How did your contractions start off?

[Lilonetwo]

A question to all mother's not just those who were induced...

I am due my second baby soon. My first was an induction (on the oxytocin drip from beginning, no pessary).

My contractions went from 0-100, there was no build up and it was quite a shock. They were incredibly strong every 1-2 mins and back to back contractions almost immediately. There was no time to talk between contractions. So I found it exhausting as the labour took 20 hours from the beginning of these intense contractions until baby was born (epidural and EMCS in the end).

I hated being strapped to the bed from the start (drip in arm, bump monitor, blood pressure cuff, finger heart-rate monitor meant I couldn't really move off the bed or change position easily.)

I am trying to decide whether to have VBAC or ELECS. My questions are:

How did your contractions start/ramp up?

Did you count your 'time in labour' from first contraction or from when things really ramped up? If my contractions come every 5 minutes, I think I could manage another long labour but not if they are so close together to quickly.

Or was my labour pretty standard and I am making a big deal out of nothing?

Help me decide VBAC or ELCS. From what I have read it seems with a VBAC they will insist I am monitored in the same way?

Some people have told me having an ELECS 'is cheating' 'dont you want to experience a natural birth?' (I don't believe this but am conscious about what other think... obviously I shouldn't...)

Sorry to ramble, I am anxious!

My first was spontaneous, few easy contractions one day then they stopped. The next day or two my waters went and contractions came hard and fast and was the same through until baby arrived. - strapped to bed.

2nd, I was induced as she didn't want to come out. Pessary was inserted and hour or so contractions started hard and fast coming every 1-2 minutes then every minute until baby arrived - I could get up and move.

3rd was pretty much the same as second although it too, 2 pessarys to get me going.

I never seemed to have a build up of contractions, just felt like constant contractions too. Labours were between 3-5 hours.

2nd labour was biggest baby and back to back but easiest labour for me and manage with no pain relief.

Don't listen to anyone who says that about the section, complete nonsense.

Similar to me in that once your labour started, contractions were so hard and fast from the beginning. Glad your labours were relatively fast though!

A crystal ball would be nice sometimes wouldn't it

First Baby the contractions built up over time, started at lunchtime 30 mins apart then by evening were 3 mins apart. For the next 35 hours they were between 1-3 mins so agony but you get to explore all pain relief options!
Second baby due any day and hoping for much quicker.
Don’t listen to people about ELCS, it’s none of their business and as long as the baby arrives safely that’s the main thing. Plus down the line no one is going to ask or be fussed. My DSis1 has 3 kids, all ELCS and no one brings up how they came in to the world compared to my DD1. Also find most people who judge haven’t been through it or aren’t informed fully of all facts. Go with what gives you least anxiety. Happy Mum, happy baby. Good luck!

Dc1 - waters broke in my sleep, contractions started 15 minutes later and baby arrived 4 hours later.

DC2 - felt ill and had upset tummy and was very sick, waters broke, contractions started immediately and baby arrived 45 minutes later!

SC3 - diagnosed as footling breech and c-section booked later on in week. Next day waters broke, contractions started 20 minutes later and baby born hour and a half after waters broke by emergency c-section.

In all labours the contractions started coming close together right away so that was counted as the time that labour started.

After having both natural births and a c-section, I would say that the recovery from the c-section was much harder and longer and if I had a DC4 (will not be !) I would have a VBAC.

Also wanted to add, at the end of the day the most important thing is a healthy mother and baby and safe delivery so you decide what's best for you, not what other people think. Best of luck with it all.

I had a spontaneous labour and they came hard and fast 3 mins apart.

If you decide on Vbac can you opt for epidural straight away? They do say 2nd babies tend to be easier and quicker, can you try get sweep?

I had an induction with my first labour, so like you was completely unaware what spontaneous labour would feel like. It was something that worried me quite a lot, I remember asking the midwife/consultant and just got the whole “every pregnancy/labour is unique.....no two are alike”🤨.....not entirely helpful.
Anyway fast forward the evening before my due date, I woke up around 11pm with stomache ache as if I needed the toilet and it started from there. My contractions were very fast and intense from the get go really, every 2 mins apart straight away. By the time I got to the delivery suite at 1.10 am I was 8 cm dilated . I had DS at 2.16 am so it was all over with in a little over 3 hours. I can honestly say I was not expecting it to be so speedy

My contractions always built up over hours. Today is my due date for #4, I REALLY don't want an induction 10 days from now because I think it messes up the natural progress of a labour.

I usually start contracting and have maybe 5hrs or so of manageable ones with no cervix progress really. Then a sudden switch up that makes me vomit and lose control and at that point they come hard and fast for about an hour and I dilate from 2-10cm usually in that short time. Pushing was very quick with #2 and very slow with #3 as she was b2b.

But I think if your waters don't break first and you haven't been induced the build up would tend to be slower and more controlled.

