Can stress delay labour?

[kiki22]

I've been showing signs of labour starting for 9 days now MW guessed on thusday baby would be here by sat but nothing so far. MW today mentioned that the stress i've been under might be delaying labour does anyone know how likely this is?

I seem to be going backward with this whole labour thing and honestly i would rather baby waits til next week have just been told my grandfather has 4 - 8 weeks to live need some time to process do you think my body might know i'm not mentally ready? Or am i just mad?

It could be interfering, yes. Stress hormones like adrenaline interfere with the production of oxytocin, the hormone we need lots of for birth and breastfeeding. Something to do with when we were cave women and giving birth with a saber tooth tiger hanging round not being a good idea.

It's true I'm afraid. Your stress levels indicated to the baby whether it is safe to come out yet. You could be living in a lions cage.

Love hormones and being relaxed tells the baby that there is a safe nurturing environment waiting.

Sorry about your grandad, mine was very poorly when I was pregnant. Not good

kiki22 still hanging around? I'm really sorry about your grandad.

The science behind going into labour is very little understood, in fact no-one knows what triggers the process of going into labour although some of the chemical changes / hormones present when it all kicks off have been identified (which is why fetal fibronectin tests etc. have recently come into play) . I'm not sure it is helpful to say stress causes / prevents going into labour as people may then become more stressed / anxious that their own feelings are stopping them going into labour.

I speak as someone who suffers slightly from the opposite problem, going into labour too early, and have spent hours and hours worrying that being stressed made my waters break early. I have been assured by separate consultants that this is not the case.

Kiki22 have they assessed the position of the baby or bishops score or any of that? How far along are you? I'm so sorry to hear your Grandad is very ill, I hope he lives nearby so you can spend plenty of time with him.

Thank you he is close by yes, he is very ill and has told us he just wants to go, he feels like he's living a nightmare so we are just glad he will not have to suffer much longer as he has been for a while :(

I'm 39+1 so still early i'm not to worried about when i go into labour the only problem is all these signs and the fact MW told me she thought it would happen by Sat! The woman in my family tend to give birth early i think the latest baby was 3 days late so wasn't surprised at getting signs early it's the waiting now thats getting me down, I've had period cramps and false contractions for 10 days plus other things now every time i wonder is this it then it comes to nothing it's enough to drive you mad.

MW said baby is ready to come from a physical point of view good size in the right place all the right things happening i just need to wait. I actually feel more relaxed knowing it could be the upset thats delaying it for some reason will just wait til bubs is ready.