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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Latent labour - losing the will :(

78 replies

Emfrancesca · 01/04/2023 21:50

I’m a FTM and I’ve been in latent labour for over 24hrs now.
I started to get regular strong period like pains on Friday night just before 8pm. Woke up at 3:30am this morning and lost my mucus plug, the pains were coming 3 in 10 mins so I called triage and they said to go in and they will asses me. I was assessed around 4am and was told I’m 2cm dilated, there was quite a bit of length to my cervix but it was still “favourable”. She also gave me a sweep. We came home, I dozed on and off between the pains. They weren’t agony but I still had to concentrate and breathe through them. I’ve had pains all day today, progressively getting more intense but I was still having some that were less painful. I’ve been losing more of my mucus plug all day today as well (who knew there was so much of it?!) and now tonight in the last hour or so they seem to have dropped off, I’m still having them but the time between them is getting further apart and they are less intense.
I’m so frustrated with it, the way I’ve been feeling and how frequent the pains were I really thought I’d be back in the hospital tonight further dilated. Instead it seems to be going the other way!!!
Has anyone else had a similar experience to this? I know we all labour differently but I’m just looking for a glimmer of hope that this isn’t going to go on for days and days, as I really want to avoid being induced, which has already been booked for next Friday.

OP posts:
ploopypleepy · 01/04/2023 21:53

Sounds very similar to me, started with slow labour on Friday afternoon, then finally gave birth Sunday at 4pm. I really feel for you, it's torturous but you will get there. I ended up getting an epidural after 36 hours, I wish I had done it sooner as I was just exhausted by the time I had to push.

Smartiepants79 · 01/04/2023 21:54

i have no experience of this but my only advice would be to sleep if you can!!! Take some paracetamol and see if you can get some sleep.

PurBal · 01/04/2023 22:03

My waters broke first in the middle of the night, contractions irregular for 33 hours before I was put on the drip (due to infection risk). I second an epidural, I hadn’t slept for 2 nights by this point! Labour was 40 hours total. And I never had regular contractions. You’ve gone into labour so, whilst they can put you on an oxytocin drip if you wish, you can’t be induced. The drugs are the same but from what I understand it’s a totally different experience being induced from “nothing”.

Original poster
Emfrancesca · 01/04/2023 22:08

I definitely think I will get an epidural. Even though I’m managing the pains now, I can’t imagine how I will feel once I’m in active labour after being in latent labour for god knows how long. I need a good nights sleep!

OP posts:
HackettGreen · 01/04/2023 22:58

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the user's request.

Marshmallow87 · 01/04/2023 23:11

This sounds very similar to my first labour. My waters went around 10pm and contractions started shortly after. Had waves all night and checked in the morning and assessed to be 2cm.

my son was back to back; because of my waters I going after two days of on off contractions (they would stop in the day and start again in the evening) I went on the drip as I had an infection risk. I ended up asking for an epidural as I couldn’t get a break or sit down during the contractions anymore. Epidural was a god send and I slept on and off for a few hours after that.

really do feel for you it’s extremely frustrating. Try hot bath, as much rest as possible, I used my tens machine and listened to the Freya app but ut was so tough and exhausting x

RuthTopp · 02/04/2023 16:53

How is it going today ?

Original poster
Emfrancesca · 02/04/2023 17:45

I went to the hospital last night, was told I’m still 2cm dilated however my cervix has softened and shortened from 2cm in length to 1cm. When we got back my contractions ramped up massively, I was in absolute agony. Managed to fall asleep for a little while as they gave me some codeine. Woke up this morning and was in agony again, doubled over in pain, crying, making all the noises under the sun to try and get through them. Fast forward to 10:30am and they started to drop off and slowly stopped altogether, so had a break from them this afternoon but they have begun to start up again this evening. I will start timing them and depending on how regular they become I might go back to hospital tonight to get checked over again.

OP posts:
Original poster
Emfrancesca · 02/04/2023 17:48

Forgot to say I’ve been bouncing on my birthing ball and I’ve got a strong feeling of needing a poo in my back/bum! 😂

OP posts:
RuthTopp · 02/04/2023 19:36

Sounds positive, keep bouncing. Try rolling/ twiddling your nipples around a little .

rubyslippers · 02/04/2023 19:38

This was me with my first
Lots of walking and sugar - I ate ice lollies and sweets and that seemed to kick it into active labour

threeplusmum · 02/04/2023 21:47

Emfrancesca · 02/04/2023 17:48

Forgot to say I’ve been bouncing on my birthing ball and I’ve got a strong feeling of needing a poo in my back/bum! 😂

Sounds like baby is engaged and ready to come out. Tbh pushing is much less painful then those got awful contractions

Chompiemompie · 02/04/2023 22:07

V similar to my first. I had 3 days of contractions with 2 trips to hospital. At the last one, the midwife was quite hottible and said that I wasn't in labour, this could continue for another 3 or 4 days. Totally deflated me as I thought I had been doing so well.
It a changed rapidly at home, my body started to push without me doing anything. We made it to hospital and she was born 7 minutes later.
It's hard but try and rest as much as you can.

