Boring labour isn't it?

[wonderstuff]

Having contractions between 2 and 10 mins apart - only lasting for about 20-30secs - apparently they have to be a minute before I think about going to hospital.

Petrified they are just going to stop.

Childcare sorted - bag packed.

Might go for a walk in a bit.

Read though that link and am now in tears - why don't they tell us this? When I called this morning the mw was quite patronising - 'if it stops you aren't in labour love' only opposite, my contractions went away at night

sorry that didnt make much sense - tired think you know what i mean

wonderstuff- it will happen soon, your body is working up to it.

With my second dc, I had a couple of hours of contractions on the Sunday, was 2cm when I went for my sweep on the Monday. When I presented at the labour ward 6 days later I was 6cm.

I know it's hard and you're on edge, but every niggle is a step closer.

wonderstuff this happened to me last saturday - I got all the way to the hospital (regular, frequent contractions! REGULAR and FREQUENT, they were!!) to find they'd spaced out to 10mins again, and spent a couple of hours on a monitor to be sent home again.

At least they weren't rude or patronising about it. "First baby?" they said, sympathetically.

ARGHH YES!

Anyway, I'm still here, still sodding pregnant (EDD this sat) and my MW said that I should congratulate myself on a successful dress rehearsal (when I was going "oh I feel so stupid") and that it's great I have my dog-care and other things all lined up so when it really happens, I'm ready.

Plus I've decided those of us who have a long warm-up labour (and eat lots of cake during it) have easier births. I don't have any evidence for this decision, but it does feel better now I've made it.

un-MN-hugs to you!

blackcurrants I think there is anecdotal evidence at least for a shorter labour after all this. I know that I was 3cm dilated yesterday morning and that was after really mild contractions for a few hours overnight.

Sorry wonderstuff - I x-posted with you this morning and then legged it straight out the door

They do get it wrong - they got it wrong with me - they said there was no way I was in proper labour as the contractions weren't lasting long enough and were irregular but I knew I needed to be checked. When I went in they made me sit with a monitor on for half an hour. Then they were just going to send me home without even checking me - I insisted they checked and when they did they could see DS's head and I was 8cm!

So contractions aren't always regular, and they aren't always long, but they did build in intensity for me.

Keeping fingers crossed that it all happens soon for you - don't feel like a fraud, how the hell are we supposed to know when it's really happening? Better safe than sorry.

Got it wrong with me too. I had 48 hours of proper peaking contractions between 5 and 10 mins apart before we got fed up with the MW-led birthing unit fobbing us off with "come in when they're 3 mins apart". I was 5cm dilated when I went in, and never progressed from there, plus DS was stuck in occipital transverse position, so I ended up having a caesarian when I was about to enter my fourth night without sleep.

Hate that the MWs fob everyone off without consideration that some people are different. Wonderstff, if you get too tired to put up with it anymore, insist on going in and staying in.

any news wonderstuff? hope you're ok x

How's it going wonderstuff ?? I agree that if it gets too much, just go in and insist on staying. I had 3 days and nights of "latent" labour, by day 4 I was just knackered to do anymore at home. I went in, I was still "only" 3 cm but DS was OP.

I stayed in, they/I managed to get him to turn (by spending most of day leant over a huge bean bag sucking on gas & air), they popped my waters when he was the right way round (still only 6 cm at this point) and he was born 20 mins after they broke my waters. Apparently, the fact he was OP and then my huge bulging bag of waters was stopping things progressing.

ooh, how exciting!

1 min contractions? I was 30-40 second long ones right up til 8cm, so don't pay too much attention to that

Hope all goes well! Sounds like you'll be half way dilated by the time you get to hospital

wonderstuff - I'm hoping all is well and your baby is now with you. Let us know when you can x

update
Baby wonder born yesterday at 8.21am - woke at 1.30am - woke dh and called my mum to come over at 3am - was at hospital for 4am and at that stage was 6cm dilated - so all the stop - start contractions were obviously doing something. Feeling much better than I did after my first birth - killer afterpains, but rest of my body is much less achy, so the days of waiting were probably worth it giving me a gentler birth - certainly didn't feel gentle at the time though - went though every cliche in the book - decided I was coping well enough to not have pethidine - then as transition aproached I didn't want a baby anyway - I couldn't do it - I screamed - I cried - I swore - I demanded an epidural, knowing it was way too late - but I did manage to do second stage in 6 minutes! Fairly minor stitching and he seems to be a happy chappy. 8lb 1

Congratulations! How exciting. 6 mins second stage? You star!

Congratulations It sounds so similar to my second (including the killer after pains )

hurrah!well done you!
welcome to the world baby wonder!

Well done big congratulations, enjoy your new addition

That link was really interesting. Helps me understand my own labour a year ago. I ended up with a lovely normal delivery in a MLU on a Sat morning after 10 hours 'proper' labouring overnight including six in the pool. But my first contraction was late wednesday night. I have a diary with all the contractions timed. I'm sure my son will treasure that when he's older

Oh fantastic news wonderstuff - congratulations

Second stage in 6 minutes? I'm in awe of your pushing power!

Enjoy your lovely little bundle and thank you for coming back to tell us he'd arrived

Congrats wonderstuff

congrats wonderstuff - yay for your amazing second stage - you hero!

And you give me hope that these now-and-then contractions are doing something

Thinking of you blackcurrants hope it all happens for you soon. WRT second stage - I think I decided that there was no way I was going to be in that much pain for any longer than absolutly needed - 'I can't believe the heads not out yet - this really fucking hurts' [at volume]- I am totally blissed out today