12hrs of labour so far....

[HopeFull28]

Contractions started at 4.30am this morning and Went to 6mins apart now back to 8mins! Feeling like 1 step forward and 2 back anyone else?

Aaaah, sorry. Sounds like you are one of the ones that feels the latent phase. I was one of these too. I got out and pounded the streets. Anything to help move it along!

Is this your first baby?

to you, it won't be too long now.

Latent phase? yes this is my first. Currently bouncing on my ball thanks, hoping he comes tonight dunno if I'll make it through the night otherwise zzzzz haha

It is the phase where you start contracting, until you get to 3-4cm which is technically established labour. I think some women don't even feel this part and some women do.

I know it is hard but just try and keep eating and drinking, and maybe try and rest as well. The ball is a good idea but also try and conserve as much energy as possible. I would expect you to go in at some point tonight but you will still probably have missed 2 night's sleep.

Good luck with it all. Don't worry about ringing the hospital to talk things through with the midwives. They can give you some advice about how to help. Also, don't feel like you can't go in until they say. I asked to come in as both labours didn't follow the pattern in the books. I had very strong and long contractions and but only every 11 minutes and it turned out I was in active labour. Hope this makes sense - basically I am saying follow your instincts. If you don't feel you are coping call them.

Oh and keep us updated. I miss the excitement of the new baby

Definitely sounds like the early stage of labour. I felt it with DD and DS2 but not DS1 weirdly.

Thanks rainybow yes makes perfect sense, mine are lasting for longer and getting stronger but don't seem to be getting closer together I will keep posted, my cousin had her first within 3hrs of first contraction.. I guess some are just lucky haha!

This happened to me and baby was born 22 hours after the first pain.

I just tried to chill out and carry on as usual. I gave up timing the pains and just went about my day. I had a walk, did my shopping and even went out for a steak haha. When I got to the hospital I was 9cm dilated.

This might sound bonkers, but if you can't face a really brisk walk to get things moving, go to bed and try to get some sleep while you still can.
You could have another 24 hours or so yet before things even properly get going, and established labour is exhausting! Hopefully things will hurry up, but they may not.
I had a very long labour and wished I'd rested more in the early stages.
From contractions getting to every two minutes - which is when I thought "right, this is properly it, let's wake DH", it was 24 hours til DS was born. If I could go back in time I'd stay at home longer and have more rest!
Very best of luck, hope things get speeding up soon.

Update: I'm now in hospital contractions every 2mins, waiting to be checked to see how dilated I am.. Was 3cm at 10.30pm! Paracetamol hasn't touched the agony I'm in lol

Good luck! Wishing you a speedy labour.

Can you guess why I'm posting at this time of day?

Sent home because was still 3cm dilated after 4hrs! contractions still coming strong! Absolutely shattered now!

Oh you poor thing. Try and see if you can get some rest. Just think of the lovely newborn cuddles you'll be having in the next 24-48 hours

Oh no! Try and get some rest - slow labours are not fun.

Oh god luck. Hopefully things will speed up for you and you meet your ba soon

Can't sleep due to the painful contractions which have gone back to 5mins apart DP is sound asleep on the sofa though.

This happened to me with DD...she was born 27 hours after I felt the first latent phase contractions, which got stronger and stronger but never any closer together. Finally after 23 hours my waters broke and then all of a sudden I was 1-2 minutes apart and DH rushed me to hospital where she was born 15 minutes later!

Good luck, OP!

Thanks Saga, I've just passed 27hrs and waters still not gone

I don't know where I got 23 hours from...after 26 hours my waters went!

I'd phone up the ward again, saying you're not coping with the pain now and see if they can make you more comfortable.

HopeFull - this may also be a very good time to have a discussion with your DH/DP/birthing partner about pain relief options later on, and if your experience over the last 24 hours has made you reconsider anything. Because if the pain is that bad already then there's every chance you'll want something stronger when labour gets going properly. And if your birth plan says "nothing but gas and air please" then that may no longer be realistic?

Don't worry about your waters not going yet, either - mine never went and had to be broken by the midwife around 5 hours before DS was finally born.

Try and relax though, your baby will be here soon, and all this will just be a memory!

OP, I feel your pain (literally!)
Been in the same situation since Monday evening -5 min contractions but all stopped by Tuesday and its been on and off since then....getting cross reading that latent phase contractions are not painful.... Mine defiantly are!

Sorry it is going on so long I hope that it all starts to progress soon. I hovered around 3 cm for hours as well. Once I did get passed that it progressed normally, to the extreme in my 2nd labour as that is only listed as being a 25 minute labour

My waters had to be broken in my first labour and the second DC was nearly born in the bag. Please don't worry about waters not going. I nearly gave birth without mine going!

Redhead I am sorry you are going through the same. You are very right that the latent phase can definitely hurt!

Good luck both and please do call in if you need to. I had a bit of a standoff with my midwife during my second labour as I was not following what she expected but I knew I couldn't cope with the pain at home (I am a very passive person normally but remembered my first labour, and the pain after a sleepless night was too much). She reluctantly let me stay saying I would have to go onto the normal ward but by the time she examined me I was 3-4cm so ok to stay (big relief). If she had sent me home I would never have made it back in time so did know my body.

It's tiring. I walked a lot. Seemed to help move things along

My first Labour lasted 36 hours! My second was 13 hours from 6cm dilated, but was contracting for 3 days. Both times they had to break my waters at 10cm.

27 weeks now and hoping baby will be slightly kinder even though I loved my 2nd birthing experience!

Hop in the bath, it helps sooth the pain