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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

painful contractions-had enough of this-help

33 replies

mergle · 14/08/2003 10:41

I'm 39+2 weeks pregnant. For the past 3 1/2 weeks I've been on and off getting really painful contractions. They are starting in the back, going out to the front mainly. They feel like period pains but really strong-strong enough that I can't generally talk through them. Generally they start at around 5-10 minutes apart, go on for a few hours getting closer and closer, and then fade away. On Sunday (in IKEA!) they went on for 7 hours. I am getting really frustrated that it looks like something is happening and then it stops but more than that, it really hurts and I can't take another 3 weeks of this. I've had these 7 hour "episodes" 3 times now. Apart from that I am getting less painful contractions and what I thought were "proper" Braxton Hicks-ie not painful.

The midwife thinks this is all normal. She hasn't actually looked to see what is going on. I'm sure she's right but it really hurts and I am fed up. Any thoughts?

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Jenie · 14/08/2003 10:47

I'd insist on a visit to the hospital maternity ward, just to put your mind at rest and they should monitor the baby for 1/2 hour. Go when the next set of contractions start but wait until their strong. That is if you can get your dp to take you now you should beat the evening rush. In my experience the rush usually comes in just after Eastenders.

The other thing to do if you want to have the baby soon is to eat fresh pineapple, it's got to be fresh. Heard it from a mid wife and that worked for my contractions.

Jenie · 14/08/2003 10:57

Are you not due on the 40th week? It's been over a year since my last baby but I thought that they worked it out on 40 weeks.

Wills · 14/08/2003 11:18

I love the idea of a rush just after Eastenders ! Mergle - Jenie's right you should go and have a check up. I'm getting painful braxton hicks (38+4) but most are not so painful that I can't talk through them and they don't go on as much as yours. Yours sound far more like the real thing so yes I think you should go and checked out. It does no harm. Good luck.

myersthecat · 14/08/2003 14:14

I've had about 3 * 3hour episodes similar over the last couple of weeks, absolutely breath taking. My midwife hasn't internally examined me, but she's happy that I'm not in labour and baby isn't distressed.

Off to scoff some pineapple now (bought it this morning) as I'm now a couple of days overdue!

Funnily enough, haven't had any of these episodes since I went term......sods law really!!

Jenie · 14/08/2003 15:04

Wow over due hey, it's the worst feeling ever, but if you're really desperate you should do what my GP advised which was to cry and they should induce you.

I guess you'd have to be very desperate though.

As I said the pineapple worked for me and some friends of mine. Apparantly the best is to eat it all at once, I could only manage 1/2 a day but some friends (who went into labour earlier than me) they were on 2 - 3 a day. Who's to say if it realy worked all I know for sure is I felt as though I was doing something towards getting there and that's better than sitting around feeling round.

Wills · 14/08/2003 17:02

Yesterday, dh bought curry, I'd bought a pineapple and we got "passionate" afterwards. So I don't think I'm particularly close

Jenie · 14/08/2003 17:50

As passionate as any heavily pregnant woman can get. All I seemed to be able to do was to roll much better than ever b4. I know what you mean though!

It's not so much the long wait for baby to arrive it's the way that you can't realy do anything for about 3 weeks previously. It's not that you don't want to do stuff it's just that you're not able.

I can remember going out shopping with dd and being about 4days over with ds, a lady stopped me in the supermarket and said you look awful, you really should be at home getting some rest, when are you due.

After a weak smile I said that I was now over due, Bless the lady she looked after dd and bent down to get things for me and then packed my bags and took them to the car and put them in!

I was very greatful to her and said so, the crunch came when she said her name was Virginia and would I consider calling my baby if it was a girl after her? (I'd mentioned whilst shopping that we didn't have a girls name) I smiled and said yes ofcourse but secretly relieved when I had a ds not a dd!!

wiltshire · 14/08/2003 19:05

Does anyone know why pineapple makes you go into labour. V.Curious?

Also does anyone know whether swimming is safe right up until you give birth?

Wills · 14/08/2003 20:05

Wiltshirelass - can help you with the swimming, the answer is yes if your waters haven't broken. I'm not clear about if the "plug" has come out etc but I suspect you're still fine. As for the first question - just what I was thinking - does anyone know?

