So what do I do now?

[rpickett]

I have been in early labour 46 hours now contractions started every 15 mins apart, when they were 5mins I went to the hospital and was told that I am only 2cm dilated and they sent me home and told me to come back when the contractions got worse.

So I go to the hospital again 24 hours later contractions every 2 mins lasting 1 min a time, and have been told the same thing, I'm only 2cm dilated and to go home and wait... wait until when? Baby is crowning?? how am I meant to know when I have dilated enough to go back in, the pain is horrendous and reduces me to tears and is so frequent, I am exhausted due to getting no sleep in 46 hours but I cant keep getting someone over every few hours to watch my children and make the 40min journey to the hospital.

BTW this is my 3rd baby so I know how much labour hurts and this is ridiculous, they cannot offer any other painkillers then paracetamol until I am 4cm.

I'm really annoyed and fed up can anyone please advise?

Phone them am tell them you are coming in, don't take no for an answer! If they try to send you home refuse. You are probably more than 2cm by now anyway, good luck!

Go back and refuse to go home!

And not am

Sorry if my last post seemed quite abrupt, this makes me so angry! You seem quite distressed and they should be taking care of you! I hope you have someone with you who will fight your corner for you, its very hard to be assertive when you are in labour xx

Definitely go back and have baby monitored just in case there is a reason why labour is not progressing. Insist on seeing obstetrician. Hope all goes well, let us know how you get on.

Well I've just got sent home again, had to go in as I got home from the last check and noticed I was bleeding, not a show sort of bleeding neither so phoned them got told to go in and literally got there after a 40min dirve and was just told it was normal, no checks nothing, and send home again, why didn't they just say that on the phone then?

I'm on your behalf! How is the pain now? Do you have a dh/dp with you? They really should not be doing that, I would advise you to contact pals but that obviously does not help now

I'm quite lucky as I have my DH here providing a hand to break if nessacery LOL, he is being very supportive but is as fed up as I am, the contractions have slowed since I took some temazepam (on my GP's advice) to try and get some rest but the pain is definatly worse and I feel as though they think I'm wasting their time.
I will be contacting my community midwife tommorow to discuss a possible homebirth as at least I will be allowed some pain-relief and wouldn't have the added stress of transport and childcare, although I'm afraid it may be too late to change my mind.
I will certainly be contacting Pals over all my experiences over the last 48 hours as I cant believe they can treat pregnant women like this, there are too many first time scared mums out there as it is with no support.

I hope your community midwife is able to help you (if you haven't had the baby by then). I may be wrong but I think they have to send someone out for a homebirth if you refuse to go back to that hospital, fwiw I would be refusing to set foot in that place after the way they've treated you! Are there any other hospitals nearby? I'd be very tempted to call them, it sounds like you could really do with some pain relief tonight!

Good on you for making a complaint, I recently did too (I was that scared first time mum with no support). Good luck, I'll be thinking of you xx

That's rubbish of them! I went in with no 3 at virtually the first contraction, since I'd always had pretty quick labours (turned out no 3 was the longest of the lot- bah!) They let me stay and walk up and down the corridors for hours. Not much fun, but at least I was there! Would they not even let you do that?

Just checking in to see how you're doing. I hope you're snuggled up with a gorgeous newborn right now xx

I had the same sort of experience - slow labour started 8pm on the Friday (40+6) and contractions were a bit all over the place, kept phoning hosp but they were having none of it.

By Monday 8pm contractions were anywhere between 1 and 4 mins apart but getting stronger.

In the end I phoned again and basically told them what they wanted to hear - regular contractions etc. I was 5cm when I was seen in triage so at least things had been happening.

Not sure where you will be now but if you're still at home just try to get some rest (hard I know, I couldn't sleep at all really) but take it easy as you will need strength later.

If you have a TENS machine put it on now (if you haven't already).

Much as those days and nights of slow labour were not a lot of fun, it really honestly didn't get any worse than that. I think the slow build up maybe gives your body time to get used to it rather than a quick labour?

Good luck, hope you are doing OK.

Hope all going well now? Looking forward to hearing good news!
I second Tiokiko- my contractions at 3cm were as painful as it got to be honest, think it was the mental anguish of "OMG its going to get so much worse!" But once in established labour was much better and more purposeful, then had epidural which was fab!
Let us know how you got on!

My MW told me to go in if it got the stage where I couldn't cope, no matter what the contractions were doing.

I'd ask for an exam to see what position baby is in too. Not progressing may be sign that baby is a not-helpful position and positioning exercises might help.

I know my Mum was in labour for ages with my brother, not really progressing and then they discovered he was face presentation so she needed a c-section.

Hi everyone, thank you for your replies, I went to bed last night, didnt really sleep but got up at 4am with in complete agony, much worse then I ever remember with my other DC's, so called my parents at 6am to come and watch DC's/ take me to hospital and even only 5 mins up the road took 2 hours as they had decided they wanted to bathe, walk the dog, eat etc got into hospital at 8.45am and was 7cm dilated within 40mins and only gas and air (no time for anything else) I gave birth to my gorgeous daughter weighing 6.7lbs.

Congratulations - at last!!!!

Enjoy

Ahhh!! Lovely news Rpickett!
Congratulations on the birth of your daughter and wishing you all the happiness!

Thats fantastic news, congratulations

Congratulations, so happy for you and your dd!

Congratulations, that's great news!