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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Yet another childbirth is this it thread

282 replies

Katy44 · 26/04/2007 00:11

Hi everyone
Started having contractions at about 7pm, only coming every half hour or so so went to bed before 10.
Don't know how often they're coming (still not very often) but I can't sleep through them now. Plus they seem to go on for ages - I thought at this early stage they would be fairly quick.
I don't really know what I want to know except I thought I'd go to sleep and they'd be gone by the morning (was expecting to go 2 weeks overdue). Does this sound like it, or will it probably go on for the next 10 days?

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colditz · 27/04/2007 08:24

baby coming katy44

When they start to take your breath and make you shout, that usually means the baby is on it's way.

colditz · 27/04/2007 08:25

Try getting on your hands and knees and wriggling about a bit - it relieved me

colditz · 27/04/2007 08:27

Also - have some breakfast

Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 08:31

Have just had 2 cheese sandwiches
As I've said before I never forget to eat.
The MW advised paracetemol and sleep. I've had 2 lots today though so would like to ration the rest (painkillers that is, not sleep)
Off to do some bum wiggling now. But as of 3 and a half hours ago I'm not in labour so I'm not getting my hopes up.

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Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 08:34

erm colditz, just realised you didn't actually mention bum wiggling Just my interpretation then

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eca · 27/04/2007 08:34

breathe breathe breathe. Is anything helping? Massage? Walking? I stomped round the house through mine, even venturing into the garden to get some cool air - goodness knows what the neighbours thought, it was 10pm!

and it's that they are flipping PAINFUL - not that you have a low pain threshold, so don't beat yourself up about that. xx

colditz · 27/04/2007 08:34

3 and a half hours ago you weren't in labour - doesn't mean you're not now. Have a very warm bath - it might help to muffle the pain a bit, and you may doze off in there.

take the phone with you though.

eca · 27/04/2007 08:36

LOL at bum wiggling go shake ya bootie girl!!!

Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 08:37

eca - walking and hanging from doorways is the only thing that helps which is why it's so hard to sleep! Although I haven't tried all fours yet.
Am planning to try a bath as soon as I'm brave enough to take the TENS off.

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Emmymummy · 27/04/2007 08:39

Katy - when I was having dd I went into hospital as the contractions were 5 mins apart and painful. They examined me and told me I would be ages yet, and sent me home again. A couple of hours later I went back in again as I knew I was in established labour and they wanted to send me home again. I refused to budge, so they put in in the bath. Lo and behold things moved very swiftly from there on, and dd was born a couple of hours later. So, listen to your body, if you want to go to hospital and stay there and get settled down, then do it!

Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 08:45

How did you know you were in established labour?

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eca · 27/04/2007 08:46

wow katy, it really does sound like your body is seriously starting to bring this baby along! Try not to see it as "not in labour yet". Stuff (highly technical term there ) is happening and different people take different times. I think it can be really unhelpful when the hospital says you're "not in labour yet". Mmmm... you're not in what they class as "ready-to-take-a-bed-up-in-our-ward labour" yet. But the pain is definatley REAL and HAPPENING!

lol at not daring to take tens off. I havn't a clue if mine did anything, but there was NO-WAY i was taking it off in case.

Do you think Maveta's asleep or off to hospital? Surely she wouldn't go without telling us!!

colditz · 27/04/2007 08:47

When I went into established labour I started screaming my head off, although it's different for everyone. The contractions got a lot longer too, they were lasting a full minute, rather than 20 seconds.

colditz · 27/04/2007 08:48

I was 'not in labour yet' with ds2 until 1.5 hours befopre I had him!

Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 08:48

The contractions are actually coming less frequently now though

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Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 08:49

colditz, that sounds hopeful!
She said that the contractions need to be every two minutes, lasting a minute (so I see that as a minute on and a minute off). So that seems to agree with what you're saying.

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eca · 27/04/2007 08:54

i don't have a clue when I went into established labour. I would echo EM though Katy, if you feel you need to go back to hospital, then go. Even though you now feel like it will be years it could all happen really fast.

Right need to go and feed ds. Will check back on you later. Keep going lovely, you can do it. xxx

Emmymummy · 27/04/2007 08:55

Katy - established labour? Well the contractions were coming every 3 mins or so, and weren't easing off at all. I really didn't want to get into a situation where I was too far gone to get to hospital in time, I just wanted to 'nest' IYKWIM. Sorry, that's probably not very helpful .

That whole too-ing and fro-ing from the hosp and nesting thing is why I'm having this one at home!

lulumama · 27/04/2007 08:55

don't be sad, it is all helping, have a bath, have a lie down, and get refreshed for the day....x

lulumama · 27/04/2007 08:57

unless you are really contracting regularly, the chances are you are not in established labour and you will be sent home again, also, if you are admitted, you will have to go to the ante natal ward, and it is unlikely your DH can stay with you...which can make things even slower and make things grind to a halt...try to hang on at home....you'l know when it is time, i promise

Emmymummy · 27/04/2007 08:59

Hello Lulumama - I hope you're around when I'm screaming my head off in my lounge in a few days time

Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 08:59

I seem to go from contracting regularly (every 4 or 5 mins last night) to nothing.

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Emmymummy · 27/04/2007 09:00

Aww Katy, this is so frustrating for you. Like lulu says, you just need to grab some rest when you can.

Original poster
Katy44 · 27/04/2007 09:37

Contractions seem to have slowed right down now and less painful. Means that I have dared take my TENS off and am going in the bath and hopefully will get lots of sleep.

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lulumama · 27/04/2007 09:40

i'll be here !! oooh, i love these threads !