Anyone awake? Am I in labour or not?

[summerfruitsalad]

Arrrrgh!

Am 40+3 now with DC2 and contractions were around 7 mins apart from 8pm and by 12pm were roughly 5 mins apart, always over a minute long. Hurt but able to grit through them bouncing on my ball. Phoned labour ward who said if i can manage at home thats the best place for me and to call when I feel I need pain relief or closer together.

DH and I decide to go up to bed to rest and be more comfortable but the contractions slowed down, still happening but then I get an attack of restless leg and can't sleep, DH is out like a light.

So now I'm downstairs on my ball having more 1 minute long contractions but still quite far apart, what do I do?

My labour with DS was so quick, went straight to 2 mins apart from first contraction and delivered in 6 hours, so this is nothing like it!

Can labour just give up like this, is it real labour or just some evil practice keeping me awake? Baby is apparently thinking of turning back to back, it's sort of halfway round but it has been active

Thanks to anyone who's there!

Hmmm all I can recommend is that you phone the hospital back and ask them! My labour was like that, in fits and starts for the first 14 hours until the contractions became much more regular. It was my first DC so I had no idea and nothing to compare it to. I would just keep on bouncing if I were you until things speed up a bit. Good luck!

I would say so

Are they toe curling or can you concentrate through them? May be early stage and I would say go and have a lie down and rest as you could be in for some disturbed sleep very soon

The contractions are pretty strong but I can breathe through them and because its every 5 mins its manageable. Feeling absolutely shattered now though, bed is tempting but so is getting the baby out! So frustrating as soon as I was all warm and comfortable I get restless leg and twitch for ages!

Think I will bounce a bit longer to see what the contractions do then head off to bed for some rest, I assume things will kick off and get closer together eventually?

You'd think I'd be more clued up with a second labour, haha!

FWIW going to bed won't stop the labour progressing and you will know by the fact that you can/can't sleep whether it's real labour etc

I had this for a good few hours when I was overdue with my DD didn't have her for another 8 days though (sorry)

My friend, however had a few hours of this and then all of a sudden had to push and delivered on her kitchen floor

Oh marbles, that must have been tough for you, I'll go crazy in 8 days! Am going to try to sleep now, contractions roughly every 5-6 mins still, only time will tell.

Will update if anything exciting happens! Or when I get really fed up, likely to be the latter!

Am sorry. Can't offer any advice but want to wish you all the best.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I would go to hospital if I were you, unless your DP is comfortable with the idea of delivering his own baby. The reason I say this is my second labour started off exactly like yours except that when we rang the hospital they told us to come in for observation. As my first labour was only 4hrs I expected this one to be quick but not quite as quick as it ended up. When I got to hospital they had no time to "observe" me as my waters suddenly broke and my DS was born 27 minutes later! Hope that things kick off for you and that you make it to hospital with time to spare - FWIW I found it difficult to tell how quickly thongs were going to happen second time around aswell but instead of going to bed I watches Michael Macyntre's comedy roadshow hilarious on the bouncing ball and I am sure the good old laugh I has helped things along! Good lucK.