Every labour is different though so there's no typical pattern you can really rely on.

First labour, I was induced on the drip, like you, no pessary. My contractions were full on from the start like yours. It was horrendous pain and no epidural offered. It was my first so I had no idea it was more painful than a non induced labour....I thought the pain I was in was 'normal'

Second baby...contractions started naturally in the morning. 12 hours later, my DD was born...only last three hours were in the delivery room. Contractions started off not too painful and got progressively worse and closer together towards the end. They were far less painful than my first labour.

First time they started very slowly, really wasn't sure if it was just a bit of an achy belly or not, and they built up slowly over two hellish days. Second time, they were painful and close together right from the off. So much so, I thought it must be really bad indigestion or appendicitis or something. First two were 5 apart, then they were pretty much 2 mins apart after that and very strong - none of the preamble you get with the first one. And I've heard that's quite common.

So if it's the same for you, you might have a much better experience. I got to the hospital mooing second time round, and the midwife just said 'she's ready, room two' and had the baby within the hour. Having less time means less time for things to go wrong, and therefore for interventions to happen, which is when I felt it all spiralled out of control the first time.

Second time didn't hurt any less but it all being over in a matter of hours means you don't have that feeling of having been run over by a bulldozer for a week afterwards!

One of my NCT crew had exactly your situation first time, ending in EMCS, and she went for VBAC next time round and everything went really well. She was nervous about it but, although I think she did still have the monitoring, it all went much more smoothly and she had the baby with just a bit of gas and air in a few hours. You can always ask for intermittent monitoring instead if you don't want to be hooked up.

If the VBAC is really going to ruin your life with the worry in the run-up though, I'd consider the ELCS. Could you talk to your midwives and ask someone to go through your old notes with you? Sometimes they do this and you'll be able to pinpoint 'the thing' or 'the moment' when things took a turn for the Holby City, and that might make you feel less worried if you can see clearly that it was a one-off or something that could be avoided again?

Fingers crossed for you, OP. You never can tell but I'd say you've a much better chance of smooth run at it second time round. Do come back and tell us how it went afterwards!

My last Labour (baby now 12 weeks) was an induction and as you describe above. I found it hard to cope because , as you say it went from 0-100 in a flash and I was stuck on a bed being monitored. Luckily my son was born easily within 5 hours but it was completely overwhelming.I was in shock for a while afterwards.

However when my dd11 was born it was spontaneous labour and it progressed slowly over 10 hours. I coped well with no pain relief because I was able to move around and had time to adjust. I spent most of the labour at home and felt more in control.

I've only had the one experience, but with mine they were 2-3 mins apart from the first contraction and DD was born just over five hours later, so it was pretty intense from the off for a first labour

I had a short labour of 7 hours from first contraction to baby being in my arms, Pretty good for a first baby. Contractions were pretty calm until I got to the last hour when my contractions ramped up as I suddenly dialated from 2cm to 10cm xx

What a mix of labours (as expected really, but good to read about) Thank you for your input.

Mine came on pretty quickly after my second S&S (midwife said I was around 4cm dilated already at this point but I had no pain) I was in the bath, it wouldve been around 7pm, I was almost 10 days overdue and booked in for an induction the next morning.

They were pretty mild to begin with but very quickly progressed from being every 4-5 minutes to every 1-2 minutes and within the hour it was just like one massive, constant contraction!

The pain was mostly in my lower back. Managed to get to hospital, was in a lot of pain by this point. Was eventually examined at around 9:15pm, obviously I had to lie on my back which was absolute agony! Was so much more comfortable stood up. Anyway MW said that by that point I was 6-7 cm.

Got sent a room and got in the bath which eased the pain immensely. MW was out of the room for quite some time and DP had fallen asleep. I felt my waters pop and felt the urge to push but couldn’t wake DP. Eventually the MW came back in and made me get out of the bath (which I was most pissed off about) so she could examine me. She asked my partner to run me a fresh bath and then said ‘oh no, you’d better turn the taps off, I don’t think we’re going to have time to get back in the bath.’ I had 10 minutes pushing (on my knees as I refused to get on my back) and DD was born at 1:45am.

I seem to remember that they had fun and games trying to get my placenta out and I lost quite a bit of blood, the midwife even said ‘if you keep bleeding like that you’ll be dead by moring’ Which I chuckled at at the time but DP was absolutely furious about.

I was also induced on the drip and pretty much same start to and pattern of contractions as you OP (although sorry to tell you mine lasted 5 hours not 20!)

What I would say is that despite having a drip in, a band across my belly and then one of those baby heart rate monitors up my foof clipped onto baby's head, I was only lying on the bed for the pushing stage. Your midwives should be able to help you remain mobile for as long as you want to remain mobile.

