Prodromal labour, tell me it gets better

[berry223]

My first two children where easy fast labours. As in midwives didn't believe me when I said I was ready to push sort of fast
But this third has been hell. I've had the same painful contractions as the other two labours, except this one is every 5 minutes day and night for the past two days (this will be my 3rd sleepless night) and only last 30 seconds.
Absolutely no progress or change, first mostly back to back baby too, baby just isn't descending and I'm just not dilating any more, plus baby is overdue so I've got limited time before interventions which I really want to avoid!
Please tell me this gets easier because I really don't know how much more I can take while also having to be a functioning adult that's crippled with pain all day 🙃

Hi there it's a midwife. Have you contacted the maternity assessment unit and if yes how long ago?

That doesn’t sound right to me, it sounds like the baby is malpositioned or something. Can you be checked over?

I'd expect you to be monitored really closely in this scenario. What's happening?

I had a very similar experience during my 3rd labour (twins). At 34+1, I started contracting every 12-15 minutes, lasting around 30-40 seconds. Monitors picked up the contractions, but thankfully, there was no dilation. This continued for a whole week. No change or increase of pain so no need to go back to triage. They were born at 35+1 really quickly. Only in hospital for 25 minutes when A came out and then B followed breech 18 minutes later.
Good luck.

I was in all night on Friday night and most of saturday, had monitors on and a scan after to check fluids (12cm of fluid) and nothing else said except baby just isnt pushing on my cervix still, was offered to be sent home as I was still only 3cm so I took that option as I really don't do well sleeping or relaxing in hospitals
I'm in again tomorrow for more monitoring

I strongly encourage you to call the Maternity Assessement unit now. If the last assessement was yesterday and you have been contracting every 5 minutes since Friday, as a midwife I would want to know how well the baby is coping. Please call the Maternity triage, they are open 24/7

So decided to go in to check baby, by which point my contractions were still pretty much the same but they where 3 mins apart (the first change!)
Baby now born!

Congratulations!!

Hope you are both well and recovering.

Cesarean birth may be the option.

Congratulations!

Congrats! Glad you are both safe and well.