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Original poster

Waters refusing to break!

35 replies

Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 17:56

I have been in early labour since early afternoon on Monday...and it keeps stalling. It gets to 7 minutes between and stays there for a few hours, then out of nowhere they stop for a random amount of time.

Both times I called the hospital they told me the same thing that I already knew - it's normal when it's your first baby, have a bath and take paracetamol, call us back if movements reduce or your waters break or when contractions are 3 minutes apart. The issue is they will not reach 3 minutes apart!

Im so, so tired. I just need my waters to go so that I can go in. Or a way of speeding this up that isn't the usual crap.

I guess I just needed a whinge. I will be calling them back again tomorrow if the same happens because I cannot keep getting my hopes up and then everything stopping, especially when both midwives said that it sounds like im "well on the way, will labour through the night then will probably see you tomorrow". Nope.

I'm so tired.

OP posts:
FlamingoBabe · 23/11/2022 18:08

You’ve got this!! My DS was born in his waters so they might not even go. I don’t have any tips but could you go in for them to examine you? Good luck x

Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 19:13

I have rang them to see if I can be looked at but all they have said is that it's perfectly normal for it to stop and start and that I shouldn't go in unless waters break, contractions are 3 mins apart or movement reduces but they won't see me otherwise. I left a voicemail for my midwife to see if I could get an appointment but haven't heard anything back yet. Just got to hope that this doesn't go on all night again.

OP posts:
tealandteal · 23/11/2022 19:16

Good luck! I don’t have any advice as DS2 was also born in his waters. First DS waters went about 5 mins before.

Try and keep the lights dim, room warm, things nice and calm to help.

Blessedbethefruitz · 23/11/2022 19:16

Good luck! My waters didn't actually go until she was crowning (I thought they had due to leakage but apparently it was hind waters). This was a vbac, my first labour. Can you sleep through them?

PutOnAHappyFace · 23/11/2022 19:21

I know how frustrating this type of labour is but your body is doing something now even if slowly so when 'proper' labour kicks in then you have done a chunk of the work.

Good luck, enjoy your newborn cuddles soon.

Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 19:43

Blessedbethefruitz · 23/11/2022 19:16

Good luck! My waters didn't actually go until she was crowning (I thought they had due to leakage but apparently it was hind waters). This was a vbac, my first labour. Can you sleep through them?

I managed to sleep through some yesterday but only because at that point I'd be awake for more than 36 hours because of contractions coming every 7 minutes, I was exhausted and they eventually slowed enough for me to sleep for two hours. Trying to remain as cheery and relaxed as possible to help things along but it's difficult

OP posts:
Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 19:44

PutOnAHappyFace · 23/11/2022 19:21

I know how frustrating this type of labour is but your body is doing something now even if slowly so when 'proper' labour kicks in then you have done a chunk of the work.

Good luck, enjoy your newborn cuddles soon.

Thank you! I hope so too. I'm trying to keep positive thinking at least something is happening, but I never imagined I'd be going in to 3 days of early labour. Would have helped if my actual midwife had bothered to talk to me about anything labour related!

OP posts:
Thelonelychicken · 23/11/2022 19:53

If I was you I'd just say movements have reduced so they will actually look at you. Or you think your waters went but your not sure make an excuse 🤷

Hoppinggreen · 23/11/2022 19:57

Mine didn’t “break” - poor DS had the marks on his head from the thingy they were trying to use to break the membrane that was in fact his head.
They must have just trickled away at some point and I hadn’t noticed

ordinarilyordinary · 23/11/2022 19:58

Don't think of waters breaking as the be all and end all of labour. It may not happen until a few seconds before the baby is born.
Good luck. I'm sure it won't be long. Are you overdue?

PeppermintyPatty · 23/11/2022 20:00

How many weeks are you? I had days of stop start with my first and a couple of weeks with my second. It can be completely normal. When proper Labour started it was unmistakable

RandomMess · 23/11/2022 20:01

There could be a number of reasons for this such as baby isn't in the best position. Can you try and spend a lot of time on all fours? Could be back to back.

I would be tempted to claim reduced movements to get examined.

You must be exhausted, on a positive notes things may not get any more painful.

