4th labours - do they stop and start?

[SmallShips]

Had a sweep on Wednesday am, bloody show at 9pm after a lot of painful, regular contractions that stopped as soon as I stood up and didn't restart until yesterday morning at 11am, they continued all day painfully but without any sort of pattern to them. Had another huge show last night after a DIY orgasm and I'm still pregnant 40+5 today.

How do I get things to start properly?!

No advice I'm afraid, but watching with interest as I am 4 weeks off number 4!

I had this with my second- I had on and off contractions and a massive show, they died down and I could rest for a night and then they would restart, I got really fed up and asked my DH to take me to the labour ward as its an hrs drive away from me, from the look of me I think the midwife thought I was having a laugh as I was walking smiling and chatting - she examined me and could not believe how stretchy my cervix was and said that DS could come any time, I have always needed to have my waters broken - they broke my waters and DS was here 5 minutes later. I never had regular contractions, although I did have periods say 6 hrs where they would be frequent and strong but nothing like with my first. Good luck

Sorry to tell you but yes 4th labours can often start and stop lots. My 5th one did this on and off for 3 weeks at the end of pregnancy. Hope things really get going soon. Ask your midwife for another sweep. I only seemed to make real progress after each sweep. It took three before I went into labour properly.

My second did this, started with regular contractions on my due date, ev 6 mins for 7hr went to bed they died down got back up they restarted again, all day for ev 6 mins, period pains an backache loss of show it carried on this way till I had him at 40+5 xx

I don't know but try to keep moving.

My first was 8hrs start to finish, my second was 3.5 hours all in, but my third kind of started around 2pm, very vaguely, then on and off all afternoon, I didn't know it was even labour - and only properly kicked off about 9pm. But evvery time I sat down, it stopped, and then when I got up and walked around it began again.

I had him at 1am in the end, after lots of enforced lying down, but I think it'd have been a lot faster if I'd been able to stay at home and keep moving. I think he'd have been out by 11-midnight tbh.

Good luck xxx

It's not the same thing really but I've been contracting on and off for four weeks now. I started at 27 weeks and it was all very dramatic. I'm still pregnant after four weeks of having contractions on and off. Sometimes they can last for hours at 3-5 minutes apart I think that this is going to prevent number five from even being considered...

Yep I had this with no four but once lab our started properly he was born in under an hour, it was very intense but quick, he was two weeks late tho.

Well he was born yesterday at 7am after yet another false start. Went to hospital, had dilated to 3cm but was not in established labour, midwife gave me a sweep and pulled my cervix forward. I was sent to the ward for discharge where it all kicked off and I gave birth 2 hours later!

Congrats on your baby :) xx