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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Anyone had a long early labour?

19 replies

AppleMama · 14/09/2010 08:58

Has anyone experienced a long early labour? I'm looking for advice on how to cope with this.

This is my first baby and I've been having regular contractions (starting 20 minutes apart and now every 10 minutes), back pain and period like crampy pain since Saturday night (it's now Tuesday morning!). The pain and discomfort have been increasing steadily over this time. I decided to go into the hospital last night to get checked out and the midwife told me my cervix will only just admit her fingertip and the baby is not engaged yet.

I'm so tired and fed up. I haven't been able to sleep much since this started and I don't know how much longer I can go on like this. Any advice on how to cope better will be very much appreciated.

OP posts:

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beanlet · 14/09/2010 11:26

Sounds a bit like mine. If your contractions are regular but they haven't got down below 5 minutes yet, and if you are really tired and not getting any sleep and especially if you can no longer talk through your contractions go in and insist on being augmented/induced, possibly under an epidural, because you can't bear the pain any more and can't cope without getting some sleep.

Mine never got below 5 minutes, but were regular and excruciating for 48 hours before I got totally fed up, ignored the bloody midwife-led birthing unit, and went into the delivery unit. This was after my husband rang the head of obstetrics, whom he knows, and who said I should come in and be induced under an epidural. I was 4 cm dilated when I got in, and never made it past 5 cm (when I started transitioning). Baby's head never engaged because he was occipital transverse with his feet stuck under my ribs, and I ended up having a caesarian.

I'm sure you'll have plenty of other people coming on to tell you to have baths, etc, but in my case, I'm so glad I went in.

mrsgordonfreeman · 14/09/2010 11:32

I started painful contractions early on a Tuesday morning and had dd on Sunday evening. She was back to back and stuck.

The only thing I would suggest is to ask for a community midwife to visit at regular intervals to check the heartbeat, dilation and position if you plan on staying home as long as possible.

Chaotica · 14/09/2010 11:39

Mine went on for 4 1/2 days (stopping and starting a bit but mainly 5 mins apart and I got to 4cm) at which point DP begged the labour ward to see me. I was given a drip after 6 hours when other methods didn't work and DD was born 10 hours later.

I'm sorry you're having to go through this. I second what beanlet says about going in if you can't put up with any more. I have no idea when (or if) DD would have turned up if I hadn't been induced.

good luck

SelinaDoula · 14/09/2010 11:41

To -play devils advocatye.
A long pre labour/latent labour is not usuallty because anything is wrong (although it is hard to cope with).
I would suggest having a warm bath, a glass of wine/hot toddy and trying to sleep as ,uch as possible (and eat nourishing foods).
When you feel more rested, try some of the spinning babies techniques-
like
www.spinningbabies.com/techniques/activities-for-fetal-positioning/abdominal-lift-and-tuck
The inversion-
www.spinningbabies.com/techniques/activities-for-fetal-positioning/inversion
And fast circles on the birt ball.
A friend of mine had this, coped at home until contractions did speed up to every 5 mins and was 9cm's when she went in (baby born an hour later on the midwife led unit)
Take heart!
Selina x

Chaotica · 14/09/2010 11:54

While I agree with Selina, and you should try to stick it out, there are only so many baths you can have (and if you can't sleep, it is much worse).

For me, 4 1/2 days at home were enough for me.

beanlet · 14/09/2010 11:59

That's true Selina. But if you can't cope any more, you can't cope any more, and no-one has the right to tell you otherwise.

beanlet · 14/09/2010 12:03

(I was speaking of my own experience, and not the OP's who is asking for the kind of advice you've just given her!)

Chaotica · 14/09/2010 12:06

Well said, Beanlet.

What I really hated about it (aside from the excruciating pain every 5 minutes) was the total lack of info, despite being told it's 'normal'. It's not that normal when hardly anyone has it (well, there seem to be 2 of us on here).

mummynoseynora · 14/09/2010 12:11

I had this with both mine.... and eventually it turned out both of them were stuck and needed c-sections! I DID however eventually get into established labour with number two... and waters broke etc but he was still stuck!

