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

1 2

Original poster

Latent phase?

27 replies

Fae1989 · 24/07/2019 06:14

I’ve been awake for 3 hours with contractions. They followed a pattern for a bit but are now all over the place. Rang birthing centre who said it’s latent phase and to keep an eye and not time them yet. My stomach is constantly hard and the pain comes and goes

Partner is asleep (he’s exhausted and tired from the heat) and I’ve got no one I can really ask for help. I’m currently at the end of one that’s lasted for about 15 minutes and is very painful.

I’m at my wits end. I can’t tell what is going on! Has anyone experienced this before?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

katmarie · 24/07/2019 06:44

I had a very long latent phase, contractions would ramp up to every 6 or 7 minutes, and then trail off again or stop completely for an hour or two. That lasted three days in the end. The thing that made mine last so long was because my bladder swelled shut, and couldn't empty, so the baby's head wasnt making contact with the cervix to move things along. My advice would be to get as much rest as you can, don't dehydrate but do keep an eye on how much urine you're passing, and if you cant wee, call the hospital immediately. Warm baths helped for me, and sitting backwards on a dining chair with a pillow for support when I couldn't stand or lie down. Keep the midwives up to date, and if you are at all worried tell them you are coming in for monitoring. Good luck!

MrsXx4 · 24/07/2019 06:49

I had it for nearly two days which is actually quite quick for the latent phase. My first baby so like you I felt very anxious and didn’t know what to look out for or expect.

I went for a walk and then tried to sleep and eat as much as possible in that time. Also had nice baths and tried to stay home until I really felt I needed some kind of pain relief.

Original poster

Fae1989 · 24/07/2019 06:53

Thanks ladies. I’m in constant pain now so going to try a bath and see if that works. I may have been in latent phase for a while as this has happened before but minus the searing pain!

OP posts:

MrsXx4 · 24/07/2019 06:54

Oh and yes I second the keeping an eye on your passing of urine! My baby was born in an emergency in the end because he had been stuck behind my bladder (but this was much further along and I was already in hospital for this - it didn’t get to that point at home)

I also didn’t know what to be looking out for, I was naive and thought my waters would break and I’d know but that didn’t happen. I did pass my plug at home though. The midwife on the phone listened to me having a contraction and told me it wasn’t time to come in because I could still talk through them! I eventually got what she meant!!

MrsXx4 · 24/07/2019 06:55

Is this your first?

newmomof1 · 24/07/2019 06:59

Mine lasted for 3 days and I went to the hospital twice as I was having long contractions every couple of minutes, but they still said I was only 3cm dilated(!) and sent me home (they can give you painkillers if you need them and they gave me a TENS machine which didn't work for me but works for some.

I then went back in the middle of the night because I was bleeding (it might have just been my bloody show looking back because I hadn't seen anything before then) and was 6cm. Baby arrived 6 hours later

Good luck OP!

Original poster

Fae1989 · 24/07/2019 07:09

I never knew that could happen (the bladder thing) thank you for the heads up though! Yes, first baby (feel clueless haha)!

Thanks again all. That last one has finally passed so hoping this bath keeps them at bay for a bit!

OP posts:

MrsXx4 · 24/07/2019 07:17

Good luck!! Listen to your body it knows what to do! Don’t panic and if you need pain relief then go to hospital they can give you something to make you more comfortable if you get sent back home!

Snowflake9 · 24/07/2019 07:25

I am 35 +3 with my first and this post has really helped me know what to look for and what can happen.

OP I hope the bath helps. Good luck to you mummy!

Frizzy1986 · 24/07/2019 07:37

This happened to me with my first. If had the odd pain for a few days but it was so sporadic (like a few pains every 4/5 hrs)
The more constant irregular pains only lasted about 12 hours though which isn't long at all. I wasn't convinced it was actually labour and was waiting for the contractions to start getting closer before I knew for sure as I was only 37 weeks.
After 12 hours of it overnight my waters went in the morning after a bath and then it was full on and no doubting I was in labour. Dd was born less than 2 hours later.

Original poster

Fae1989 · 24/07/2019 08:47

Thanks everyone.

This pain has been constant for hours! Hopefully labour will be here soon, so ready for it to be over, it’s agony :/

OP posts:

Waffle12 · 24/07/2019 08:58

Did you advise triage that you are in constant/prolonged pain? I was at an anti natal class the other week and the midwife said that a contraction would never last more than 60 seconds.

