Help Slow Labour

[Catz]

Please can anyone give me any experience of slow labour. I've been having contractions since 3am yesterday (33 hrs). They've been 5 mins apart since at least 9pm last night (15hrs). Pain almost entirely in lower back. Went to hosp this morning as little movement from baby. Monitor confirmed contractions at regular 5 min interval (and baby eventually moved) but m/w couldn't even feel my cervix. Now back home. Have tried lavender baths, paracetamol etc but pain still bad and still 5 mins. How long can this go on for and how will I know when dilation has started? I'm not sure how long I can last with the 5 min pains.

Thanks

could be bh. are you overdue?

Is the baby lying back to back?

No experience honey, but your doing well.
I knew when i started to dilate - i started to really shake.

Have you got a ball you could sit and rock on?

no m/w says is not braxton hicks - they are too regular and painful. Yes I'm 5 days overdue. I was shaking this morning for a couple of hours. Problem is that I've already not slept for 33 hrs and feeling really drained but nothing has started yet.

The only thing i can advise hun, is if you can sit on the sofa with legs up, try and doze if you can, and eat & drink plenty as your drained already you'll need all you can get later on.

this sounds like my labours catz, much sympathy. unfortunately it can go on a very long time, sounds as though baby may be back to back. i take it you don't have a tens machine - any way to borrow one from hosp? they worked really well for me for the early bits. other than that if you've ever done yoga the relaxation/meditation techniques can be useful. otherwise i'd say save your strength for the long haul, don't go wearing yourself out trying to get things moving. open yourself to possibility of augmentation/epidural etc if they weren't already part of your plan, you may well not need them, but don't feel you've failed if you do - medical help is there for a reason and sometimes despite your best efforts you need to use the help available.

wishing you strength and good luck.

sounds like my experience
my MW advised me to drink loads of sugary lucozade and snacks to get things moving (about 4 hours later it all kicked off)
my baby was also back to back and found being mobile/hands and knees helped as well as sitting on a chair with it the wrong way round so i could lean forwards
good luck ...

rest

if the pains are not unbearable , then rest, keep your energy for labour

raspberry leaf tea with honey in it is good to boost you

try leaning over a birth ball, rocking, and close your eyes, have some nice music on, or silence, and go with it

visualise all the things happening within you

the cervix softening, moving forward, getting ready to open up , to allow baby to come and meet you...all these twinges are doing soemthing positive to help ...

try to focus on the fact you are beginning the journey now to meeting your baby, the journey ends when it ends......

Thanks for the comments. I went to hospital shortly after receiving them and was 7 cm! All went quite quickly from there. Thought I'd post that in case anyone else finds themselves in the same situation.

congratulations

absolutely marvellous, well done xxxxx

yay congratulations! so girl or boy? weight? name? wishing you a blissful babymoon