3 days of labour and cervix not dilated

[desperateforcoffee]

Hey everyone,

I’m 38+1 and have had on and off contractions for the past 4 days and a whole day of contractions yesterday - however, when I went to triage to get checked over yesterday evening (with contractions every 3 minutes and 1 minute in length) my cervix is still high and barely open. The midwife could feel the contractions so I’m definitely in labour. I was discharged and told to come in again when my waters break, if the pain is unbearable, if movements change or if I start bleeding.

What should I do next? Should I wait for my waters to break miraculously? I’m trying to get some rest in but keep on getting woken up with contractions. I’m absolutely knackered!

FTM and happy to hear of any experiences or wisdom from you lovely lot.

Personally I wouldn't wait until your waters break. They were broken by the MW when I was about 8cm with DC1 abs DC2 was born in hers.

I'd call your MW this morning.

@BunnyRuddington

Personally I wouldn't wait until your waters break. They were broken by the MW when I was about 8cm with DC1 abs DC2 was born in hers.

I'd call your MW this morning.

Thanks for your reply! Luckily I have a midwife appointment later today so will have a chat to her about it then.

How did you get o at the MWs @desperateforcoffee? Hoping it's good news

@BunnyRuddington Hmm she just told me to hang in there - she said because I was having such strong and frequent contractions yesterday, my cervix could be a little more ripe than what was seen yesterday.

I’ve got a stretch and sweep booked in two weeks time and I’ve been given the direct line to the labour ward - so I guess little wins?!

Good luck OP! Get on that birthday ball, walks, shagging, curry, pineapple…. Anything you can!

I'd get drinking some Raspberry Leaf Tea then and maybe have a bath.

Hope it gets going properly fir you soon

Same happened with my friend she ended up going into established labours at 39+5 and he was here within 3 hours x

My waters leaked with dc2 and i was told at 11am, nope cervix still high and closed etc. So i got stomping the corridors until i had the contractions going quite strong and did not move off my birthing ball. By 3pm i was 4cm dilated and she was born at 6pm. My waters didnt go properly until just before i had her!

What you describe can be totally normal. I would say I had similar with ds2 for a couple of weeks before a lovely quick labour at home (3 hrs start to finish).

Sounds like your body is just warming up. Try and do some things you enjoy while they're comparatively easy: swim, walk, relax, whatever

Oh you poor thing you must be shattered. Have you got a tens machine or something to help a little with the pain? Hopefully things will kick off soon.

@desperateforcoffee, do you have an anterior placenta by any chance?

I was in labour for 4 days before I gave birth to my first and my waters didn't break until he literally came out. It was good it was so long as he was premmie so I was able to have steroid injections and everything was fine but it's normal. My contractions were every 10 minutes the whole time and as I was in hospital I got next to no sleep. Try to rest as well as you can, which I know is easier said than done but you need to try to conserve as much energy as you can for the active labour. With my second my waters broke and he was born 2.5 hours later, such a different experience!

@ShirleyPhallus I’ve tried all of those things! DP has put a ban on sex because we had a bleed from sex earlier on - the birthing ball is helping though, I’ve already seen some mucus come away gradually!

@BunnyRuddington Thank you! I’ve been living in the bath lately and have raspberry leaf tea in the cupboard - fingers crossed it’ll work!

@User0ne Thank you! I’m definitely trying to relax when they’re not so bad, I’m so relieved this is relatively normal!

@Lifeisnteasy I have a TENS machine and had the midwife show me how to use it! Maybe I should be using it a little bit more regularly? Thank you!

@Sideswiped I have a posterior placenta! Do people with an anterior placenta have more issues with long latent labour?

Thank you @Hmum0fthree, @ImJustMum and @Cotswoldmama for sharing your experiences, it’s very much appreciated

Ah, ok OP - it was just that I had a very protracted labour with my first DC (and like you contracted every three minutes - right from the start in my case). Ultimately DC was born 'sunny side up' as the midwife put it, i.e. facing upwards rather than downwards. (It meant that the head never put appropriate pressure on my cervix so labour didn't progress as it should.)
I also went on to labour like that with DC2, but they were born facing downwards, after being at the hospital for 1hr 40mins!

@Sideswiped Ahh interesting! At the midwife check today baby is in a good birthing position (head down, back facing outwards) so (in theory) I shouldn’t have too many problems

I guess it’s just not time and baby will be here soon enough and when they’re ready!

Any progress yet @desperateforcoffee?

@BunnyRuddington Ahh thank you so much for asking! Today I managed to lose my mucus plug which could be quite exciting!

The contractions have started to ramp up when they come along but I’m not timing them and just trying to stay a bit more relaxed - it feels like things are progressing slowly!