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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

pre labour - how long??

102 replies

Subeccoo · 17/08/2019 19:27

I'm asking for how long your labour went on before you were officially in labour!!
Dd is well over 24 hours of irregular but agonising contractions now, one trip to hospital, several broken naps and many many tears

Poor girl, this is really long, closer to 36 hours I'd say and no sign of any pattern yet even though some of the contractions are up to a minute long.

Aibu to think she should have her darling baby in her arms by now? I know I am a bit....

Hit me!!

OP posts:
Offredismysister · 17/08/2019 19:35

Its latent labour, it can go on for days unfortunately, especially if it’s her first baby.
It’s really frustrating. But, all she can do is rest, eat if she feels like it & stay well hydrated.

Original poster
Subeccoo · 17/08/2019 19:37

It's so awful though isn't it!! I'm taking her pasta up now. She can't do anything poor love, even going to the toilet brings screams

OP posts:
PuffHuffle5 · 17/08/2019 19:38

1 hour maybe, then 4 hours later DS was here. First labour, everyone was saying it would be long and drawn out, that I would need magazines to keep me busy - no time for that 😄

PuffHuffle5 · 17/08/2019 19:40

If it’s so bad she’s screaming surely things will get going properly soon?

Crunchymum · 17/08/2019 19:43

With DC1, I did about 36 hours at home before I had a trickle of waters and they finally agreed that I could come in (I was 41w when I went in and to be fair I did cancel an appointment at the 'prolonged pregnancy clinic' on 39+6 as I'd gone into labour and wanted to be at home)

Contractions never got closer than every 6 minutes but they were agonising for 24h of the 36h I spent at home.

Was 6cm when I was examined on arrival, sent to birth centre but was exhausted and dehydrated so had to move to labour ward where waters were broken and I was put on drip.

It was 15h from arrival at hospital to delivery (delivery was vaginal, done on G&A and a diamorphine and I had no tears or grazes).... was close to intervention though. Forceps delivery was imminent....

Sorry, bit of an essay but ultimately baby will be here "by hook or by crook" soon enough.

Was she examined at hospital?

treeplop · 17/08/2019 19:47

Woke up at 5am with cramps, baby arrived at 8.30am

Had mild cramps from 11am, cramps so bad at 4pm I was sick, labour confirmed at 6pm, baby here at 8.30pm

Everyone is different!

Original poster
Subeccoo · 17/08/2019 19:47

Puffhuffle sssshhhh!

Screaming yes you would think things were moving along...
Yes she was examined are hospital, she was precisely 0cm dilated Sad

OP posts:
OneKeyAtATime · 17/08/2019 19:52

For me it was 13 hours. I rang a few times to get admitted to hospital but they wouldn't admit me as it ' wasnt real labour '. In the end they relented as I was 'clearly in pain' but that's because I was yelling in agony. They also ended up giving me the epidural before the cut off point (can't remember how many centimetres). They must have been really sick of me! Joking aside,I found it really traumatic (and that's nothing compared to what others go though). Good luck to your daughter

Flamingo84 · 17/08/2019 19:54

Oh poor DD!

My waters broke at 7am but no contractions so by lunchtime there was talk of inducing me the next day. By 4.45pm contractions started, 5.30pm I was 7cm dilated and he was in my arms at 7.40pm. It’s his 1st Birthday tomorrow too!

It’s awful when there’s nothing you can do to take the pain away. But you are helping, I’m sure she’ll look back on today and remember your support and getting her some dinner.

I really hope things speed up for her soon.

Nightmanagerfan · 17/08/2019 19:57

Cramps all night Friday. Contractions began Saturday morning. Eased off overnight. Came back Sunday all day - 45 seconds or so and every three to four mins. Eased off overnight again. Monday contractions ramped up - went to hospital 2am Tuesday morning and was 6cm. Baby born 9:30am.

I had done hypnobirthing and had a tens machine and was fine at home - it only got really painful when pushing.

WhoLettheCatOut · 17/08/2019 19:59

I had painful contractions from Monday morning, by weds they were about 8m apart. Went to hospital and was 0cm dilated but kept in due to high BP. late Thursday evening I got into labour and had DD Friday around 2am after a VERY long pushing session, induction meds and forceps. Honestly it felt like forever but with hindsight I was over egging the early contractions as I thought that was as bad as it would get 🤣🤣🤣

WhoLettheCatOut · 17/08/2019 20:00

Sent too soon. Hope it speeds up a bit and baby arrives soon!!!