Get checked - I was in and out for a few days with DC2 before they kept me in (and that was only because of the snow happening!)

SelinaDoula · 14/09/2010 12:13

Its actually alot more common than people realise, and the reason I first became a Doula.
I supported a friend who had 4 days of contractions/pre labour, I never planned to be at her birth, but she was so tired and in so much pain.
Thats where a Doula can be really helpful because women usually get turned away from hospital/birth centers until they are in active labour (3/4cm's) and you can feel very alone.
There were some good links about it on a previous message on here but I can't find it!
Selina

TheChewyToffeeMum · 14/09/2010 12:14

I had this too - not quite so long (39hrs) though. Mine was a VBAC and baby was lying back-to-back.

Eventually the tiredness meant I could no longer manage the relaxation/visualisation methods and needed real pain relief. My husband took me in the hospital, I was 3cm dilated but exhausted. He refused to take me home and we persuaded them to let me have an epidural even though it was "far too early for strong pain relief". 20 mins after the epidural was inserted the contractions became much more coordinated and regular, I dilated steadily and DS was born 8 pain-free hours later.

I think the pain and tiredness were eventually inhibiting my labour and I truly believe I would have ended up with another section without the epidural.
Only you know how much more you can take - don't be afraid to ask for help if you think you need it.

mrsgordonfreeman · 14/09/2010 12:24

Yes, I had a doula, who was excellent when I thought I couldn't cope any more.

As it went, she certainly rescued me from an induction and epidural.

Marylou242 · 14/09/2010 14:13

I had this too for about 5 days before! I was getting so tired and fed up, so went along to the MLU I was booked into and they did a sweep. I was already 3cms but it really kicked things off properly and I had him 12 hours later.

So if you can get someone to do one, it's worth a try.

Chaotica · 14/09/2010 15:19

Having a sweep stopped my contractions (done when I was 3cm). DD was contrary even then

I have to say I wouldn't have stuck it out so long if it hadn't been for very good MWs. They were also so positive and unflustered that DD wasn't a c-section (by a couple of minutes). Only the next day did a MW pop round and say she was very surprised about that.

Original poster

AppleMama · 14/09/2010 17:10

Big thanks to everyone for all your kind advice. I am glad to hear I'm not the only one who has been through this. I am trying to relax, rest and stay as positive as I can, and will definitely give the spinning babies techniques a try. If there is still no progress by tomorrow, I'm going to demand help at the hospital- be it a sweep or other alternatives.

OP posts:

Chaotica · 14/09/2010 17:30

Glad to hear you're fine - I hope things get going soon.

cathn · 15/09/2010 12:49

Just found this link about 'warm-up labour' posted in another thread:
birthchoices.co.uk/warm-up-labour/

I found it really interesting and useful.

MagnumIcecreamAddict · 15/09/2010 13:02

I had this - stop start labour (few hours off each day) from early hours of saturday and gave birth monday evening (entirely normal delivery within 2.5 hours of arriving at hospital). So it doesn't mean that you'll have problems when it finally comes to the end stages.

It is exhausting though. Please try to sleep whenever you can, you may not get much chance after delivery. Take paracetamol and have baths. I used natal hypnotherapy which was great, but try to stay relaxed.

Best of luck, and just keep telling yourself it's nearly over and it IS worth it, a hundred times over.

Chathappy · 16/09/2010 19:43

I'm going through this right now! It's been about 20 hours now of irregular but sometimes quite painful contractions (some horrible, some not so bad!)... It's my 3rd dc after 2 sections previously. Second was elcs but the first was an emcs after failure to progress and I only got to about 5cm.

At the moment I feel so disheartened as it feels like my first labour all over again which was awful. Starting to wonder if I should have had the elcs 2 weeks ago

I've been doing hypnobirthing but this is so mentally challenging and tiring, I can't sleep through it. I just want it to kick up a gear so at least I can go to the hospital and have options then!

Not sure how much longer I can take it now.... My first labour was 2 days and nights like this and I was still 2cm when I got to the hospital

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