AIBU to ask here for advice on labour (more traffic)

[PorkPieandPickle]

I have been having frequent contractions since 4.45am (uk time)

They started 10 mins apart and got to 3 mins apart, but they were only 40 seconds in length, labour suite said dont go yet, and sure enough they did slow down. They have remained frequent but irregular ever since- never more than 10 mins apart, sometimes only 3 mins apart, and for the last 5 hours at least a minute in length and so intense I can hardly talk/breath/move etc.

Its been 20 hours of contractions at least every 10 mins but mostly more often, and i am exhausted already. Labour suite just telling me to take 2 paracetamol, have a bath and not come in till I have a full hour where every contraction is at most 4 mins. I am struggling to deal with the pain now as I am so tired.

Any advice to speed things up???! What worked for you??!

I would go in and ask to be examined if possible. sy tht you cn no longe bare the pin. I had a lot of tht sort of contractions, several false starts and stop start. when it did kick off, it went quite quickly.

Nothing useful to contribute but good luck! Sounds like you're doing amazingly - your baby will have the same birthday as my DD who will be 7 when she wakes up!

Is this your first baby? It seems like you getting there, but it might still be hours away. Try to relax as much as you can ,have a small glass of wine, take a long hot bath, and see what happens then. For me a bath always worked, (real labour-bath kind of regulated contractions , false labour- contractions disappeared) good luck and hope it will be quick and breezy birth. X

My contractions never got regular and I went in to hospital (against their advice) after 27 hours. I was glad I did as when they examined me it sped everything up.

Good luck, I hope you're there now and things are progressing.

With DS2 who I wasn't induced with, the cx never became regular, even at pushing stage.

Go in and demand to be seen.

Mine never reached a full minute (but were every two mins). They tried to send me home but dh put his foot down.

They don't take new mothers seriously IMO so go in if you think you need to and demand some g&a if you need it. Good luck!

Thanks everyone :) yes it's my first and they do make you feel like you're being silly... But we went in, DH was insistent, just got back. Unfortunately they were right and too early- only 1cm dilated. They did day they would admit me if I wanted diamorphine, but i decided I'd be better at home a bit longer...
Thanks for the advice and support everyone... Get a move on baby porkpie!!!

Hi my first labour was just like that, I went in twice but got sent home. Stick with it you will get there!
Do have big bath if you can, it might help!

Good luck op! I was in hospital already for this bit because my waters broke but they still didn't believe I was in labour and just left me to get on with it on a multi bedded ward - you really are better at home. I did lots of bouncing on my birthing ball to manage the pain. Try to keep upright and moving if you can - baby's head will press on your cervix which should speed it up a bit.

My advice is go with your instinct, if you feel you need to go into labour ward, then go. You can always come home if your not ready.

I felt ready to go in after only a couple of hours of contractions, they told me I wasent ready on the phone but I went in anyway, I was examined and was only 2 cm. I didn't go home, and thank god I didn't as within an hour I was 10 cm and pushing! My dd was born within 90 mins of being in hospital!!

Good luck

I was sent home at 1cm 3 weeks ago with dc2 at 2 in the morning.
I was back in hosp 2 hours later in agony and my daughter was born at 6 in the morning.
so I went from 1 to 10cm in 4 hours.
trust what your body is telling you.

Good luck, hope things have moved on for you now..

My contractions never became regular. The spacing and length varied all the way thru labour. I'd get checked out.

Yay Porkpie How exciting for you!

Hope you are doing ok and bitesizeporkpie arrives safe and soon!

Thanks all, yes bite size pork pie arrived safe and well yesterday afternoon. We cut it fine as hospital did keep fobbling us off but got there in time.
We had a little girl.

Congratulations.
What a wonderful Christmas present.

Congratulations
DS arrived on Friday and we had the same as melonman I went from 1-10cm in 4 hours. They didn't send me home though because of my dodgy blood pressure. I am glad to hear you made it in time - definitely trust what your body is telling you!

Huge congratulations and enjoy your extra special christmas. Well done

Congratulations

Hooray! Well done

Congratulations!

My first was the same not regular at all but going on all night!

They gave me some clary sage on a card pinned to my top - within half an hour it was all happening.

I had no idea it was such powerful stuff!

Aw congrats :)

Congratulations

My contractions sounded similar and I was waiting til more regular but my mum took one look at me and said let's go! Hosp tried to tell me I still had had hours but was 4cm and I refused to leave - ds born 1 hour later.

Go with your gut! Go to hosp I say - better to be sent home than to have a baby in the bath!!!

Sorry I was obviously too late with the advice and didn't read previous posts!

Congratulations!