in slow lonely labour any help?

[thewill]

Im in labour with 2nd and at home alone, but it keeps stopping and starting , and has now stopped all together.
Any tips on how to get it going again, or any similar experiences.
Have also sent son to MIL, so don't even have him to keep me company!

Good luck thewill!! Afraid can't give you any tips but thought your post looked all lonely!

Oh the stop starts are difficult aren't they - have you had a show or waters broken or is it contractions that are telling you you're in labour?
I had this stop start for about a week before properly going into labour - I could time them to every 10 mins for up to 6 hours and they'd disappear...

Walkings good if you're in situation I was in - wouldn't think ok if waters have broken...

Warm but not hot bath with comfrey oil in burner

nothing much else to suggest - more will be along soon with far better advice just didn't want your post to go unanswered

Good Luck

thewill - I would suggest NOT walking.... but resting before it becomes very intense!

No waters broken yet, I was woken up by them at 2, and had contractions every ten mins or so till five, then they stopped just in time for everyone else to get up, so v knackered now.
has any one tried reflexology/pressure points?
Thanks for replying, didnt expect any one to.

Thewill.... you have just made "my" point - GO TO BED - when your contractions start again you will be thankful for the hour or so of sleep you could have now !

the only thing I can think of is (if you have them) go upstairs sideways

Hope everything speeds up soon!

I think you are very early on... have you thought of feeling your cervix?

I keep trying to sleep, but too stressed about it all, so have decided to watch home improvement for a while.

Agree really try and get some sleep. Maybe nice warm bath and then bed.

Take two paracetamols.... taht will calm you down

I think i might get stuck if on the stairs sideways, could be embarrasing when in laws bring back son.
is it possible to feel your own cervix?
(could also be embarrasing if miss-timed with in laws!)

Of course it is.
Wash your hands
Sit on toilet
Use middle finger, insert and feel...
Does your cervix feel soft, can you feel baby's head ?
Is your cervix "near" the exit or did you have to reach to find it ?
Could you put your finger in your cervix (dilation) - though 2nd time mums should have a slighlty open cervix anyway.
The thickness of your cervix could be a good indicator.

Pupuce what are you on?
previously she hadn't said she was tired - just in labour... at 41+6 weeks I'd have tried anything to get labour to establish... don't know why you have to shout in capitals or stress your point.

Whatever thewill decides to do I hope it helps her to know there are mums out there thinking of her

Pupuce is advising good midwife advice - resting in early labour will help her when things get going later on and will offset some of the exhaustion of late labour....

And on the same point, fiddling with the cervix might just speed things up.

Hi

Can't really offer any tips, only done it once, irregular, back to back contractions and in labour for about 36 hours so don't think in any sort of position to give advice!!....BUT really feel for you going through this without someone to grumble at - I had sworn I wouldn't be a shouty, angry labouring woman, but did end up snapping at hubby when he was milliseconds too slow in coming over to pummel my lower back !

AND I was sick in the fireplace! Thought I did quite well actually considering I had to quickly walk across the room mid-contraction to avoid carpet and floorboards! Poor hubby not v good with the whole bodily substances deal and we drove off to hospital soon after anyway, so it didn't get cleaned up until about 24 hours later, by a very tired dh...and the metal fire guard is still slightly corroded!!!!Ah, memories!
Just thought i'd tell you this to try to distract you from frustrating labour!! Sorry it wasn't a pleasant story!!
good luck!

Sorry -was trying to help. I am not shouting!
When she is not having contractions she isn't in labour and how am I to know she 41 +6?
I support enough women in labour to know they get very tired and the stop and go is exhausting... and she did sasy that she was very knackered which is not surprising.

Thank you all for your help,its just nice to havea distraction to take your mind off it.
At least now when people call with they annoying question 'any signs' I can say yes, instead of just being annoyed.
Enjoyed fireplace sick story, I managed to wait till there was a poor midwife to be on the receiving end of that last time, maybe this time I'll choose Husband.

Hi thewill. Just wanted to say try and get some sleep, and eat some nourishing food to get you through the next few hours.. being sick notwithstanding!
Good luck and let us know how you get on
xx

Good luck do what you feel comfy with ooooh am so excited for you

thank you nice ladies, contractions have just started again, so am hopeful, although 52 hours with 1st labour, so i think ill potter for a while and see what happens.

Good luck

good advice from pupuce as ever

good luck thewill

I had a 52-hour labour with ds and the one thing I learnt from it is get some sleep while you can .

Pupuce, it never occurred to me to check my own cervix - how very sensible.

Enid - are you (still) pregnant??? I'm totally unsure where you are at!

How about a walk somewhere - even round the block. Really speeded everything up for me. Dh and I walked into town (15 mins) and then had to get taxi straight away from town to the hosp as things had sped up so much. 4 hours start to finish.