Really sorry-i am not sure if that is a help or not. But if you havent told them already how long the pain is lasting it might be worth a bother call?

Good luck OP- hope you meet baby very soon.x

Waffle12 · 24/07/2019 08:59

*another call

Lexyness · 24/07/2019 09:29

I can’t comment on latent phase because I’ve not experienced that despite already having 3dc 🤷🏼‍♀️
BUT I can also second keeping an eye on urine output! With dc1 I was basically ignored by the midwives in hospital and left alone (despite already being 5cm when I got there at 9am and having contractions with only a minute in between) they were very short staffed and eventually after being there hours they called my community mw in and she stayed with me! She asked if I’d passed urine and it wasn’t until that point I realised I hadn’t all day and I couldn’t by that point either! I then got catheterised and ds1 came shortly after! If they’d have realised sooner (or actually paid attention to me throughout the day) then my labour would have been a lot shorter! (Can’t complain as my entire labour was 20hours from waters breaking to delivery so not bad for a first timer)

katmarie · 24/07/2019 20:44

How are you doing op?

Original poster

Fae1989 · 24/07/2019 20:57

Thanks everyone and for sharing your knowledge and experience with me.

After spending all afternoon in hospital they basically said cervix is still closed and if they were real contractions i wouldn’t be able to talk! Looks like just Braxton hicks and a very squashed and tight baby and no sign of him moving any time soon! Pain seems to have gone now (the constant one). Bit disappointed as looks like might not even be latent phase now :/

OP posts:

Snowflake9 · 25/07/2019 06:30

@Fae1989 don't be disappointed, you did everything correct. This is your first baby! You are not supposed to know if your cervix is dilating or not. Just take it easy today, and keep aware of your body.

Braxton Hicks and pains do hurt sometimes and it's no one's place to diminish that.

Good luck to you OP

katmarie · 25/07/2019 06:52

Just on the not being able to talk thing, my midwife said that too, but it turns out I can still speak through a contraction when my baby's head is bouncing off my bladder, which is exceptionally painful, so it doesn't always follow that you wont be able to speak.(admittedly all I could get out was a string of swear words but still).

anitagreen · 25/07/2019 09:41

Also agree that not being able to talk through contractions is bull I was able to speak through mine

Original poster

Fae1989 · 25/07/2019 10:29

Thank you @katmarie and @anitagreen - really appreciate your advice! Thanks everyone else too (so rubbish at tagging people haha!)

@Snowflake9 - thank you, really appreciate that. I guess we're hard on ourselves sometimes! I had always read they didn't hurt so just assumed I was being a massive wimp (or it was the real deal haha)

Hoping he comes along soon though!

I did think that about the 'not being able to speak' thing - surely everyone's pain thresholds are different and it seemed like a slightly sweeping generalisation! I'm glad I went because at least now I know not to bother ringing until he's pretty much out! Haha.

OP posts:

anitagreen · 25/07/2019 10:39

@Fae1989 good luck hope he does come soon but I hope the ward your on has fans when I was having mine I was so hot maybe you'd be better of giving birth say Friday when it cools down

Original poster

Fae1989 · 25/07/2019 11:24

@anitagreen - was that recently? Congratulations for whenever it was :)
Sorry it was so hot :/ the hospital does seem to have air conditioning in some parts so we might be okay!

Friday works for me...or any day haha. Although I can't imagine a baby enjoying being out of the womb in this temperature!

OP posts:

anitagreen · 25/07/2019 12:48

@Fae1989 Haha it was last year but horrendous and you are right the baby hated the heat and I hated having a hot baby attached to me sounds awful writing that down but I was one massive sweaty blob throughout that summer. This time I'm due around early January so it'll be nice and cool then

Original poster

Fae1989 · 25/07/2019 13:00

Ah congratulations still in order then :D

I can't remember if last summer was worse than this...I thought it was so really feel for you! Managing to keep certain bits of the house cool so I can adapt if he feels like he wants to make an entrance soon! Doesn't sound awful at all, you're human, the heat is hard work and especially when you've got little ones!!

OP posts:

anitagreen · 25/07/2019 20:21

@Fae1989 I defo think last year was more hot as it was more days I think, but this year although it's only been a few days it feels hotter than we've ever had! When is your due date now?x

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread