5cm dilated, not really in labour?

[lavenderlilaclily]

I’m a bit confused and was wondering whether anyone had any similar stories/experiences/wise words to offer.

I went for a sweep yesterday afternoon at 39 weeks exactly. I’d had a few niggles and some discharge but generally wasn’t expecting much. The midwife said I was 5cm dilated! She was shocked I hadn’t felt anything - did the sweep, and sent me straight up to the labour ward. There though they assessed me and said that since I wasn’t really feeling painful contractions or anything, I could go home. So I went home, expecting that I had maybe a few hours to go.

But nothing is really happening. A few irregular contractions, but not painful, some cramps on and off but not even enough to need a paracetamol. I was under the impression that at 5cm I was in established labour so I’m really confused!! Baby is moving fine, if anything a bit more active than usual.

I feel a bit impatient and frustrated and also slightly worried, can I just go on for days at 5cm? I’m also annoyed because my husband triggered his paternity leave when they sent me up to the labour ward last night - he’s a teacher so needed to get people to cover his classes etc. And now nothing’s happening and I don’t want him to waste his paternity leave on this!

Can I join? I’ll try and beat you to it! 😂
I’m 38 weeks, got induction booked for Saturday and have been having sweeps to try and get things started.
After my first sweep, I had contractions for 3 hours that stopped, lost mucus plug the next day and thought ooh this is it… nothing! Had another sweep and was told I’m 2cm, this caused 5 hours of contractions that were 3-5 mins apart, then stopped. Had another sweep today and am still 2cm with a “very favourable” cervix… midwife thinks she’ll see me tonight 😂
Have got contractions again but not timing them yet. Watch this space!
Good luck

This happened to me too, second baby. I was stuck at 4-5cms for days. No real pain just braxton hicks and sweeps did nothing!
She did eventually come though in the middle of the night, everything just intensified massively and I was 8-9cms within an hour of the pains starting.

It’s awful to be in limbo, I really hope it starts for you soon!

I think you are going to have a really quick birth, all of a sudden baby will be here. X

Hope things are progressing now for you OP. If not, just try to relax and get some rest.
Things were a bit stop start for me with my second but really ramped up once I just went to bed and stopped pacing around the house.
Good luck! It’ll all be worth it once you have your baby in your arms.

Good luck. I had 2 close babies (just over 14 months) and the 2nd one was super fast. I only had one contraction so like you, I must have been dilated already.

Fingers crossed you've got through it already!

Thanks everyone. Still here, still no baby 😅 going on day 4 now

Have had more back pain/cramping and quite a few Braxton Hicks yesterday, also still losing lots and lots of mucus, so hoping something is happening in there.
While the prospect of a very quick birth is great in lots of ways I’m worried about getting to the hospital on time, especially if my husband goes back to work tomorrow! We’ve only got the one car and he’d be 30 min away, plus then the 20 min to the hospital. So hopefully today is the day, but we shall see. Have a friend coming over in a bit with her 8 week old so maybe holding him will give me a big dose of oxytocin to get things going.

You can always get a taxi and meet your husband at hospital, or if things are really progressing quickly phone an ambulance!

Fingers crossed those baby cuddles do the trick though 🤞

Any news? Hope you're ok.

Hope all is going well Op. Surely the braxton hicks were a good sign!

Just thought I’d (very belatedly!) update on this, as I know from searching from threads like this myself that it can be frustrating not to have follow up!

I went for an “induction” acupuncture session on the Monday (so 5 days after finding out I was 5cm dilated) and I don’t know if it was coincidence or not - I think not! - but I started having mild contractions 2 hours after the session.

Unfortunately being halfway there didn’t mean I had a super fast or painless labour - but it wasn’t all too bad, managed with gas and air and birthing pool, though I did have to have my waters broken in the end as baby was stubborn! I gave birth to a beautiful baby on the Tuesday afternoon :) 9 weeks old today! :)