I’m a first time mum , haven’t got the slightest idea on what to expect , unsure as to whether I’m in early labour or not , had a show on the Sunday just gone , felt really horrid since then (tummy cramps and Braxton Hicks ) (also feeling sick) , today I’ve felt really bad and all of a sudden got a bad case of the poos , now everything feels strange , not sure as to what’s happening can someone please help on what’s normal ? 😊

First dc- waters broke and had blood in so went to hospital where contracton started pretty much straight away. Quite mild to begin with, very irregular and all in my back. I was told I needed to labour I hospital because of the bloody waters. Throughout the day contractions became more intense and were properly painful (but still irregular ). At night I was transferred to the mlu but didn't progress enough so in the morning I was induced on the drip. After an hour on the drip the contractions hit like a truck- every minutes or so but like you ds was back to back so I had no respite between them. This was about 8 am ish. Ds was born at 1.30 pm and I can honestly say that those 5 hours have scarred me. Long after ds started sleeping through the night I was still waking up thinking about it.

Dc 2- days upon days of Braxton hicks, uncomfortable all of the time, false starts etc. Went for a sweep at 38 weeks and the mw considered keeping me in monitoring as the Braxton hick were so strong. But dd wasn't for moving! 40+4 I was officially the grumpiest human alive. Midnight I had a humongous contracton, quickly followed by another. Got my sister over to watch ds and went to hospital at 2.30 am. Told I wasn't in labour and should go home. I was in agony and explained that the contractions felt like 'proper, strong about to have a baby ones'. Told I wasn't in labour and to go home. Begged to stay and they let me sit in the closed induction suite. Dd was born at 5 am there in the induction suite. Birth was actually lovely because of the sheer relief that she was coming! I wish they had listened to me (and didn't keep calling me by the wrong name).

Don let people tell you how you should be having your baby.

Julie sounds like you're good to go! Good luck!

OP I had similar experience to you with #1 - drip straight away (and passed out trying to get the cannula in ) then hard and fast contractions from the start. I lasted 3 hours with only a TENS machine for pain relief and then lost it and got on the G&A but think it was too late by then. I ended up with an epidural - which I had been dead set against beforehand - and gave birth on my back on the bed; the complete opposite of my birth plan!

I was very anxious with #2 for the same reasons as you. I was worried about how I'd cope with 'real' contractions and stressed about whether I should just ask for an epidural from the off.
When it came to it, I was having contractions without even realising - very mild period pains over the course of a week, then went in for monitoring for reduced movement and the monitor picked up contractions. The midwife gave me a sweep and I was contracting within an hour. Went home and was back in within 2 hours, 6cm dilated and gave birth 2 hours later using just G&A.
It was the best experience and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm glad I gave myself the chance to do it the way I'd wanted the first time - although I'd always dreamed of a water birth
I did loads of natal hypnotherapy meditation and went to some great antenatal Pilates/yoga/birthing classes that were really helpful in explaining exactly what happens during birth and kept me up to date with all the new ideas and techniques (rotate to dilate worked for me!).

Either way, we're all bloody heroes and whatever happens you should be proud of yourself! Sending loads of luck and golden light to you!

I think she’s b2b to be honest , getting a whole lot of painful pressure down below to the point where it feels like my insides are going to fall out ( sorry tmi) felt nauseous since having my show , had regular Braxton Hicks yesterday every 5 minutes or so , today loads of pressure with period pain crampy feeling all around the top and bottom of tummy , with backache , mw is going to phone me Tuesday if I’ve not had dd by then for a sweep doing but I found I bleed really easy as I have an ectropion on the outside of my cervix , unsure now as to whether they’ll go straight to induction

@babyinthacorner hopefully something happens soon then , constantly needing to do a #3 and often too scared to do a #2 incase anything happens 😂😩 I have less than a week left hopefully something starts soon , drinking this raspberry leaf tea starts tightenings but then they ease off 😐 fristrating

Have some paracetamol and go to sleep Julie! You may be needing all of the energy you can muster soon!

@InDubiousBattle paracetamol is a no go for pain relief , I’d have co-codamol but it sends dd crazy wild with movements , had about 2 hours sleep for the past 3-4 months I’ve kinda got used to it

First time round I had a stop start labour for ten days. I even went into hospital twice ( each time it stopped
On arrival), we eventually went in the third time when OH was on the phone to the midwife and she heard me.

Second time I was induced and they went from nothing to 3 in 10 very fast. Lucky I was in a private room with an ensuite. I woke up and had an overwhelming desire to have a shower. So I had a shower using the second shower head on my belly during contractions. It was very fast and I could never get into a rhythm with them which was really hard.
I was able to give birth in a pool as there was water monitors.

But each birth is different. Think about which bits of birth are important to you. Is it the first breastfeed? Is it having your mum/sister there? Is having calm music? Blah blah then work out how those things can fit with different types of birth.