What helped you with contractions in early labour?

[RL20]

Will cut it quick as I am in pain!
Waters went last night, went in hospital and was sent home because not contracting etc, first baby so expected longer labour and all of that. Have been contracting since 1am and now they are becoming stronger. Still 'only' having 1 every 10 minutes and have been told I need to be having around 3 in 10 minutes, if not I am booked in for induction from 7.30am. I have no paracetamol at home so that's out if the question, I've just had a really painful one that to me lasted around a minute. What can I do to get through this at home?!?!

Oh and I meant to add, The breathing techniques aren't doing anything for me! Unless I'm doing them completely wrong?! In through the nose and out through the nose but more prolonged when breathing out.

Hot baths/hot water bottle/wheat bag thing, keeping moving as much as I could not necessarily walking but rocking rhythmically over a ball or sat up I probably looked decidedly odd but it helped! and visualization, picturing the pain as a cloud of smoke I had to "blow away" ...other than that, the pethidine helped!
Got a TENS machine?

Thank you, have got a hot water bottle but have forgot to bring it to bed with me. It's probably not helping that I'm in bed but I don't know how else to rest!
No TENS machine - bloody wish I did now though!!!

In through nose, out through mouth, do both slowly (use a count of three or four), when you breathe in, take nice deep breaths, try not to pant or hold your breath. Relax your body, let it go completely floppy during contractions, the more your muscles relax the easier it is to get through, concentrating on relaxing completely is a great distraction. It's hard, but try not to focus on the pain, think of your baby that you are so close to meeting, every contraction is one step closer. Try different positions, for some reason I find being on all fours makes it easier to cope.

So excited for you xx

Hot bath, tens machine if you have one, DP rubbing my back or holding me and swaying (like slow dancing!), slumping over birthing ball and rocking. Movement in general good, try to relax and not tense up if you can. Good luck

Not helping the resting idea either but moving really helped me early on. And a hot bath and max dose of paracetamol every 4 hrs. Eat if you can too or if not, sugary drinks for energy. When I was in the bath, I b blew bubbles during contractions to help with breathing and it really helped!!! If you don't want / can't have a bath you could try blowing bubbles in a bowl of water instead.

Very very excited for you

Just moving much as you can and leaning on the back
Of a chair helped for me. I also used tens but I think it adjust something to concentrate on more than anything.

Good luck!!!!!

I found that rolling my shoulders forward every time I breathed out really helped. Like I was pushing it away with my shoulders. Gave me something to focus on.

This was me six years ago!

Don't walk if your body is telling you to rest.

Leaning over the back of a chair. Rubbing on base of back. Wide low squats during the contraction.

Oh, and second time my doula recommended a glass of wine!

I think that distraction and making sure you keep breathing deeply during a contraction can help. If you think about the contraction it will hurt more.

I suggest you put on some very soothing classical music to distract yourself. The other thing you could try is watching TV or playing on mumsnet. Some people find a warm bath helpful.

Is it in your back? If lying back hurts, try leaning forward. Bath was useless for me because of back pain shower was nice.

Thank you everyone.
Trying as many different positions. Have now got up out bed - reluctantly as I am so tired - and have been in the living room walking around leaning and swaying on the windowsill. I'm now sitting slightly propped up on the sofa with back ache. The thing is though when I walk around my sides start to ache .
All I want to do is cry and go to sleep or to have baby here now! feeling very sorry for myself.

If your body is telling you to rest then rest. Breathing, tens machine and paracetamol got me through a long early labour with first baby. I was contracting 3 in 10 for about 12 hours but was only 2-3cm. Dd was back to back so that was why it was long and painful. Do you know how baby is lying?
Standing leaning over bed and swaying hips helped when contractions got bad and helped baby turn.
If it helps, once I got past 4cm then I was pushing within about half an hour!
Good luck. Hope you're ok x

Thankyou roseybee10. I've tried to rest all night, awake constantly with the pain. Still only contracting probably 2 in 10, so they aren't interested! So I've had a little cry because I'm exhausted and in pain. Had to get out of bed and back on to the settee, I don't know what to do with myself. I have no paracetamol in the house which the midwife didn't seem to get, I had to tell her 2 or 3 times. And it's not like it's readily accessible on a Sunday night, either.
Have been told to call back in half an hour/an hour if it's still the same but because baby is still moving and waters are still running clear/pink, they aren't bothered until 7.30am when I was initially told to call for induction etc.
sorry to moan, just feeling so sorry for myself

You have my sympathies- I had something similar when going into labour slightly prematurely at 4am in the morning! Paracetamol (& ibuprofen) do not work - don't bother and don't take it, as it is not the kind of pain the tablets would be effective against. If any consolation I had a TENS machine in the house with NO batteries in it at the time - argh! - as it was "too early to go into labour!" You can last till 7am, trust me.

Warm bath may help - run a warm bath as though you are using it as a hot tub/ jacuzzi / water birth tub, even if you have no plans to have a water birth at all. ie get someone at home to run this for you.

Massaging the base of the back helped me - may work for you.

Distraction - eg music, watching a funny DVD. Don't be perturbed that you are awake while others are asleep- they're not in labour!

Walking around slowly can help. Prior to getting into the car, it was the only thing that helped me as I was getting a bit red/sore from massages, and couldn't actually get myself into a bath tub because of the position of the baby.

You may also find it useful to distract yourself by checking your hospital bag and making sure there is everything you want, and that you don't pack valuables that might be lost in the hospital.

If you are already booked in for an induction for 7.30am, then in reality you can leave earlier to 1) beat rush hour traffic, 2) have fewer people in the entrance/car park etc, so in effect you can start thinking of going at 6-ish onwards (depending on how far you are from the place) - doesn't hurt to be very punctual (wink). They won't turn you away just because you are early, but bear in mind if your labour ward is normally extremely busy it may be more pleasant waiting it out at home.

Obviously if anything changes significantly between now and 7am which worries you, get in touch with the midwives again.

Best wishes to you and your baby!

PS cry all you want - I've seen other mothers in labour swear, moan, yell, scream, etc. You're entitled to vent. It is %^#@ painful being in labour after all!

A warm bath really helped me.

Was going to post ideas already suggested.

I also found making an 'aah' or an 'Oooh' noise on an outward breath during contractions helped, the louder the better. Remember it is healthy pain (I know that doesn't make it any less intense) and moving you closer to seeing your baby. Leaning up against birthing ball/mantelpiece/kneeling up against bed and swaying my hips really helped me too.

You can do this OP! It sounds like you are doing brilliantly! Sometimes the beginning bit is slow and then it really speeds up. I hope it's like that for you.

DH firmly rubbing/massaging the bottom of my back while I bent over the side of the bed made a big difference.

Not long now OP! Hang in there! Good luck!

Hope you're holding your baby now or very close to it.
Xx

Oh I'm excited for you RL20

Hope you in hospital, baby is here and you are both well

Have you any updates?