Help! Any MWs/doulas/wise women of MN know how to slow down/stop labour?

[DitaVonCheese]

Can anyone help? I'm slightly overdue and concerned I might be in very early labour. No contractions yet (I don't think - DC2 as well ) but loads of back pain/cramps and have TENS on and turned up to 60 already. With DD there were only eight hours between contractions eventually starting (had back pain for two days first) and baby being born, including transfer to hospital and 90 min of pushing. This time booked for home birth and worried it will be even quicker.

Thing is I don't want to go into labour tonight! I am knackered and just want to go to bed and my doula is on holiday until tomorrow afternoon.

Is there anything I can do to slow things down in case it is kicking off? Am drinking a glass of wine and thinking about getting in the bath, even though I just want to go to bed (extremely early for me) and don't want to take the TENS off.

Any tips gratefully received

hi Dita, i am a doula.

Unfrtunately you can't really stop labour, do you have a back up doula? I'm hoping so.

A warm bath may slow things down for a bit if it's latent and may enable you to sleep for a while but i fear with 2nd baby, all it would do is wake you up nearer the time when you would have less time to prepare.

How often are ctx? How strong and long? Can you talk through them? Where is dh

I'm a doula too. My DD came the one night my doula was on holiday and all was well - we just managed without her and were glad of all the prep she'd done with us in advance.

As Lia says - do you have a back up - if not maybe your doula can sort one out for you. Where abouts are you?

A bath may slow things down and then sleep could as well - even if things happen in the wee small hours you could get some sleep first?

Have a warm bath and get to bed asap. You might slow it down once you lie down and take the pressure off. I think your body will know when it can cope with the birth, and if you're knackered it will probably hold off till you've had some sleep.
When I had DS2, I was having a home birth. Contractions started at night, and were quite strong by morning. I phoned to speak to the midwife and when she heard my contractions, she sent someone out to me straight away. The contractions were still strong when this midwife arrived, but I really didn't like her and couldn't bear the thought of having her at my birth, so I took myself off to bed for the day and kept off my feet as much as possible. I managed to keep the contractions at bay until that evening when I knew she'd be changing shifts!
By the time I had DS3, I was able to keep the contractions down for about a week so that we had emergency childcare should we need to transfer to hospital (my friend was away till then!). Once in labour, the midwife predicted the baby would be born by eight o'clock in the morning. I said 'it had better be born by 7, as DS2 will be waking up for a feed at 7.30!' Low and behold, he arrived at 5 past 7!
Get to bed and focus on the time your doula will be back tomorrow. Stay in bed tomorrow and will that baby to stay put till you're ready! It can be done!

(but if baby does decide to come out, remember it's you that's doing it, and you can do it with or without the doula! Good luck!)

No contractions yet I don't think hence thinking it was still early enough to slow things down, plus if this is early labour then they were really intense really quick.

No back up doula - we kind of discussed it but I don't think I ever really made a decision and nothing got sorted out. And actually MW this time round is lovely and they seem more pro-hb here (got cancelled at last minute last time). DH is here :)

It's more stupid stuff like this will probably be my last labour and I was looking forward to having a doula and having someone take photos and I don't want to have to have a conversation about whether we should get any money back if she's away (DH and friend think we should, I am too English to ask) so it would be a lot easier if she just came back before contractions start

You are right though, lying down should help shouldn't it? I should just be doing the opposite of everything I'd usually do to get labour established, right? Will have a quick lavender bath and go for a lie down. Feel as though I could sleep instantly despite back pain.

Thanks for the replies :)

if you need sleep dita then you will sleep. Labour will wake you up if it happens no fear.

How many weeks are you? Is doula officially on call? Have to say, I wouldn't have gone away if i had a client in my on call period and no back up, (no getting at your doula, just not me).

Anyway, good, luck, as someone said, you can do this, dh could take pics perhaps? Or if mw is hands off, (which she should be if everything is ok) some will take pics for you at hb.

Hi Dita hope you managed to slow things down overnight. Just wanted to say good luck with it all as our paths have crossed on other threads (might not have been under this nn!).

I am currently 38+5, had doula for DC1 and it was great, but we have opted against it this time as we moved away from the area and couldn't have the same doula again, and my fears about DH not coping were unfounded.

Anyway, good luck!

Thanks again for the replies, much appreciated. I did think of some other less spurious reasons for waiting until the doula got back like childcare for DD if needed.

Glass of wine seemed to do the trick and by the time I got out of the bath and into bed all was quiet. Been more or less awake since about 3.30 with a bit of dozing due to massive period pain style cramps (I don't seem to get contractions early on, just loads of cramping) - really wanted TENS back on but didn't want to wake DH!

I'm 40+6 or 40+3 depending on which dates you go on. I always knew doula was going to be away this weekend so can't blame her really (and it's for a wedding so not moveable), I just thought the odds of going into labour on the very days she wasn't available were pretty slim.

MrsBT I am intrigued but thanks :)

Good luck dita. Hope baby puts in an appearance soon!