Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Have been have early labour contractions since half six this morning, am fed up now

21 replies

Dawnybabe · 19/12/2006 23:25

They are completely irregular but hurt like hell even through the tens machine. I know first labours can be long but this takes the piss. Why won't this baby come out!?! Has anybody else had a long first labour? Somebody please give me some encouragement cos I'm so fed up. The midwife said wait till they're about seven minutes apart and regular but I just don't feel like I'm ever gonna get there.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ledodgychristmasjumper · 19/12/2006 23:27

Sorry to tell you this but I was the same with the first I got niggly pains on the monday that had got to 5 mins apart on the tuesday and were really painful by wednesday I was in agony I had dd at 4.20 on the Thursday am but she was back to back hence the long labour. if it's any consolation I was 40 mins established labour with ds and nearly had him in the car! Try to sleep as much as you can the bath is good or lternatively be as active as possible to keep things moving. Good Luck!

jeangenie · 19/12/2006 23:30

oh dawnybabe, my first was like this.

you need to relax and get some rest (not easy I KNOW!!!)

I wish I could say something more positive but mine went on for a few days, and I needed all the rest possible in the end.

Second time round that's what i was prepared for, so I went back to bed with three hot water bottles once it started, managed to sleep very soundly through the contractions, and DD2 was born a couple of hours after waking

get your sleep if you can, and I'll keep my fingers crossed things get going while you are doing so...

how exciting. Good Luck.

Original poster

Dawnybabe · 19/12/2006 23:31

That might be where I've been going wrong. I've been sat on the sofa for hours trying not to move too much cos it just hurts!
I don't know how the hell I'm gonna get any sleep. And how do I keep a record of the contractions throughout the night? I assume they'll wake me up and I can time them. I'm terrified of not making it to the hospital and being stuck with no pain relief!

OP posts:

PinkTinsel · 19/12/2006 23:31

3 days with dd. most of the day with ds.

nipple twiddle like mad when you're having a contraction, it brings them on stronger and longer.

good luck!

jeangenie · 19/12/2006 23:31

oh yeah, DD1 was back to back too, I'd forgotten that. Ouch.

ledodgychristmasjumper · 19/12/2006 23:32

I found I maaged to sleep on the tuesday night sporadically with a hot water water bottle on my back as this was where I was feeling them the most perhaps you could try this?

ledodgychristmasjumper · 19/12/2006 23:32

*managed

jeangenie · 19/12/2006 23:32

don't worry about timing the contractions in the night - just SLEEP. They will wake you up, I promise.

Ht water bottles wedged in all around, VERY good.

Original poster

Dawnybabe · 19/12/2006 23:39

Will try that, thanks. Will go to bed in a minute, need the rest.

OP posts:

pooka · 19/12/2006 23:43

Do go to bed. I made the mistake of staying up when in early labour with dd - concentrating so hard on timing contractions that ended up exhausted when 2 days later things really kicked off.
With ds - 2.5 hour labour from first pain to birth.

jeangenie · 19/12/2006 23:46

will check in on you tomorrow, and hope to find you've had either
a) a good night's rest
or
b) a baby
sleep tight

Daisymisletoe · 19/12/2006 23:53

Try not to think of them negatively (easy to say, I know ) but they will be doing something and every contraction is bringing you closer to your baby. Try not to worry or get anxious about how long it's taking, just go with each one, breathe slowly and deeply and when it's finished just let it go and relax.

And as others have said rest, rest, rest at this stage and this time of night.

Good luck!

Original poster

Dawnybabe · 19/12/2006 23:54

Since about 11pm I think I've been having them every ten minutes or so. I'm getting a bit scared and really want to be in the hospital.

OP posts:

Original poster

Dawnybabe · 19/12/2006 23:57

Actually it's more like a quarter past eleven. Think they're actually getting closer together.

OP posts:

jeangenie · 20/12/2006 00:25

don't panic

relax

you have plenty of time...

(can't wait to check in the morning)

MKGnearlyimmaculateconception · 20/12/2006 00:26

Dawnybabe

Relax. This is going to happen. This baby will come out eventually, it has to.

pooka · 20/12/2006 07:44

You sound so like me with dd. Went to hospital early on the Sunday morning to be told 1cm. Staggered through Sunday, walking and trying to get it going, and then went in on MOnday am to be told 2cm!
But since was due date they did a sweep and 7 hours later dd was born.
But I wish I'd just let myself relax. Easy to say though......
Good luck.

PinkTinsel · 20/12/2006 11:36

snap pooka, went in after 2 days of labour to be told i was 1/2cm , went in next day and was only 3cm luckily a very sweet midwife got out the hook and broke my waters and dd was born 3 hours later.

with ds i went in after a day of labour and was 3 cm so insisted on the ARM again

pooka · 20/12/2006 13:36

I was the opposite second time round - actually ignored any pains I could breathe through with the result that arrived at hospital 10cm and ds born 30mins later.
And didn't get my home birth because the midwives had gone off shift.

jeangenie · 20/12/2006 22:07

so, any news Dawnybabe?

Original poster

Dawnybabe · 15/01/2007 14:43

Sorry for being a little late, just wanted to say that she finally arrived at six minutes to two on Wednesday 20th. After pushing for two hours they decided that she was back to back and then my pain relief wore off. When I really started to scream they whipped me off for an emergency caesarean. Because she was so far down the birth canal they really pulled me open to get her out. I lost lots of blood and was in hospital for four days, and nearly four weeks on still have a really painful tummy from all the pulling about. I can't lift anything, or drive, and it hurts! She is absolutley fine and totally gorgeous though so she was worth it, but I'm hoping that I can elect for a straight forward caesarean next time cos quite frankly I found the whole experience absolutely terrifying.

OP posts:

Flip