Traditional "It would appear that I am in labour, but when will it actually get going properly thread

[AnguaVonUberwald]

I have been having period like pains and backache since friday evening, last night I had an hour and a half of really intense contractions every few minutes, that suddenly stopped, had a few this morning as well, but now back to the period like pains and backache, how long could this go on for?

Angua - I saw you had posted on this thread, and while I was waiting for the thread to load up, I was shouting at the laptop... "come on, Angua, be in labour, girl, COME ON!"

Sorry to see it's not the case, but you are definitely being cheered on. Virtually and remotely, but cheered on nevertheless.

[sympathetic smile]

HQ[ have also had various shows over the past week, to no avail i truely feel that am cant really be pregnant! Have got terrible muscle pain just above belly button i think my body just cannot stretch anymore.

Hmmm. Yet more show this morning but nothing much else. I had an uncomfortable night - lots of discomfort and occasional sharp pain very low down. I wondered if this could be my cervix starting to dilate. No contractions though, and nothing else to report. Sigh...

Thats squonk, that means a lot!!! Its been great to be able to come on this thread and post about all the frustrations and anticipations!!

Just wish this baby would actually arrive! .

Oh well, at least I should be going in on Sunday now, so we have some kind of timeline!

HQ, good luck, hope it all starts soon.

Angua - I just can't believe that you were the one who started this thread over a month ago now and have had to endure later joiners graduating before you! You have the patience of a saint

At least the end is now in sight for you and you'll soon meet your baby

Will be here soon Angua, justa few hours now.

So how many of us are going to end up with april babies? I should have joined the april thread then i could have gleefully been one of the first instead of being one of the last! Now right now the idea of ever having another pregnancy is totally ruled out but if im ever pregnant again i'm going to cheat and pick a later antenatal thread!

Littleducks - I'm totally with you on that! I'm planning my next pregnancy (if this one ever ends) with military precision to ensure a due date of 1st of the month!

Maybe there will be a rush of babies tonight to totally confuse us as the clocks change, is it 11 pm twicw or midnight twice?

littleducks you wouldn't- i am on the April thread, yet due amrch (scan changed dates) and thery're still all ahead of me (although April date was only April 2nd so was always meant to be first- hmm)

Angua, Is it monday or sunday you are booked to go in?

Not too long to wait although am guessing you would rather have avoided it?

you are all doing so well, and being so patient!!

won;t be long now, promise x

peachy, oh is that why you disapeared from march board, i thought it was for a very different reason and had worried that i may have offended you slightly can relax now!

angua, if the cervix is still posterior and closed then it might well take 2 -3 doses of gel to get your cervix soft enough for ARM. which in reality is 36 hours give or take.. make sure you take lots of snacks, books. magazines and make sure once the process starts , you do not lie in bed waiting.. get up , walk around ,and get gravity on your side ! however a lot can change in a few days so by tomorrow, or monday your cervix could well have changed

Thank you very much ladies for all your support and good wishes, I also can't belive I started this thread on the 25th of February and am going into hospital on the 30th of March (incidentally my 1st wedding anniversary)

I am going into hospital tommorow night (provided they are not too busy), but they call it "being induced on Monday"

Lulumama, I appreciate the information, had realised it might not be quick but not that the gel could take THAT long.

OH well, am going to get some new books, and lots of snacks tommorow, at least we will be in hospital so hopefully they will do somthing.

Given that I will be 41+6 on Monday, is there a point where they are likely to say - its been in too long, you haven't gone into labour we are just going to do a Csection?

um.... your dh does know how to mumsnet doesn't he?

we will need to know straight away, as soon as that baby is out!

we want to be before the grandparents!

I don't know the answer to your question, I'm afraid, but surely there must be a point when something along those lines will happen...

the reason it can take so long is that they tend to give the gels at least 6 hours apart, and often it is more.. primips do not get a dose in the evening in the hospital i have been at.... they are checked , admitted to AN ward and nothing happens till morning, which is several hours gone !! also doses of prostin can be further apart if there is no doctor available to give it at the required time.. it just depends/

of course, you might get your first dose, be checked a few hours later and be ready for ARM !!

fingers crossed and make sure, as squonk says, MrAngua knows we need info ASAP ! x

yes, there might be a point where they suggest a c.s if nothing is happening, BUT if baby is happy in utero, and no signs of distress and oyu are happy to continue, you do not have to have a c.s until you are sure that it is the right thing

not that you should refuse one if there is a compelling reason, but time scale alone should not be the sole indictor, IMHO

so there !

but boy scouts bring chocolate biscuits

angua = there's absolutely no need to worry about a cs at this stage, you will have a lovely, calm and joyous labour, producing a beautiful bouncing baby

i like chocolate biscuits

Angua - I just spent my 1st wedding anniversary (last Monday) in hospital too. It was a quite different night to a year ago! I can't believe the inconvenience these babies are causing us