Really, how long can the latent phase go on for?

[Anifersgirl]

I'm 40+5 and have been having contractions of increasing intensity anywhere between 2 - 20 mins apart since Wednesday and am a) not sure how I can hope without sleep for much longer and b) have no f*cking idea how I'm going to ever be able to give birth when I'm already this exhausted.

Has anyone had experience of the latent phase going on longer than this?

Have you rung the midwife / gone in at all?

I really sympathise with you! with my 1st I had mild contractions for 5 days before my true labour really started which was a forced labour by induction. My latent phase wasn't any worse than period cramp style contractions for a couple of hours then they would stop for a bit an so on (but 5 days of this!)- im sure you will agree that they are bad enough to make you lose lots and lots of sleep - the only relief I had was when I walked but then I became to tired to walk and was then falling asleep standing up. I too stressed that I was never going to have the energy to to give birth but I did it comes from nowhere!

Try to stay positive babies don't stay in there forever i hope your baby arrives soon it sounds as if he/she is really think about making an appearance soon! GOOD LUCK

P.S I had a shot of diamorphine when I was first admitted into the labour ward - this timed well with the night time and my midwife dimed the lights and I was in a lovely dream land and didn't feel anything definatly good for cathcing up on sleep!

I had similar - severe but occasional contractions in the last week or so and then for about 5 days lots of periods of mild short spaced contractions and then 48 hours of almost established labour style contractions.

My established labour went on for over 24 hours and I have never in my whole life felt so exhausted - and I've had some weird occasions where I haven't slept for days under very stressful circumstances in the past

I had a back to back labour with this baby (my 4th) but despite the hideous drawn out thing that it was, and ultimately induced, I too found the energy at delivery point. I felt so soooooooooooo tired in the hours before and couldn't sleep because the baby's heart stopped and things were highly stressful and painful. It was like torture really to be so in pain and so anxious at the same time as so tired that you would give ANYTHING to sleep.

When transition came I never experienced a transition like it. Blimey! the joy. It was so uplifting, I could have lifted buses with the sudden energy and the sheer relief was amazing. After all that I loved the pushing stage (despite dodgy back to back still and risks involved) more than in any other labour even though it was very hard to push out this posterior baby compared to previous homebirths where they came in one push...

Sorry for overly long post but wanted to give enough detail that you would believe me when I say no matter how exhausted you get, or how much faith you lose in yourself it WILL come back.

Best of luck indeed

You need to go in. You may not be in the latent phase at all, it's just that you labour with irregular contractions. I had intense proper peaking contractions for 48 hours that never got down below 5 mins apart, but were never more than 10 mins apart either. When I went in, completely fed up with no sleep for 3 nights, I was very definitely properly in labour and well dilated.

That sounds promising Beanlet!

The first night (Wednesday) was the sort of griping period pains that I could completely cope with, then Thursday they were getting gradually closer together, but still completely able to cope with them. I phoned the birth centre Thursday pm explaining how I was and they said the usual: have a bath, go for a walk, we'll probably see you later.

I went for long walk Thursday evening, when I got back I'd had a definite bloody show, then Thursday night I just assumed 'this is it' and spent the night on the birth ball, rocking back and forth, with contractions (still bearable) coming every 5 mins or so, but about 6am, when I started to feel really exhausted, they slowed down to one every half an hour and then pretty much stopped. I went for another long walk yesterday and the contractions started up in earnest again late afternoon. I had a bath and the contractions carried on throughout that, by now getting pretty intense, and carried on all evening. Last night they were coming between 10 and 20 mins apart, but SO painful, 10 times worse than the night before, with no real way to ease them, then they seemed to slow down again this morning, but I've still been having them between 7-10 minutes apart - the real, panting, ouch, I can't do this for much longer pains. I used to think I was pretty tough, with a high pain threshold, but maybe this is all just pre-labour and I'm actually a compete wimp.

Oh - and my mucus plug has been gradually plopping out since yesterday afternoon.

Sorry for the very long reply!

See if you can get a midwife to give you a sweep. I was in early labour for 4 days when I got fed up of no sleep and asked what they could do about it. I wanted to avoid being put on a drip to speed things up. They did a sweep and I had him 12 hours later, it really kicked things off properly for me.

I was like this from the Saturday to Monday night when they admitted me - they were every 5-8minutes and I needed the tens on high and hadnt slept for 2 nights. The Monday night I was still only 2cm and latent for sure - but they admitted me to give me a shot of meptid and a sleeping pill so I could rest for when the real thing hit.

They were very quiet on the ward/delivery suite though, so I know I was lucky. It might be worth going in for an exam though.

have you taken some paracetamol? Might just take the edge off to let you get a couple of hours sleep.

Also can try nipple stimulation to try and keep ctx coming stronger.

My fourth child was a long latent phase. Started optimistically with a very bloody show, but I didn't deliver until a week later. At that point, it was a couple of contractions followed by a rocket propelled baby.

My midwife prescribed a couple of glasses of wine (per night) to relax me. That was 11 years ago, though.

Every contraction you are having is one less that you have to have.

Worth popping in to check that what you think is mucus isn't you waters. i had this, contarctions started early hours sat, on and off all night and day, slowed sat night, sped up in the day, went in to hospitalsun night when they were 3mins apart, they sent me home with a TENS. Noticed dampness monday and went in again and my waters were leaking so they sent me home with thermometers to check for infection. I went in tues night and they gave me pethedine to help me relax and get some sleep. they induced me weds pm as waters had gone, which managed to get things going! Lots of slowing down and speeding up, very frustrating but got there in the end. I do think its worth getting checked out though.