What counts as a latent stage or prelabour, and how long can it last?

[fuckityfuckfuckfuck]

I've had a spare morning today and have been browsing the threads from when I was expecting my ds, and I was convinced he was going to arrive imminently a whole month before he actually did I still have just over 3 weeks to go this time and am having the same niggly feelings which make me feel that things could kick off anytime, but having read back old posts I may be here for the longhaul I have a lot of period type pains, almost constant braxton hicks when I'm upright, some achiness in the top of my thighs and just a general feeling of being on edge. All of which I KNOW is pretty standard at this stage of pregnancy I suppose. With ds I was extremely lucky that all of the long build up must have done a lot of the hard work as he was a very straightforward 3.5 hour birth, despite being overdue and back to back. This one is also back to back now after a while of being every possible way he could squirm into and it makes me wonder if I go overdue (dd was also posterior and very late) because pressure isn't being put on the right place so to speak? I wonder if my babies would be on time if only they were in the right position. I also read recently on a thread that the OP position makes it more likely for your aters to go at the beginning, which has certainly been the case for me. So now I'm worried about gushing in public
But rambling aside, can a prelabour really last as long as a month? Or is all of this just late pregnancy niggles?

Hi fuckity firstly - I was pleased to hear your baby had turned :) (it was you on my ECV thread wasn't it? - sorry if not!). Secondly, I'm interested in this too as have had lots of 'warming up' BH's and period pains for over a week now. This is my DC1, and I know that this could go on for weeks, and I am bracing myself for the possibility of going all the way to induction, but I wondered how likely this is, if you're having bad period pains etc. at 36/7 weeks and beyond....I can't really find an answer anywhere! Probably because it's all such an unknown.....

It was me :) I had a different midwife this time as my lovely usual one has gone on leave. Sher said she could see what the other one meant about confusing a head with what appears to be a very bony bottom but she's pretty sure he's head down, and definately back to back. Of all the wonky presentations I've had over the last month, I'll take back to back gladly, I've done it before and know I can cope. I clearly just carry them that way. It's interesting to see that I felt just the same with ds, I searched all my posts in the last month of my pg with him and was amazed at how similar things seem to be going. He was born at 40+8. I honestly can't remember with dd, she was 40+11 and induced. I just feel odd. My thoughts are completely overwhelmed with the birth, I can literally think of little else. I do feel kind of 'in the zone', and I suppose it's better to be prepared, but if it goes on like this for 5 more weeks I'll drive myself and everyone else potty. I'm also not sure I can deal with these pains, they're small in the grand scheme of things, but my back ache has become constant and uncomfortable. Even the upset tummy I had at the weekend, which I was sure was a sign of things happening, happened with ds too, and meant nothing. Damn unpredictable babies

I had the same with DS and its starting with DS2 now too (6 weeks to go!!)

For at least a month before he was born, I got period type cramp and a slightly upset stomach. It also felt like he was so low down that I kept half expecting him to pop his head out and say "peepo"

DS was engaged by this time, I have a midwife appt tomorrow and wont be surprised if DS2 is (though I know second babies can pop in and out a few times)

For DS2 the period type cramp is much worse and I'd def call it full blown Braxton Hicks' this time.

I think medically, they count prelabour/latency as anything from vaguely getting started, up to 4cm dilation?

Btw, just curious, did you have a quick labour after a long latent stage?

Ahh, just spotted you said you did in your OP!

I had a four hour labour too.
I remember reading before a theory that everyone experiences about the same amount of labour, some have a longer latent stage and short active labour (like me or you), some have it all in one go, so it seems like they have a longer labour, but they havent been going for the whole month beforehand!

Glad it's not just me. I was 3 cms dilated for at least a week before I had ds, and when my waters went (first sign of labour, stright into contractions), I got to 6cms in less than an hour so I do think all the crampiness was doing something. I just can't stand the very real feeling that it could happen any minute. I think a lot of it is gettign used to engagement- he's been out of my pelvis for several weeks so to have him feeling so low has to have made a difference. It's also made my nesting go into overdrive as I just cannot settle til I know that if things happen I'll be coming back to a spotless home

gah, I feel very similar. Due on 16th March, last one was 3days overdue, now getting painful back, BH(i think) and had a dicky tummy today; constant period pain all day. Been feeling really nauseous as well today; just wondering; sort of think it is all in my mind; but really want to get the moses basket out and get the birthpool pumped..... but unlike you guys I had a 28 hour labour with DD and so am expecting things to take a while.

Well... probably see you in 5 weeks still with a football bump up my jumper.

thegauntlet, you never know. My first baby was a horrible 14 hour labour so I was expecting more of the same with ds. If I'd known how easy it would be I would have been able to enjoy(?!) the labour a bit more as it really was a fantastic experience. But in my head I was thinking that I had hours and hours more to get through. I bloody hope I'm not starting an overdue bitching thread in a months time but given my track record for overcooking my dc, I won't bet against it

DD3 was a 3 week pro-dromal labour (at least 3 hours of contractions everyday for 3 weeks - some times up to every 3 mins!) definitely not BH though as I had those at other times during those 3 weeks and they didn't take my breath away where as the others did. I didn't dilate but I did efface during these contractions which I think helped labour progress well.

Labour was fairly quick once it got started and even with me controlling the 2nd stage due to prior knowledge of DD3's massive head it was still only 17 mins of pushing. I think it was under 8 hours which for me is short (DD1 was a 4 day induction epi/pit combo and DD2 was 25 hour HB with 4 mins pushing)

Hopefully once you do go into labour things go quickly for you

3 weeks?! Am off to make a hot water bottle to put on my back and hopefully get some sleep. I feel a bit nauseous with the pain now but I am under the weather anyway I think, see you all here in a month

It was fun - I got to freak people out at children's parties by doing the swaying labour dance leaning on friends shoulders in between chasing my elder two about, though some people were clamouring for the hostess to call for an ambulance as I was about to give birth (DD3 arrived about 2 weeks after that!).

I did have a lot of paracetamol, hot baths, hot water bottles, lots of walks and spent a lot time rocking on my birth ball - it still wasn't worse than period pains, sort of more intense and lost the ability to talk through them but it wasn't so bad really.

So, it could still be a long while then...and I had less period pain yesterday! Ah well, will continue to plan a 4 week social butterfly calendar that I'll hopefully end up cancelling..... 38+2 today!

Pains have died down here too, and sleeping with hot water bottle on my back was bliss. I'm feeling a bit now though as I clearly felt the baby completely somersault this morning, which felt horrible, and now I can feel his hiccups at the top of my bump . I do think he's going to keep doing this til he's born, which makes things interesting I suppose.

As I thought, went to my midwife appt today and DS2 is engaged already. Unlike everyone hoping for early births though, he isnt ALLOWED to come early. I will not let him. I will cross my legs and he is staying put until at least 39 weeks.
(my sister is getting married at the end of March and I'm a bridesmaid)