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Original poster

Latent phase of labour...

28 replies

MickeyTheShortOne · 17/10/2012 17:57

So, I am officially in labour. I am 1,5cm dilated.
The contractions were 4-6mins apart last night.. all stopped this morning.
Anyone got any tips to get things going again?!

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ThreeWheelsGood · 17/10/2012 18:15

Wow, congratulations! Keep active, walk around, stay upright rather than lying down.

LittleLolly · 17/10/2012 18:21

Bounce on a birth ball and walk around as much as possible! Good luck!

LittleBlackDress · 17/10/2012 18:24

I'm in the same boat! I'm only 37 weeks though. How many weeks are you?

Runningblue · 17/10/2012 18:30

Walk walk and doing anything to take your mind off it!

Original poster
MickeyTheShortOne · 17/10/2012 20:04

Littleblackdress The very same!! Well 37 weeks tomorrow. I was admitted last night for monitoring because I'm still officially classed as "pre-term".
You'd think two days before it wouldn't matter but I guess I can see their point of view.

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Marmiteisyummy · 17/10/2012 20:19

Sleep. Whenever you can. Sleep.
Don't worry about things kicking off again, they will anyway.
With DS I had 48 hours of prelabour, on and off. Stopped altogether at 5am on Monday morning. Proper labour (no mistaking it) started at 12.30pm, baby born 6.10pm. Followed by hungry baby who didn't let me sleep for 3 days.
Just sleep, whenever you get the chance.

Runningblue · 17/10/2012 20:52

Marmite is right, do sleep as much as you can, try to relax as much as you can is sleep is proving tricky. I was past it tired by the time I finally got into established labour...

Cheeseandonioncrisps · 18/10/2012 13:19

Make sure you eat, I was guilty of not eating anything while in labour, which lasted for 2 days and my contractions were all over the place which is apparently due to your body not having enough fuel to do its job properly. Good luck x

Original poster
MickeyTheShortOne · 18/10/2012 19:51

Thanks Cheese. I didn't know that- I have wondered why my appetite seems to have returned with a vengeance these last few days.. I had lost it for a while! x

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philbee · 18/10/2012 21:41

Yes, rest. If you get too tired your body will slow the labour down to preserve energy. I walked about a lot to get things going the afternoon contractions started. That was Sunday, and by Wednesday morning it was still the same, contraction every 5-10 mins, but after an hour or so they'd space out for a while. I think it was partly stress (had other things going on) but they said it was also tiredness and I should rest.

ThreeWheelsGood · 19/10/2012 12:06

I had contractions early hours of Thursday, went in for monitoring (as also had diarrhoea), came home, this morning (Friday) had bloody show, contractions every 15 mins... Really don't want this to go on for days but keep reading it might :(

effingwotsits · 19/10/2012 12:14

Drive somewhere far away and don't take your notes or hospital bag. It's bound to start then Grin

StaceymReadyForNumber3 · 19/10/2012 12:18

Mine latent labour was 2 weeks, sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It was the same with both dcs. So I second/third all of the advice to sleep/rest as much as you can. Also remember to eat. You're well on your way but be sensible.

Good luck!

ThreeWheelsGood · 19/10/2012 12:25

Ha effingwotsits - good point ;) thanks for your reply stacey, I had no idea it could last that long... Fingers crossed it doesn't for me...

StaceymReadyForNumber3 · 19/10/2012 12:48

I'm the only person I know who's gone that long, obv it's what my body does Grin

I hope things go quicker for you though!

mummy2benji · 19/10/2012 13:01

Poor Stacey! I hope that doesn't happen for you this time.

I was up half of last night with painful tightenings roughly every 10 minutes but irregular - took some paracetamol at 3am and went back to bed and they eased off. Dh and I ummed and ahhed as to whether he should stay off work today but in the end he went in. Good job as I am back to the usual occasional cramp and braxton hicks! I am feeling a bit nauseous today though. I've been uncomfortable with tons of BH every evening for the past 3 days or so now, although last night was the most uncomfortable so far. I don't know whether to put it down to not getting rest during the day as I have ds (3 and a half) to look after.

With ds I had a night of regular tightenings which stopped by morning, nothing that day, then my waters broke at 1am the next night and straight into labour proper. All this not knowing what and when is frustrating I agree! Wouldn't it be nice if babies could tell us when they are planning on coming?! ;)

Hope you don't have too long to wait mickey and threewheels :) x

ThreeWheelsGood · 19/10/2012 14:38

It's good to know others are going through/have been through the same - I didn't even know this stage of labour could last this long, feel a bit silly having told our parents as now they keep asking for updates! Been for a walk, contractions very occasional, just waiting it out now.

Original poster
MickeyTheShortOne · 19/10/2012 18:20

Threewheels Thats exactly what happened to me. I was up all night last night with contractions as well and thought "wahey its started again!!", by the time i spoke to the bitchy midwife on the end of the phone they'd stopped again. Angry
People keep asking me for updates too should've kept my mouth shut and its starting to bug me now. Do they not think I'd let them know if anything important happens again!

Lmao, effingwotsits That really made me giggle. We nearly forgot the notes the first time i went to hospital! lol!

OP posts:
blackcurrants · 19/10/2012 18:23

A friend had a 4 day latent phase - it is HARD work.

I second the 'sleep and eat' advice - in my experience all the walking/bouncing/squatting did NOT speed up labour, it came on at it's own inevitable pace, so being rested and able to actually give birth is pretty important. Rest! Eat! Or do what effing suggests, that might actually work ;)

Original poster
MickeyTheShortOne · 19/10/2012 18:23

Threewheels I was advised to walk up and down the stairs alot this morning- maybe try that because it is helping a little bit... x

OP posts:
elliejjtiny · 19/10/2012 18:33

I had 3 weeks 4 days of latent labour with DS1 (thankfully only 5 days with ds2 and 24 hours with ds3). Eat and sleep as much as you can. Do anything to take your mind off it. Don't let your OH start paternity leave. Try and avoid telling people or you will go insane with all the people saying have you had the baby yet like I did . Try and carry on as normal.

mummy2benji · 19/10/2012 20:05

Sending waves of empathy to all you ladies. Had a sweep this afternoon and now have pains down below plus some painful tightenings - a good sign, but irregular currently. The midwife did say my cervix was 2cm dilated and looked very favourable so hoping things will kick off... but equally they could drag on for days! Occupying myself by making a chicken saag - hubby thinks I am insane as I have been having pains whilst crushing spices and chopping onion! He may have a point...

StaceymReadyForNumber3 · 20/10/2012 10:00

Good luck ladies I hope things are progressing!

Original poster
MickeyTheShortOne · 22/10/2012 15:58

Well this latent phase has lasted a week now. Getting slightly fed up :(

OP posts:
ThreeWheelsGood · 22/10/2012 18:26

Me too Mickey. Thought things were speeding up today but just having regular, more painful contractions but not close enough together to go to hospital. They advised they'd prob send me home again if I went in now. So tired...

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