Any tips for dealing with extremely long early labour? Frequent contractions since Friday night, terribly exhausted.

[HJBeans]

Just that, really. Had very little sleep between 3-8am on Friday night, then no more than a half hour of sleep at a time on Saturday and no more than ten minutes at a time last night.

Went in to hospital this morning as contractions had reached the once per 3-4 min mark, but was only 1cm dilated so now back home. Gave me some codeine to help with the pain which let me sleep for two hours this morning.

Restarted the clock on labour, though, at the ~10m mark. Was down to 6 again, but pain got too much for me with exhaustion so took a bath and now even further back.

Have been labouring well all day, but now losing it due to sheer exhaustion - feeling very intense pain and feel panicky and tearful. No point going back to hospital but think I'll go mad if I have another night like last night.

Please someone tell me they've had the same experience and that the magic solution is (fill in the blank).

Well I gave birth in France and the birth prep class MW's advice was to take a sleeping pill....

I don't really have an answer but lots and lots of sympathy and support coming your way.

I found the best thing in early labour was to walk, which has the added benefit of speeding things up, but if you're exhausted then you probably can't face that.

Ring up maternity ward again, and say that you can no longer cope. You may have progressed a little more than you think? I know how soul destroying this can be as I was in early labour for a long long time with dc1. If they send you home again it'll be upsetting but they might not have to!

Is being in the bath helping? One thing I learnt is that labour won't stop if you have a bath if it's really underway. So in the meantime, if bathing helps then go for it. I sat in there for hours dozing between contractions (not too dangerous as I was being woken up every few minutes!)

Good luck xx

PS you are not going back, by the way; every contraction helps to get things ready down there!

I'd call the labour Ward too, I was induced which went on for ages so I had an epidural at 2 cm (maybe even just 1!) so could sleep for first time in days

I had Pethidine - nice warm sleepy sleepy. Made a real difference to my energy level and how I coped with things later

You poor thing! Ring the labour ward and demand a bit more support. Or could you call your midwife and ask her advice? Sending you hugs. xx

Can you call your community midwife? Can they call the labour ward for you? I had a similar experience where I have slow labours and infrequent contractions. I had lost the will to live and the hospital wouldn't let me go in. I was so tired when I eventually did get in before the hard work started. My lovely community midwife said I should just have gone in and refused to go home. She told me that the midwives job is to support the woman during the process of labour. Help them to think they can cope and not become distressed, not just to catch the baby. Good luck op. I would say try your community midwife or the labour ward. Go back you may be further along now and you may need some pain relief to help you sleep. Good luck op.

Will give it to the end of this episode of my guilty pleasure tele indulgence (bought a 15 series box set as a treat to watch while feeding and now through series 6 on just the bloody labour) and ring for advice. Have a friend who recouped energy during active labour with a pethadine nap, so would love if they would offer this, but think they are very busy at the moment and won't admit me until contractions are much closer together. Not sure if I'd do codeine again - the two hours sleep were so very needed, but can't keep going backwards in terms of contraction timing or they'll never admit me!

Thanks for your reponses - helps a lot to feel less isolated and uniquely hated by the labour gods.

Good luck! Weirdly I think this is the worst stage for dragging on and on and finding it hard to judge what stage you are at; I've been sent home many times too - very depressing every time, but the cliché is true that you do pretty much forget the whole thing later on. I don't have much helpful advice except to try to keep eating bananas (or chocolate) etc for energy

Thanks again all. Did call hospital in the end - community folks closed already - and a very energetic sounding young midwife confirmed there was nothing much for it but waiting. If I feel like I can't cope, I can come in for some more codeine, which theoretically shouldn't slow anything down if my body is ready.

Looking forward to post-baby chemicals that make me forget all this and hope they'll work for DH, too, as I feel it's almost as bad for him watching me through painful contractions for days on end without being able to do anything.

I had this and after the 2nd or 3rd night begged my MW for help and she gave me a sweep. I was already 1cm when I saw her at lunchtime and by 5pm was having contractions every few mins and in established labour.

Hope things get moving soon, I know how awful you must be feeling. Best of luck!

MW told me that this is exactly the situation where pethidine is most useful - you need to rest in prep for second stage and as it will relax you things will likely progress quickly after the dose.

How are you getting on today OP?

Thanks all. Ended up back at hospital when I could no longer cope, had an epidural to get some rest at first and then after another day of no progress had a section. Baby boy healthy and I'm recovering. Told me after section that he was back to back, big (8lb14oz), and positioned such that his head would not reach cervix to trigger established labour. Very grateful for such good care. Thanks again for your comments.

Congratulations, HJ! great news. You poor thing for all that pain though... I'm glad they eventually looked after you and gave you the epidural.

Wishing you a speedy recovery and lots of lovely newborn cuddles xxx

Many congrats Beans. Wishing you a speedy recovery x