Jenie - If you had had a dd would you have stopped shopping at that shop for fear of meeting her again? .

myersthecat · 15/08/2003 14:38

I keep wondering how any of these 'inducers' work!! I mean pineapple could be the acid and the baby not liking it, curry similar but smell/spice to drive it out! Sex...discomfort ? Castor Oil......not that desperate, rather be patient (maybe next week!).

Think the phone bill will be through the roof if I go overdue much longer. Cant walk too far, worried about going to the shops, done the housework far too much - even when I do live on a building site. Not used to having time on my hands!

P.S. Swimming is fine as long as your waters haven't broken. I've been told I can still go even after my membranes have been swept (oh joy-the indignities of going od, well that and labour I suppose!!)

nursie · 15/08/2003 14:44

Not sure about castor oil ( yuk anyway ) but the sex inducer is because the hormones (prostoglandins) in semen are supposed to encourage your body into labour. My dh was looking forward to that one, but ds arrived early!

prufrock · 15/08/2003 14:46

Pineapple contains an ezyme which is meant to stimulate the body to produce prostoglandin.
Sex only worksif you climax - again produces hormones and causes uterine contractions.
Eating curry or drinking Castor oil stimulates the bowels - which apparently also then produce prostoglandin.

Having suffered 4 doses of pure prostoglandin, adminstered by doctors with ever larger hands, which completely failed to encourage dd to move, I would say you are probably just going to have to wait until your baby is ready.

bunnyrabbit · 15/08/2003 14:46

I heard that curry/castor oil/spicy food/srubbing floors works 'cos it gets you moving, if you know what I mean...

Basically, clearing the way for baby to come out.

Might be rubbish of course... still not sure about pineapple though.

suedonim · 15/08/2003 14:46

Pineapple works because it contains enzymes which help break down and soften the area round the cervix. I'm sure Mears could give you a much more scientific explanation!

Jenie · 15/08/2003 14:47

Wills - Might of never left the house, if I say I'll do something then I do it or feel guilty for ages. It's like a nagging guilt that just jumps on me when I don't expect it to, so given that then I may have called a dd Ginnie instead.

As for dignity what's that? I left mine at the door to the labour suite and still haven't had it forwarded back to me. I remember reading somewhere (hen I was in hospital)that they burn lost property if it's not collected within 1 month.........

bunnyrabbit · 15/08/2003 14:48

Sorry... clashed with prufrocks post which was far more learned than mine and puts me to shame....

suedonim · 15/08/2003 14:49

Or Prufrock!

bunnyrabbit · 15/08/2003 14:50

Well no one has mentioned the nipple thing yet....

Wills · 15/08/2003 16:03

No but I read in "What to Expect" that "stimulation of them, preferably by the mother, during labour can speed up the process". I'd rather it stayed slow! The idea of being in a labour room and "stimulating" myself with the midwife, dh and god knows how many student midwives/doctors looking on is NOT something I am EVER prepared to try!

Jenie · 15/08/2003 16:12

I think that I would have preffered a slow labour, it's meant to be less traumatic and gives you a longer period of time to adjust to the levels of pain...... so I've been told does anyone know if this is true?

bunnyrabbit · 15/08/2003 16:14

Wills.. I couldn'tt agree more... not my cup of tea!!

bunnyrabbit · 15/08/2003 16:16

Mergle? How are you? What's happening? Does having a bath help? How about massage? Are you hiring or do you have a TENS machine?

Jenie · 15/08/2003 16:28

Can I just ask has anyone found the TENs machine helpful, used it for my 1st but after 1hr launched it at the wall in frustration! Much to the midwifes horror.

I'm not usually one for throwing things but the situation called for it.

zebra · 15/08/2003 16:50

I know several people in real life who got on great with TENS machine. Did nothing for me, though.

Lucy124 · 15/08/2003 16:55

I found the TENS machine wonderful and used it right up until 6cm (with nothing else). However it broke as they were breaking my waters and I was gutted! I reckon I could have avoided Pethadine if it had carried on (hindsight it great isn't it!).

Stick it on early though - before you really need it as it works by provoking your body to create endorphines and your body takes a while to get the message apparently.

Good luck!

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