Can I stop my contractions for a few hours?

[DesperatelyDue]

Hi night owls. I realise this sounds completely bat shit crazy but hear me out. (And don’t be mean, I’m truly desperate)

I‘m 77 hours into an excruciating latent labour. My contractions have ramped up to pain the likes of which I have never actually felt before. But they remain 5 minutes apart and the hospital have told me I will absolutely be turned away until I’m 3 in 10. (I have phoned back twice more to beg for help but the midwives are steadfast)

Every day, up until today, the contractions have stopped for 3-4 hours in the afternoon and given me a chance to eat without vomiting and get a few hours of much needed sleep. But not today!

I’m exhausted and really emotional. I can’t do much of anything because I have to stop every 5 minutes and get onto my knees.

So, my crazy question is… has anyone been in this situation before? And can you recommend anything that would encourage a break in contractions for a while? Thank you.

I reckon you're in slow labour. I had this problem for a whole week of up and down contractions with baby number 5 and then had 10 hour full on labour.
You just got a keep plodding on through, trust God, and remember at the end you will have your darling baby
Wish you all the best.

I had a long latent labour, paracetamol a hot water bottle and the tens machine all helped. A warm bath also helped.
it is not helpful when no one believes the contractions actually hurt. I hope it starts progressing for you soon.

I feel really sorry for you OP @DesperatelyDue

Try a warm bath. Take all the paracetamol.

Hopefully your waters will go soon and then the clock starts.

That sounds fucking awful.

how are the baby’s movements? I’d keep track and if they slow at all get yourself in.

i remember phoning the midwife and them talking through a contraction- they said I was fine because I could talk through it, the contractions were ok, but the level of pain was not. Fortunately my waters broke and i got to hospital in time for an emergency section.

is it your first? I found the m/w very dismissive of my pain levels, telling me there was no way I was in that much pain so early on.

trust your instincts and go in anyway if you feel anything isn’t right.

Really feel for you OP I had this with my first labour so I know how truly awful it is.

Lots of baths and had to get my DH to drive me round in the car at one point as the motion helped ease the pain a bit.

Turns out my stubborn first born was back to back which is why the latent phase too sooo long and was so painful right off the bat so a possible thing for the midwives to check.

Good luck x

I had a sweep during latent labour (was only 1-2 cm dilated at the time)... baby was born about 6 hours later! Might be worth considering the option...

I found latent labour intense and tiring and I remember it was demoralising when the medical professionals didn't want to know... Try to remember that it's preparing your body and bringing you closer to meeting your baby. You can do this!

Do listen to your instincts... if it feels like things are ramping up you might want to insist on heading in. Some women (like me, twice!) don't get the '3 in 10' consistent pattern of contractions... I ended up having pushing sensations at home (subsequently not a particularly pleasant drive to the MLU)!

Remember 'Upright, Forward, Open' positioning as that will help your cervix to efface and will help to encourage things to speed up a little (I know you asked for tips to slow it down, but... maybe helpful to get iit over with?!)

Good luck

Don't let the midwives bully you into staying home and putting up with all that pain. The reason they don't want you in the hospital is that this is prime baby season and they are flying by the seat of their pants. It's nothing to do with medicine, and everything to do with timing and the problems of the NHS.

At the very least you need to be examined and they need to check your baby's vital signs.

Go to the hospital and stay until they see you. Bring your hospital bag.

I agree with this. I'd go to the hospital.
It's definitely more to do with beds etc but they can at least check everything is ok while you're there.

If they won't let you in, put your tens machine on if you have one & bounce on your birthing ball. If you haven't got either of these, send your husband to get you both, they do help. Fuel up, lots of carbs, you will need the energy, have a curry or something spicy, it might get things moving.

Get on your hands & knees, rock, it takes the pressure off & if your baby is back to back may help them turn. Don't sit on the sofa or lay in bed, keep moving.

It’s bloody barbaric.Excruciating pain for 77 hours?! No one else with any other condition would be told to put up with that.
Go in and if they refuse just tell them that movements have slowed. Unfair, yes, but so is being ignored for hours.

My friend had something similar and it was discovered the baby was breech. She laboured for days, then had an emergency C section. She was wiped out and in pain for months after birth.

I was in a similar position earlier this month and in the end I went into hospital purely for pain relief, and then went home again for labour to progress. I was given oramorph which didn't particularly seem to help the actual pain but it did make me drowsy so that I could snooze between contractions. I was offered a few different pain relief options, and I also opted for a sweep whilst I was there. Again I had to push hard to be taken seriously as it was my first, but as a PP mentioned my baby was also back to back. Good luck!

I had this for 4 days and weirdly found if I went for a walk they stopped.

I would go to the hospital and ask them to check how dilated you are. My contractions were 7 minutes apart when I went in, after maxing out the TENS machine. They tried to send me home but I asked to be checked. I was 4 centimetres and then admitted straight away.

If you have been in the latent phase that long and especially with vomiting you’re likely to be dehydrated at the very least in terms of a response to it. There are lots of reasons other than more frequent contractions why observation in hospital might be needed (and also potentially that you are absolutely fine to carry on). I really would insist on an antenatal check at this point (I’m a midwife). There’s usually a guideline to invite you on and assess after a certain number of phone calls on the same subject so obtaining this should not be a problem. Very good luck with the rest of your labour.

