12hrs of contractions then nothing!

[EvenFlo]

I'm getting so frustrated and wondered if anybody has experience similar and if so, what happened next?

I'm 41+3 with my first, contractions started at midnight. They were quite short and far apart at first but by 5am were about 5 mins and lasting a minute. Spoke to the hospital who said they needed to be 3 mins apart to come in so advised to stay at home and have paracetamol.

From then they have never got to any less than 5 mins apart and for the last few hours have been spreading out again to 10 minutes. They are still pretty painful when they come and last a minute each time.

I just don't know what to do with myself, I haven't slept since midnight but whenever I try to sleep now I seem to get another contraction. I have been walking around but am feeling so tired (cumulative effect of today and 2 months of pregnancy insomnia). Having a bath makes me feel too enclosed.

Any thoughts?

Anyone?

Aw I really feel for u. 41+2 here and not had a single twinge of 'is this it?'. It's so frustrating being this overdue. If it was me I'd have a warm shower, get in bed in some clean pjs and just relax with the tv on and hope to get a bit of sleep because if things ramp up again later you'll need your energy. All the best to you and hope you're holding your baby soon

Thanks pink.

It's all just so frustrating because I really thought this was it!

That happened to me with one of mine. I wasn't overdue though. I had stop start contractions for a week! Nearly went to hospital everyday and then they would stop. I hadn't been sleeping either. Eventually we did the deed whilst i was contracting as they were slowing down again. That seemed to sort it out.

My baby was back to back and i wonder if that had anything to do with it.

Are u booked for induction yet? Mines booked for tues so baby has 3 days to make his move or he's evicted. Not ideal but I just can't take this any more I need him out.

I had on off contractions for 5 days! I was dilating though and post birth was up and about straight away because it was quite a gentle labour.

Contractions woke me on Monday night, lasted a few hours and stopped, at midwife apt Tuesday am I was 3 cm and she did a s&s, I contracted until tea time then nothing, slept that night, on off contractions through Wed and Thurs, then they woke me at midnight, by 3am really painful, off to hospital, was 7cm on arrival and ds born at 9am.

I've had this, it is rubbish but can go on for a few days so try not to stress. I know it's easy to say but try to relax and enjoy the peace while you can. X

The problem is that these are just so painful that I can't sleep through them or get any rest. I suppose I am just freaking out about the prospect of this going on for ages, me getting no rest and then being too tired for the big push and all that follows.

I always imagined that in the latent stage contractions were manageable but these really aren't, I certainly can't talk through them as was suggested at my antenatal class.

And yes pink booked for an induction on weds.

My labours were long but i never got too tired to push. I think the adrenaline keeps you going, or at least it did me.

Perhaps if the pain is unmanageable you should go to the hospital anyway?

Thanks cupocoffee, it's good to know that there are energy reserves in the there somewhere.

The pain in itself is manageable, just a short blast of intensity which leaves me speechless, the problem is that I can relax around the pains because as soon as I do another one comes. I'm usually a hard ass when it comes to pain too! Will see how things pan out over the next hour or so as I have a feeling the hospital would just send me home (my failed sweep this week suggested I wasn't anywhere near ready).

This childbirth lark is tricky!

How are u doing even?

Contractions stopped for about an hour and then restarted at about 4pm.

Still not at the 3 minute mark (about 6 minutes apart) so delivery suite not really interested. It's getting hard now because haven't slept at all for over 24h now and it is so so painful.
Midwife suggested I tried to sleep between contractions - not entirely sure how thats possible?! She also made me feel like I was being a bit of a wimp for saying the pain was getting a bit much.

If it gets too much just turn up and say you are not coping and would like to be checked.

Do you have any concerns about the baby moving or anything?

I remember those before 3cm dilated contractions with my first baby being incredibly painful. Perhaps because its the first time the body has ever done that?

I didn't cope well at all!

Hi, this happened with me in my last pregnancy, I was overdue and had stop start contractions over a few days. I would wake up in the night thinking I was in labour, go back to sleep and when I woke they had stopped! I had experienced regular Braxton hicks from week 20 of the pregnancy and I had assumed it had something to do with that

It was slow labour apparently. When labour finally progressed it was very quick!!!

I had early braxton hicks as well! I remember mentioning it to the consultant at my 16 week check up but he said they couldn't possibly be that. Continued for the whole pregnancy and twice at around 22 weeks i thought i was going into labour as they were so regular and strong!