Original poster
Emfrancesca · 03/04/2023 00:51

Just got back from triage again, contractions really ramped up but not regular enough. I’m 3cm now, so slowly making progress. Midwife thinks I’ll be at 4cm pretty quickly. Fingers crossed she’s here with us in the next couple of days.

OP posts:
BabsDylan · 03/04/2023 01:00

This brings back some memories OP!

Each time I went for a wee it would set off a horrendous contraction. I never got past 4cm even after the drip so c section for me,which by that point was a welcome relief! Hopefully yours will progress nicely.

I really feel for you,it’s horrendous. No wonder people who have a 8/10/12 hour labour can manage without an epidural,it’s a walk in the park compared to the marathon of latent labour.

No advice other than request your epidural as soon as you’re admitted in case they’re busy.

2ndTimeRound90 · 03/04/2023 01:55

My first labour started with contractions on Thurs evening and he was born on the Sunday evening. I was sent home at 1-2cm twice in that time and know how soul destroying it is!! I had 3 nights without any sleep. If it is any reassurance I found the contractions/pain no worse once 'active labour' kicked in, and the gas and air was more than enough after days of just Paracetamol! Also things progressed quickly once I passed 4cm - just 6 hours of active labour in the end. You may already be reaching that stage! Fingers crossed its not too much longer 🤞

teezletangler · 03/04/2023 01:59

Take heart OP, in some respects early labour is actually the hardest part of labour, as it's psychologically so challenging- not knowing how long it will be, not knowing how far along you are etc etc. It does sound like your body is doing what it should be doing and you'll be in active labour soon, and it often goes much quicker from that point too.

In the meantime try to rest and sleep as much as you are able when the contractions aren't so soon, and send us an update when you can!

PritiPatelsMaker · 03/04/2023 08:41

Hoping things have progressed a little overnight @Emfrancesca Flowers

DeoForty · 03/04/2023 08:57

@BabsDylan I had a really similar experience, even down to the contractions with every pee! And the midwife said it wasn't possible and that wasn't what it was.

OP, I felt very hard done to (labour started Thursday night, baby born by c section on Sunday night) i imagined a 24 hour labour at most. It's a slog. My sister was even longer and both of us agreed, the toughest bit is the stage you are at. Once you are in hospital and things ramp up, you feel much more in control. You will be knackered though so glad to hear you'll give yourself permission for an epidural if needed.

PurBal · 03/04/2023 09:04

Pleased to see your update OP.

Original poster
Emfrancesca · 03/04/2023 13:27

Had irregular contractions all night, some were close together and others weren’t. The codeine they gave me didn’t kick in at all so I didn’t get any sleep, just dozed in between contractions. They slowed down about 9:30 this morning but I’ve still been getting them intermittently throughout today (which is different to yesterday as they completely stopped from about 10:30am to 5:30pm) and the intensity is the same for each one, so I’m hoping this means there’s some positive things happening.
My contractions really seem to ramp up in the evening and get much closer together, so we’ll see what tonight brings.

OP posts:
BabsDylan · 03/04/2023 17:35

Good luck,all this stop start is so frustrating. Also,it still hurts!

Original poster
Emfrancesca · 03/04/2023 19:49

I'm so very disappointed and upset with all of this now. We started timing the contractions this evening as they began to pick up again and they were every 3 mins apart. We thought great, here we go. They've just dropped off again coming every 6 - 10 mins!
They are extremely painful and I can't believe I'm still not having regular contractions after 3 days. I really thought something would have progressed today, I can see this going on all week 😢

OP posts:
Original poster
Emfrancesca · 03/04/2023 19:51

Not to mention I'll be 1 week overdue tomorrow!!

OP posts:
PerfectPrepPrincess · 03/04/2023 19:54

I started Sunday....give birth following Sunday after 3 trips to triage, hormones, bag rupture, epidural then emergency cesarean. No advice as we're all different just keep talking to midwives.