How long (and painful) can the latent phase be?

[helenpettigrew]

Happy Xmas everyone. I've been in the early stages of labour (not established) since Sunday evening with irregular but frequent and excrutiatingly painful contractions. I'm 41 weeks today. The baby is, or certainly was, posterior lie so this may account for increased pain. We went in to hospital early on Christmas morning but as I wasn't in 'true' labour we went home. I had a show on saturday night. Has anyone experienced such a painful and lengthy latent stage? The pain feels like someone is trying to break my back open; it also stretches round my lower abdomen is felt in my bottom! I'm getting a bit desperate!!! Anyone? xxx

long latenet phase is very normal with op babies, and they are usually overdue. All to do with the head not fitting into the cervix and causing constant contractions.

Stick with it and I agree that if you do have to be induced it is not always long. I was induced after 12 days with dd1, same latent phase as you and was in labour for 6hrs with an epidural at 5hrs. You can do it and as whomoved said it is worth it !!

Hi Helen

I had an OP with my first dd - it is slow and very uncomfortable - I was also vomiting every hour and quickly became dehydrated. So had an epidural and syntocinin which in end was bliss as numb from waist down but meant labour very slow and long. Its slow and long as the baby is trying to turn to get into classic face down birthing position - but as the head is not pressing on cervix in all the right places takes longer.

Not sure if it is any help now but you might be able to help your baby move round if you bear hanging around on all fours on the floor - shoulders slightly lower than hips - get all your cushions, pillows etc on the floor and see if you can get comfy. Or wallow in a deep bath on all fours?

Just found the article I read after I had my OP baby! Had much better time next 2 times round - see here.

Good luck - you forget pretty quickly after how long it took!

If it is any consolation then the next 2 were classic birth positions and very quick water births.

snap sam100, home water birth with dd2 very quick.

You can refuse induction. My waters went at 22ish weeks with ds2 and I was on bedrest for the duration, they eventually resealed (think hind waters only but was unsure) at about 34 weeks but they still wanted to induce at 37 weeks. I refused and waited then I think they started leaking again at about 38 weeks and they wanted to induce again but I felt it was better to wait. In the end he came at 39+5 when my waters fully went.

He was op an it was the most painful but I only had about 10 mins of gas and air when they tried to put a scalp monitor on (unsuccessfully, tried 5 times) as that was excruciating. He was also op but it was a fast labour, on my notes as 1 hour 20 mins I think but I was having contractions before that. I dilate very quickly but it's also very intense. I really never wanted an epidural so it didn't even cross my mind to have one. It is possible to have an op labour without an epi.

Helen, how are you going, do you have a baby yet ???

Hello! At last I have a baby boy and am over the moon with him. He was 7lb 9oz with rather a large head. Born at 11.59 28 Dec.

Thanks for all your supportive messages on this thread - I couldn't have got through those last days without the understanding.

It was a pretty horrible traumatising labour but my son was unharmed by the whole experience, which is more than can be said for his mother!

After those 5 days of horrible and breathtaking contractions my silly cervix had only dilated to 1 measly cm!!! Grrrrrr

They insisted that they induced me as, altho inconclusive, it transpired that my waters may have actually broken well over 48 hours before. While I had no signs of infection I wasn't willing to take the risk of leaving it - and the hospital pretty much insisted on immediate induction. I was put on the syntocin drip and advised that the pain of the artificially intensified contractions after 5 exhausting days of painful contractions with no sleep, not to mention the excruciating pains in my back, would just be too much without. I know I couldn't have done it without as the epidural couldn't get rid of the back pains with each contraction and they were bad enough on their own without feeling them at the front as well. This torture went on for 19 hours and was the most surreal experience of my life. I have a severe needle-phobia and passed out when they put the drip in my hand which upset the baby's heartbeat, then at one point we were rushed into theatre because his heart slowed right down when he bumped his head on my pelvis during a VE. He's a strong little boy and recovered quickly enough for us to avoid a CS. All very scary stuff though. So, then eventually at 10 cm dilated I was told to push although I had no feelings in my legs at all and was up in stirrups. As I was so determined to avoid forceps or ventouse I have never tried to do anything with so much determination. I tore very very badly and the swelling is so bad I still can't sit down! I can now walk again and am beginning to feel better but it's been a real struggle learning to look after a newborn with little or no mobility.

Additionally, the hospital hadn't noticed that I had haemorraged after the birth as they just left me with my crying little boy in our drenched delivery bed, with my paralysed legs, for 7 hours afterwards as they were so busy and I was unable to walk. I have never been so alone and afraid in all my life. My husband had been sent home to rest! It took 2 days of me saying that I felt very faint and ill for them to test my blood count and seeing how low it was they then gave me 2 blood transfusions. Anyway, the nightmare is over and if I had to do it again for my darling boy I would! However, this birth experience makes me seriously question ever having another child.

Thanks again for all your kind thoughts and advice.

Hxxx