Original poster
Subeccoo · 17/08/2019 20:02

WhoLettheCatOut I feel like last night when I arrived about 11pm that might have been the case but I don't think it is now!!

OP posts:
wendz86 · 17/08/2019 20:03

12 hours with my first until proper labour and 3 days with my second . Was so annoying , I was so happy when I finally got to stay in hospital as was 5 cm . Hope your dd isn’t waiting much longer .

sauchiehall · 17/08/2019 20:05

My contractions started on the Tuesday morning, went in to get examined on the Tuesday evening and was told I was 0cm. Contractions continued regularly and went in on Wednesday around dinner time to be told I was 0.5cm. Back home again but pains continued so back in again on the Wednesday night around 10 and allowed to stay in and by Thursday morning baby had arrived! So I did go from 0.5cm to fully dilated quite quickly once I was actually in hospital. I found that I was quite panicky at home and once I was in the birthing suite I felt more relaxed and I do think that this helped.

I hope things move along soon for your DD!

elliejjtiny · 17/08/2019 20:07

I had latent labour for over 3 weeks with my eldest. Only 4 hours active labour though.

pandarific · 17/08/2019 20:15

What presentation / position was the baby last time she was checked? Sounds like it might be back to back - is the pain all in her lower back?

Original poster
Subeccoo · 17/08/2019 20:18

They said the baby is not back to back, well they did this morning. I just went in, it is horrendous, she's on the floor screaming and crying and her bf looks terrified. I think I'll take her in again but the contractions are still irregular

OP posts:
YouOkHunz · 17/08/2019 20:23

Sounds like she needs to be in hospital to me they need to keep an eye on her x

TheArtfulScreamer1 · 17/08/2019 20:30

I went into labour on Tue morning and DD came along by EMCS on Fri morning if I'd have been left to labour naturally she'd have probably come along on the Sat. When I did get checked out at the hospital on the Wed night after being convinced that although my contractions where irregular the were painful enough to mean I must be 4/5cm (I was 1cm) I was found to be severely dehydrated and was told my body would not let my labour progress so was put on a drip to help which it did a little bit but still things never really got going hence the EMCS. Good luck to your daughter x

FreiasBathtub · 17/08/2019 20:31

Latent labour around twenty hours with my first and it was bloody awful. I think part of it was that I was so fucking terrified. It was very painful and I'd been told that this was the easy bit (it wasn't, active labour SO much better). Plus no sleep makes it much harder to cope.

Hospital will keep trying to send you away so you need to make it very clear that DD is not coping. You might be in a better position to do this than her or her BF at the moment. As a rule, women do progress better at home than in hospital, but I was so much happier once I was in a birthing room (and had access to the gas and air). Sometimes they will admit you on the basis of not coping with pain, even if you're not progressed enough to be admitted in active labour.

Your poor DD, I really feel for her. Perhaps try to reassure her that this isn't as uncommon as her birth prep will have led her to believe. If she can calm down a bit that will help, easier said than done, but I was much calmer once I was in hospital.

Hawkinsfirefly99 · 17/08/2019 20:32

My labour started Sunday evening at about 11pm and my ds was born on the Tuesday at around 2pm.

From the get go my contractions were agonising so I totally and literally feel her pain. I went in to hospital after 24hrs of horrific pain to be told I was only 4cm.

I was rolling around on the floor in so much pain. I think a big part of it for me was the fear. I was petrified and mentally I lost control. I really do feel for her. Could you run her a bath? Massage her lower back when the contractions come on?

If you go into hospital then chances are they'll send her home if she still hasn't dilated and waters haven't broken. Can you call the labour line?

My second birth was a different experience and was completely manageable (and over with in 5hrs!).

MyRaGaiaStarFishPieA · 17/08/2019 20:34

My first three were 3-5 hours and then baby. My last was back to back and 48 hours of irregular contraction and then 24 hours of established labour. It was very slow to 7 cm then I felt her turn and boom! Baby with 30 minutes. I passed out legs akimbo with the placenta still inside me 😂. The midwife woke me and said if I didn't pass it they would have to take me to hospital. Quick push and I passed out again. Woke 7 hours later and met my husband on the stairs, brew for me in one hand and a brand new baby in the other.

Your daughter sounds like she is going to be exhausted before she even gets going. Poor love

Chocolatelover45 · 17/08/2019 20:40

2.5 days. But when I went in was 5 cm. Even though contractions only every 5 mins. Was in a lot of pain.

Chocolatelover45 · 17/08/2019 20:41

If it's bad take her in and ask for pain relief. I ended up panicking because pain was so bad. Felt much happier once I was in hospital.

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