Hi ladies. Thank you all so much for your support. Sorry for my delayed response… I’m just so tired and dopey, I can barely bring myself to type!

Baby is still in. 86 torturous hours and counting.

Last night was a surreal experience. At about 4am, I realised that my contractions were coming thick and fast so I started timing them again. They were every 4 minutes and I was so pleased and thought it was almost time to go into hospital.
But also, the pain ramped up and I was having real difficulty dealing with them. I started getting white lines in my vision, (which isn’t unheard of for me as I am a migraine sufferer when not pregnant.) And then really bad vomiting began. After the vomiting, it was as though my body said “better wind it down” and the contractions suddenly dropped off to every 12-14 minutes! (How bloody annoying)

I have slept ZERO since 3am on TUESDAY morning and I feel like a zombie. I have to keep stopping to think really hard about small things. I just couldn’t remember which setting I usually use on my washing machine. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

This is my first baby @Reallyreallyborednow … and tempered to say it’s going to be my last, thanks!! (Although, I do have 2 young step children that live with me full time, so it’s quite frustrating balancing the “is this or isn’t this?” moments and knowing when to call in the grandparents… argh!)

So, I have decided I am going to triage tonight. I am going to insist. I am going to scream and cry if I have to. And, if I’m 4cm or more, I will beg for admission and for them to pop my waters. I am due for induction on Monday anyway.

I will also ask about a sweep thanks @Poppins2016
I had unsuccessful sweeps at 39+6 and 40+1 because my cervix was unfavourable. I was booked for another yesterday but I had to miss it because I’m in such bad shape. I asked if they could come to my home instead but the midwife said that’s only for exceptional circumstances.
It's shitty because I live in the arse end of nowhere and my midwives run their clinic out of the side room in the village hall, where a children’s playgroup runs during the same hours. The waiting area is actually in the play group itself. And I just couldn’t face sitting in with all those mums and children, mooing away. It’s a bloody awkward set up at the best of times.

I hope my next update is “baby out” 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

Oh bless you OP I really hope they help you when you go in later! Good luck x

Oh OP I really feel for you, this sounds awful. If I were you I’d go in now tbh, it sounds like you’re exhausted enough that you really need to conserve some energy for both pushing and then when the baby is actually here

is there anyone who can help advocate for you, is your partner / husband around or your mum?

Sounds just like my labour. It was a very long and slow latent phase that lasted from Monday to Friday when baby was finally born. It was exhausting and painful. I really feel for you. It's also so frustrating when you keep calling the hospital and the keep telling you to stay home. I felt I spent 4 days just rocking on all 4s as it was the only thing that slightly helped with the pain.

I ended up going to hospital in the end on the Friday even when I was told not too. I couldn't cope any more. They gave me oramorph and sent me home again, 3 hours later I was back and in active labour.

Wishing you all the best. Trust your instincts. Go in if you have to. Ask for stronger pain relief (if you want it) x

Oh you poor thing. It took nearly 48 hours for me to be sufficiently dilated to be admitted, and I didn’t sleep because they hurt right from the beginning. I did go in for a check and was given oramorph which might help you?
I wouldn’t rely just on contractions though, when I read my notes after it said my contractions had been ‘uncoordinated’ throughout, and I definitely had points where they were more and then less frequent.
If you’re over 4cm, you could ask to be admitted and get an epidural? That might help you get some rest while your body gets on with getting ready.

Oh yes, I have an excellent, if not slightly freaked out husband who is being wonderful. I’ve told him it’s his mission to get me admitted. 😂

Oh, I have a question if anyone can help - sometimes when baby is moving, I now feel a sharp pain, that mimics some of the pain I’m feeling during contractions. I’m wondering if I’m feeling her wriggling IN my cervix? Could this mean I’m dilated and her head is snugly in the gap? Or am I letting my imagination run away with me?

I had a similar labour with my first (started on Thursday and she was born on the Tuesday. I went in to hospital on the Friday and had a sweep and then back again on the Monday where they didn't another sweep and offered to break waters/induce as it had been going on so long. Second sweep kick started it. Turned out she was slightly at the wrong angle and had a bruise when she eventually came out. If I were you I'd want the baby monitored now to make sure they're not getting tired.

I really feel for you as it is so hard with the lack of sleep. I hope baby is out very soon, I had an epidural when I could as just needed some rest.

Second baby was much quicker and straightforward! Good luck.

I'm not trying to freak you out OP but I think sharp pains can be a bad sign so it might be a good idea to go in and get checked out

I had this over the course of a week, although not with that level of pain until the last day or so. Suddenly it all sped up, we got into hospital and the baby was born in 45 minutes from arrival.

Tens machine really, really helped - I just had it on all the time on the last day or so. About 45 minutes after the baby was born I suddenly realised I still had it on full whack, hadn't been even noticing it by then. You can get them over the counter in chemists, I believe - maybe Deliveroo will deliver you one, depending on where you live?

Also breathing - I'd had a CD I'd been listening to that had a hypnosis type effect, but essentially it was concentrate on the breathing during a contraction - in while counting to 10 (?), out while counting to the same number (sorry can't quite remember how many, it was 11 years ago).

OP, as a mum of 4 I am ordering you, get in the car and get down that hospital. You are most likely dehydrated, you’re getting bad headaches and you are absolutely bloody shattered. You need help and support. As someone else said, they wouldn’t leave you in pain like this for anything else. Good luck lovely, you’ve got this 💪🏼