6cm dilated and still not in labour!

[MrsHuxtable]

Yes, that's right. The universe is having a laugh. This is DC2. I was 1cm dilated at 32 weeks, 2cm at 35 weeks, 4cm 2 days later, and 6 cm when I was last checked at 36+6. I'm now 37+4 and am pretty sure that things have progressed further as I still have a lot more tightenings than normal with the odd hour or so of regular contractions but nothing but pushes me over the edge into proper labour. Seriously? I mean seriously? For how long can this go on for. Oh, I'm also fully effaced, head fully engaged, mucus plug gone and baby's head is visible. He has loads of dark hair. Has anyone else experienced this? And if so what did finally bring on labour???

I got out the bath, sat on the loo and the urge to push came over me. Dh was drinking coffee in the kitchen, I screamed at him to get through me, he shouted at me saying there is no way I need to push, I must need to poo, and if I really do need to push I better get my arse off the toilet seat haha.

So please be ready, just in case, because an hour is a long way away. Have plenty of towels. And something for the placenta. Get a list online.

Good luck, I got to seven cm before anyone believed I was having a baby.

Op the pressure in your bum isn't some thing you always experience.

I've given birth 5 times. The pressure in bum bit? I've felt once!

Good luck!!

I was at 5cm for days at 36+ wks with dc3. odd bits of contractions but nothing major. In the end (36+5) my BP went up so I got sent to hosp by mw, my waters were broken and dd born 1hr later Don't know why you think hormone/drip, I had none of that.

Not really any proper advice but I'd get some kit together for a home birth. Just a few old towels ect. but I'd also think about putting a few in a bag for the car. If you have an hour drive you might birth on the way there.

Still no baby but for today that's a good thing. It's the immediate hormone drip because it's protocol for strep b carriers. There's nothing I can do about it. I can refuse intervention like the drip but at the same time I can't force them to intervene like break my waters. If I go in in labour or with broken waters I can obviously tell them to stuff their drip but I can't go in in not labour and tell them to break my waters as that would only happen after drip with hormones and antibiotics would be started. Hope that makes sense.

Is today your toddler free day? Cross your legs & relax as tomorrow may be busy!!

Hope you have a restful day today. Must say, I would be jumping up and down for them to break my waters, you have willpower

Good luck, keep us posted.

Crikey OP, your body's a bit extraordinary! Hope DC arrives soon but gives you time to get to hospital!

This popped up on my newsfeed today and I thought of you, MrsHuxtable "I've personally had women who were 6 centimeters dilated for weeks." from

The Myth of a Vaginal Exam
So at least you aren't the only one :)

You could be having a silent labour, my friend had one at 32 weeks didn't feel a thing until she was 10cm & ready to push!
The more you can dilate without pain the better, you'l be thankful once the pain does pop up.
Good luck xxx

Intrigued by this thread as I had a similar-ish experience with DS3.

Mucus plug had come away and I was contracting strongly then everything stopped. This happened several times over 2 weeks but I just seemed to be stuck at 3cms!

Eventually they decided to give me a pessary to try and get things moving. I must have been ready to pop because I went from 4 to 10cm in about 20 minutes flat.

They said afterwards that DS was a 'compound' presentation and that he had his arm above his head so there wasn't enough pressure on the cervix to open it.

I don't know how true this is because I'm now 35weeks+ with DC4 and the stop start contractions are in full swing again! So maybe it's just how my body does things!

Hope your baby is with you soon MrsH best wishes for a smooth delivery after all this build-up!

Any news Hux?

Nothing new. I've spend the day relaxing after I was out for a bit in the morning and I'm so uncomfortable it's insane. I feel so much pressure down now, it's really uncomfortable to walk. I can't remember feeling like this in my last pregnancy and I wonder if it's something to be concerned about or if it's normal. The pressure I either feel if I have a tightening (painless) or if I walk.

If. you are getting pressure I would be considering going to get checked out. If you have got this far without much discomfort it may be as others have said that you are having a silent labour. IMO with the GBS and the 6 cms already, combined with the hours drive, its better to be safe than sorry.
Good luck. x

How are you this morning? Any progress?

WSS ^^

Lack of response = progress??

I hope so!

Don't think so just seen her posting on another thread!

However no doubt she's 10cm and in no pain so just chilling

Again: I hope so

Ha, I'm still here. I've been spending my afternoon cooking freezer meals for when this baby does actually turn up. I figured being on my feet a lot might help. I'm feeling a little crampy now but it will no doubt come to nothing. All the pressure I felt yesterday is gone again. I'm starting to wonder whether this was all a huge mistake and I'm not actually pregnant, just very round. I'm exactly 38 weeks today, I can't believe it. All of this has been going on for 6 weeks now. DD was born without any of this hassle at 38+6 so maybe I'm getting close.

We have a baby Huxtable!!!

W0ow!

WOO HOO! Give his head a sniff from me!