Long labour - help

[LillyofWinchester]

I am 40+5, first baby. Had a show last Sunday which has slowly been coming away over the last week, & for the past 4 nights have had intense labour pains all night especially round my back coming regularly but varying in frequency, usually between 5-10 minutes apart.
During the day these have eased so yesterday for instance I managed some sleep between pains which were mild and every half an hour or so. Last night contractions coming every seven minutes and lasting more than a minute, very painful and also shooting pains in cervix, but not frequent enough to go in to hospital as they said to go in when every 5 mins or less.
After 4 nights of this and very little sleep I am exhausted. Any suggestions, is this just what early labour is like? At my last check up the baby was in ROP position according what I can decipher on my notes, could this be making things take longer. Sorry for the sleep deprived ramble, just looking for other similar experiences or advice on what you would do.

No advice but lots of sympathy here. It will be worth it!

Thanks Thistle, I am holding on to that thought too

I had a long prelabour, but not as long as you. Started sat am, full contractions from mon lunchtime, DS born 6pm. So hopefully the prelabour is doing some good.
I found baths helped, but also knocked off the contractions, but at least I got a bit of sleep. Use your tens machine. Take paracetamol regularly up to max allowed.
For getting things going I bounced like mad on the birth ball and up and down the stairs countless times! For good positioning try to spend time on all fours and standing or lying on left side. Avoid slouching on sofa (am currently doing that and know I shouldn't at 27 weeks!)
Very best of luck. Baby is on the way and it is worth it. Eat and sleep whenever you can.

Try to keep moving as much as possible as this will help to shift the baby. This website might have some good advice for you to get the baby to move round, I've heard other people mention it was good, although I haven't used it myself. I had a long build up to my labour with DS - a lot of very uncomfortable braxton hicks for about two weeks - but when it came to it my labour was short and straightforward, so here's hoping it's the same for you.

Thanks guys! Just thought I'd post an update... The baby arrived after all that! 27 hours in labour in hospital though and he didn't turn so ended up a C-section. All ok now though, I think because he was back to back I wasn't dilating enough hence the latent phase going nowhere. Thanks again for the advice.

Congratulations!

Congratulations! I had a long labour too. Its a bummer especially when both your sisters pop them out overnight a week early