IneedcoffeeinanIV · 23/11/2022 20:04

I was induced a few months ago and it took days for my waters to break even when I started having contractions. They finally went about 7 hours before DD arrived. The midwives kept trying to break them for me but they couldn't reach my cervix. Good luck and I hope things move along for you soon!

ChristmasMonkey · 23/11/2022 20:06

I had this for dayssss with my son.

When I went in they examined me and I was 5-6cms. They did a sweep and he was here 4 hours later

Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 20:21

I'm 39+5 so absolutely on the way! I just feel like I will feel better if waters break because then I can go in. I know it's not waters break and boom, over with but I haven't gotten closer than 7 mins apart for almost 3 days so at this point I feel like that would be the easier option!

Today has been the day of carbs and all fours! Never crawled around so much in my life. I am tempted to call them and just claim reduced movements so I can see what's going on but the last time they just hooked me up to a machine.

The plan of action is to wait until tomorrow morning and see if things have changed. If not, I'm calling hospital again and seeing what they say. If it's a repeat of the previous calls, I will be insisting something happens based on exhaustion alone. I don't want to lie to them or take a bed away from someone who needs it but goodness, I'm so tired.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 20:23

Also, I've had contractions on and off for a couple of weeks with no pattern but Monday a pattern came and stayed for hours then tapered off, which I know is normal. Just getting fed up with being so close to due date and things not getting further than 7 mins apart. Gotta try and keep smiling!

OP posts:
gamerchick · 23/11/2022 20:27

Baby is moving as normal thought right?

Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 20:31

As far as I can tell. The trouble is she's never had a specific set of times or movements for me to go by. The closest is she likes wriggling when I'm dead asleep in the early morning (husband feels it through hand on belly) and sometimes before I go to bed she shifts around. She's always been quiet throughout the day other than the odd day that she will go nuts for two minutes for no reason.

She does respond when I poke her so I'm taking it as a good sign.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 23/11/2022 20:50

Good stuff.

Well you know, it's the cervix that says it's time when it gets poked at by an engaged head or a sweep. Sends that message to the brain or something. Husbands can be useful for that if you have the energy. 😉

Good luck. These types of slow labours are a massive pain.

Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 20:53

gamerchick · 23/11/2022 20:50

Good stuff.

Well you know, it's the cervix that says it's time when it gets poked at by an engaged head or a sweep. Sends that message to the brain or something. Husbands can be useful for that if you have the energy. 😉

Good luck. These types of slow labours are a massive pain.

I did attempt to mention that earlier...and then had a contraction so he said no 🤣

Fingers crossed it's soon because this does suck

OP posts:
gamerchick · 23/11/2022 20:58

Man, they get squeemish at the most inconvenient times Grin bless him. It's probably not the most sexy thing in the world.

gamerchick · 23/11/2022 21:01

As far as I can remember the cervix gets a prod and sends a message to the brain to get things going, sweeps do similar from the midwife. So maybe bouncing on a ball or something might help.

Original poster
Yalmeister · 23/11/2022 21:27

I don't blame him to be fair, I'm still having contractions but they are either 7 mins apart or 15 or anywhere in between so I don't think I'd be up for it anyway!

I wish I'd bought a ball to be honest. I didn't bother for various reasons and it's pointless getting one now. I've been "bouncing" on the edge of the sofa to try and get the same result but all it does is hurt a bit.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 23/11/2022 21:41

A mattress might be better than the sofa. No point in causing yourself pain.

I don't blame you both either. It's not something you think about.

Kindofcrunchy · 23/11/2022 21:44

I'm going to go against the grain slightly and say try to relax, which is incredibly hard when you're in pain and can't sleep and uncomfortable and worried and fed up... BUT what you need for things to really ramp up is oxytocin, so try (!) to think calm thoughts, deep breathing, and keep doing what you're doing in terms of exercise etc. Personally I wouldn't lie about reduced movement, I don't see the merit in having interventions you don't actually need. You're not overdue yet.

Honestly, my waters broke early with my first baby and I had to be induced 3 times to get contractions started. It sucked, I wish my body had known to do things the other way round!

Good luck.