was almost 8
Cm dilated and had walked across the car park like that. She admitted me and they tried to induce me 12 hours later I was still 8cm this was when my daughters heart stopped so they did an emergency c section

5 months later I found out that my pelvis had dislocated due to the length of time and the pressure

Very little sleep. I was sent home twice. So exhausted by the Saturday that I simply couldn’t cope with active labour once it started. I slept once they put the epidural in! - After about 65 hours...

Started with contractions at about 5.30am on the Friday and I had her at 9.03am Monday morning.

My contractions were all over the place, sometimes painful, sometimes not. I stayed home till 6am Monday morning as by then I was getting the urge to push and didn’t really want to have her on the toilet. /:

Got to hospital, I was 9cm, they popped my waters and I had her a couple of hours later. (:

I also had a back to back baby and an EMCS. I suppose I’m lucky my latent phase was “only” 14 1/2 hours.

How did some of you cope with days of regular painful contractions? Did they give you an epidural so you could sleep? I lost nearly two whole nights of sleep during my latent phase and labour and that was bad enough. Before, I had my Caesarean, I struggled to follow what the doctor was saying and I saw her as having three eyes and two mouths.

7 days

@Mcmole Yes he was! and a massive head... If he’d been my first he’d be an only!

Almost identical experience to @brightbluegentian, same timeframe and result. Your baby wasn't back to back by any chance?

Contractions started Wed 6 am. painful and regular 5 mins apart. Continued until Saturday 4pm when my waters broke. Still wasn’t in ‘proper’ labour apparently. Started induction at 10pm. Baby born as EMCS at 6 on Sunday - so 80 hours ish!

No idea. I started having mild contractions 8pm on Sunday night. Slept fine but then they continued all day Monday until my waters broke at 11pm. Went to hospital at 12am and was 8cm. Had him at 4.41am. Think it said 3hr 51 mins active Labour?

I don't really know. First Labour contractions started around 8pm, went to hospital perhaps 2am, examined maybe around 5am at 3cm, got into water and almost immediately started to feel the urge to push, baby born at 8am. So potentially quite long but then moved very quickly.

Second labour waters broke 5am, went to hospital and sent back home no examination, contractions started around 7am, back to hospital 9am baby born 12pm, no need for any internal examination but I guess my labours both progressed extremely quickly once I got into the birthing pool.