Waters refusing to break!

[Yalmeister]

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.

This is why I wish we kept our old bed - really bouncy mattress. New one has no bounce at all🙄 just my luck really! I've piled sofa cushions up on the edge to get a bit more bounce and have been rocking on it a bit. Contractions have spaced out to 14 minutes for the last three now so slowing down again. Fingers crossed later on something happens.

Mine didn’t break until 9/10cm in the hospital. I stayed at home until 7cm when I was checked for the first time, I would stay home as long as you can bare, my contractions never got very regular, they would be minutes apart then seconds, all different lengths too! Once you need gas and air then I would head in to be checked.
I stayed at home bouncing on my ball and used the tens machine - useful if you’ve got them!

Going with similar advice to PP who suggested relaxing....baby will come when they're ready and you may have days ahead of you with the stop start contractions.
Remember even though it may be frustrating and you want things to kickstart, these contractions are doing something and helping prepare for labour.

I've had two babies and both times my waters went as I was pushing them out so don't rely on them going in advance, but keep any eye out for any change in movement with baby

Good luck and wishing you a safe birth

*update!

Waters broke in a massive rush at 1am this morning. Went to the hospital and was discharged due to being only 2cm dilated despite being in a huge amount of pain. Told me to go home as there was no space.

Baby was born not two hours later on my living room floor by my amazing superhero husband!
We're all okay, surprisingly minimal damage to me and baby is happy and healthy.

What a day!

Congratulations 🥳

Shame the hospital didn't listen!

Wow, congratulations!

What a happy day! Congratulations OP!

Well done you!

I was just coming in to say that I had an experience with a long labour, contractions never got more than 5-6 mins apart. I knew that they were intense, but the midwives didn't believe that I was close, sent me home and I nearly had her in the car!

If anyone else reads this thread, trust your instincts. The '3minute rule' is adhered to by midwives, not babies!

Ahhh congratulations, that's lovely news.

Wow! Congratulations and well done to all of you