IN LABOUR! Have GBS & DH is a sleep - anyone up?

[jen992]

Ok, i'm 40+11 (2nd DS)

Contractions started at around quater past midnight (it's now 2am)... very irregular. Lasting anything from 40 seconds to almost a minute, roughly every 10mins apart. Pretty bad when they come on.

Waters not gone yet.

hospital is about 20mins away at this time of night...

I have GBS though... when should i phone the hospital? I don't want to ring too soon as don't want to be told to go in too soon. Also i told DH to go back to bed so when should i wake him?

Is there anyone up at this unearthly hour to shed any light? or am i on my own??!!!

i can't shed any light at all.
But i wanted to answer you at least
I'll be here for next 10-15mins while i drink some water and try to get back to sleep

Good luck

Thank you! you struggling to sleep? Last few weeks have been awful for sleeping with me... horrendous heartburn!

I haven't a clue either but I think 10 mins apart is still too early to go into hosp - isn't it more like every 3 mins apart or something?

Not that I have a clue, I was induced and had emcs.

If you phone the hospital they can tell you when to go in - do you need abs for the GBS?

what's GBS (Guillane Barre?)
hope you are OK - I would wake DH and phone hospital.
My second baby was born within 3.5 hours of first contraction. (first was within 6 hours of waters going, so I admit, I'm a quick birther!)

GBS - Groups B Strep which i need IV antibiotics for 4 hours before the baby is actually born which is why i can't leave going to the hospital too late!

Will give it another 30mins i think then wake DH and phone parents to come and look after DS... so stressful! wish i could of had a home birth like i did first time round, so much easier! bloody GBS!!

Hello, are you still there? Have you rung the hospital yet? If you have GBS, even though it could be hours until this baby is born I would go there fairly sharpish. Have you woken your hubby? Exciting though!! Good luck x

Oh right. Well then, you will need to get a move on! Sorry its causing you stress - but just think, in a few more hours, you are going to have a gorgeous newborn in your arms!! Focus on that, and not the thought of the hospital. Good luck!

Second labours can be a lot quicker than first ones, can't they. Hard to know though. Good luck.

Just woken DH!... bless him he looks knackered, just not as knackered as i'll be looking soon!

Will phone for some advice in a minute.

Thanks for your advice, company and the good luck wishes. x

One of my friends had GBS, and had a home birth by mistake (went to have a bath, baby popped out), a few hours later, all tucked up & asleep, hosp phoned & asked her to come in, she kinda grunted 'later' - her & baby both fine.

don't ignore what the hosp say (OF COURSE), but don't let it stress you out too much, they will always play it safe (as they should) so you can play it cool.

and lots of luck

Make sure you post a birth announcement

oooooh good luck, how exciting!

contractions still coming but are now lasting only 30-35seconds and are about 8mins apart.... still as strong tho! think i might put my TENS on now (bit of moral support)!

doing anything i can to take my mind off things!

Have you rung the hospital?

What did they say?

I'm in the Pacific Time Zone, so will be up for quite a while if you want to chat.

Thanks Jacksmama! no i havn't actually phoned yet. Scared about going in TBH (I know it sounds daft)... contractions are only lasting about 35 seconds (every 8mins ish) and are not that regular but flippin' hurt when they do come on! have a feeling it's going to be a while...

No I don't think it's daft. Really, even if you get the antibiotics an hour or two hours before baby is born, it's good enough. At worst they'll give you and baby some oral AB's after the birth.

I had a funky labour like that with DS - contractions were irregular, 8-10 mins and around 35 sec, then 3-5 mins and 60-90 sec, alternating with 2 mins and lasting a minute... and when I got to the hospital I was 2 cm dilated . But my little man was stuck with his head crooked, and it all went completely pear-shaped, and he was my first... so, who knows, it might pick up for you or slow down again.

Are you doing ok with the TENS? Breathing through contractions?

Hi there Jen992,
Congrats on making it to the home run. I'm also in the same time zone as jacksmama and can keep you company for a while.
It doesn't matter if you phone to early you know. They'll just tell you so. That would be better than phoning too late... [big hug emoticon]
Hang on in there!

Hey Catita, we can be jen's long-distance doulas for a bit.

And don't worry about the hospital, you'll be too busy to get worked up once your there. I promise.

Being scared is part of the deal I think. I am a diabetic and when I went into labour my blood sugar rocketed sky high and I ended up having to go really early. The worst thing was the boredom . Still that wore off once DS was born.

Did you send DH to sleep again?

Hiya Jacksmama, we can hold [virtual]hands and rub [virtual backs] as long as she likes.

[offers a hotwater bottle to hug] Worked for me, but then I was freezing.

thanks you 2!! virtual doulas! love it!!

Yeah sent DH back to bed... kept asking stupid questions and getting in the way! men!

TENS is on, can still feel the contractions but they're more bearable now. Roughly 45-50 seconds and 7-9mins apart (but they do vary!)

BTW , i'm enjoying the virtual back rub... very relaxing!

Good! I just nursed Jackbaby to sleep on my lap and DH is out so I'm good for at least a couple of hours.

starting to feel really sick now... not sure if i'm hungry or if it's nerves/excitement??