Early labour stage? Is this normal? 40+6 Please help.

[Wintermummy18]

im 40+6 today and hoping for some reassurance, im a first time mum. I started to get mild period pain on Wednesday morning, had an attempted sweep that afternoon which was unsuccessful as cervix closed but soft. Period type pain got worse, on and off, started timing contractions that evening. This all intensified and I didn’t get any sleep at all on Wednesday night as kept getting irregular pain - sometimes every 5 min/10 min/15 min. This then continued throughout all of yesterday. It seems to hurt me every time the baby moves as well.

Went to DAU last night and was given some dihydrocodeine to take which did help a bit last night as I at least managed to sleep between the pain coming and going.

Today I’m feeling extremely uncomfortable in my back, it doesn’t just hurt when the surge comes and I’m feeling a lot of pressure pushing down. The contractions have intensified and feels like burning in the front and back - I’m averaging one every 7-8 minutes at the moment. Paracetamol and dihydrocodeine don’t seem to be doing anything now. I’ve only just started to lose some mucus plug today. I’ve tried to sleep this afternoon and can’t. I’m sat here in tears writing this post. I know the midwives will say they want 3 contractions in 10 minutes consistently which isn’t happening for me, and I’m not sure how much longer I can carry on like this. I didn’t think I had a particularly low pain threshold, but quite frankly feel a bit scared if I’m not even in established labour.

A few things - not everyone’s body does 3 in 10. If you feel like you need help/reassurance call the midwives back.

That your loosing your mucus plug is good, it means your cervix is dilating and things are progressing.

Do you have a tens machine? This might help especially with the back pain. If you don’t have one they sell them in pharmacies, it doesn’t need to age a special maternity one. Maybe someone could pick you one up?

Moving around/trying different positions might help with the back pain.

Try a bath?

For me both times the times when I started to freak out meant I was in transition and baby came quite quickly afterwards, something to bare in mind!

With my 2nd baby I had the same, contractions on and off and general cramping, hospital did a sweep and said cervix still shut and to come back when regular contractions were happening.

after that I was in so much pain but didn’t really feel like contractions, my bump was just so sore down low, couldn’t stand straight from the pain, spent 24 hours laid down because hurt too much to stand. Still only having odd couple of contractions per hour

my mum came to see me and said this didn’t sound like labour and to get to the hospital incase something was wrong.

After palming me off for a while they checked me over in triage. I was over 7cm dilated and moved straight to labour ward.

right up until i had to start pushing my contractions were never more than 15/20 mins apart and she was born just over and hour after being triaged.

so I’d say trust your gut, go back to the hospital if you’re unsure. We know our bodies, and sometimes labour isn’t as textbook as we are told xx

I had this and DS was back to back so there weren’t any proper contractions, it was just constant pressure & pain in my back.

Id go in if you can.

I had days of early labour with my first it was absolutely exhausting. Tens machine did help as did hot water bottle. A hot shower aimed at my back brought some relief as well. I couldn’t really lay down comfortably so a bath was out of the question.
Might be worth having another sweep as my waters broke during one and that got time to labour ward and better pain killers. I was still knackered though

You posted a while ago now, how are you? 3 in 10 minutes it’s a guide not a hard rule. Have you gone in?

I'd go in and ask to be examined. I'm another one who had a ds who was back to back and my pain sounds very similar to yours. I could just feel so much pain in my back I thought it was going to snap, but I had a strong feeling of pressure even though I wasn't dialating very quickly. Eventually because they had examined me and they new it had taken me 14 hours of regular contractions to get from 3 cms to 5 cms and by that point I hadn't slept for 2 days they gave me an epidural which was amazing and I meant I got some rest before pushing.

Is the hospital very far away for you to go in to be looked at?

Ring up and tell them you want to come in to be checked and see how dilated you are. The 3 contractions in 10mins was bullshit for me, I never had 3 in 10mins up to the moment my baby was delivered. Even if you aren't in established labour, a long latent phase is exhausting and the contractions are painful. You're doing brilliantly. Good luck xx

Another one saying go in.

My labour was back to back, I felt no contractions just pain and pressure in my back and was 8cm dilated when a midwife finally agreed to check me.

Hope you’re ok OP & you’ve gone in. Sounds very similar to my experience, was dismissed as early labour over the phone but when I went in I was already 6cm dilated & went straight through!

Thank you everyone for your replies, i appreciate all of them. I did end up going onto the labour ward last night. Apparently I’m an unlucky one having a long latent labour, I did have another sweep which was successful this time but literally only 1cm dilated after 3 days. They advised that I be induced today. I’ve decided to go with that, as I can’t carry on like this and did have induction booked for Wednesday anyway. Quite worried about induction as I’ve not slept again, I cannot physically get comfortable in any position/get woken up by a contraction every 5-10 minutes. Trying to tell myself I won’t care about any of this once I have my baby in my arms!! X

Good luck OP! Move around as much as you can before they pop you on the drip, walk around the hospital and get on the birthing ball.

Your baby will be here before you know it x

"3 contractions in 10 mins" is text book rule of thumb.

Neither of my babies were in text book positions (breech; back to back footling breech) and my contractions were never like that.

Ring he midwife or go in. In fact, at nearly 41 weeks I'd go in since you've lost your plug.

Good luck with your induction and hope you have your baby in your arms soon!

Good luck

You poor thing OP, you must be running on empty. Hope it all goes smoothly for you. It’s a long slog but you’ll get there.

Again thank you all so much for the replies! I was induced on Saturday, which initially went well but I was still only 4cm dilated by Sunday morning 😔 I’d wanted to try everything naturally but was in a lot of pain with my contractions/back/coccyx that any position was agony. I had 4 failed epidurals. It turns out baby was causing a bladder obstruction which became apparent when my catheter went bright red on Sunday morning! So swiftly to theatre then for EMCS. Not the plan but by that point I was desperate to deliver. Was worried as they said if the spinal block didn’t work, I’d have to have a GA to deliver which I would’ve been devastated about. Luckily the spinal worked and our little girl was born that morning - we went home last night, she’s doing really well and I’m feeling much better 🥰 xx

I'm so far your little one is here safely. What a shame no wonder you were in so much pain!! You poor thing. You've done amazing!! I've been wondering how you were getting on. That's it all over now and you can enjoy your time with your little girl. Did you know you were having a girl? Or was it a surprise? I've had 4 sweeps now and still no sign and I'm 4 days over now. Hopefully soon for me

@sunshine240778474 thank you 🥰 yes it all made sense afterwards. We didn’t know the gender so it was a lovely surprise! Do you know what you’re having? Sorry to hear you’re still waiting! X

I'm having a surprise too. I'm having a sweep tomorrow again. I'm booked in for an induction this week too. Did you have the drip hormone? How was it without the epidural? I think that's what I am most worried about

Congratulations OP! Wow that sounds like a long haul. You did amazingly. So glad you’re doing well.

Congratulations on the arrival of your lovely baby. Sorry you had to go through so much to get her here. Hope you and her are both taking it very easy and enjoying your first few days together.