Should I head over to hospital?

[lolianja]

Started getting contractions around 9pm-ish last night, mild, every half hour or so. At quarter to 2 I got a very painful one that lasted half a minute, then another 9 minutes later that lasted over a minute, then another 6 minutes later (same length), then a 5 second one 20 minutes later, then a four hour gap (between half two and half six) and another excruciating half-minuter. Since then they'd been coming about every half hour again and then about half an hour ago started doing the 9 minutes, 6 minutes, 5 minutes, 11 minutes type routine.

Am due on Monday, so 39+3 today - lost plug in early Feb and she's been engaged for a couple of months now, near enough. At last couple of check-ups over the last fortnight have been 3cm dilated.

No leakage, no urge to push or tangible sense of urgency but I'm in a lot of pain and quite evidently something appears to be happening - should I wake el baby daddio and have us go to hospital? Or wait until more progress is made (if more is made)?

Update: waters went at at ten past 7 this evening! I'd anticipated an ambiguous trickle, but it was absolutely vast. ALL over my boyfriend's parents' carpet. We were rushing around the house in a state of blind panicked excitment until we noticed lack of contractions.

And I'm still not contracting. At all. Utterly twingeless, not even Braxtons (which I've been having since about 20 weeks). I assumed they'd start imminently after the waters went but they haven't ... should I go into hospital, do we think?

no I wouldn't go in if no contractions, you could give the labour ward a ring and let them know your waters have gone. Good luck you will have baby soon

How exciting. Good luck to you. Keep moving, it'll get things going.

Protocal may be different in the UK. In the US they want you to go in when waters break.

Have called! Told to keep an eye on my temperature, keep things away from my vag and to come in tomorrow morning if things still haven't got moving. I'm guessing I'll the be offered an induction if after another 24 hours there are still now contractions. So frustrating!

Does anybody know how they'll be able to assess how dilated I am when I go in tomorrow, given that you're not supposed to do cervical examinations when the waters have gone (and boy they've really gone, no joke, as in gun-shot-sound-and-saturated-a-giant-bath-towel gone!)

Kudos for the phrase 'keep things away from my vag' ! is that the exact words the midwife used . Good luck, hopefully not too long now.

I had this problem with second DD2 (homebirth). Somehow it had passed me by that they are reluctant to check how dilated you are when waters have gone because of the risk of infection.

With DD1 waters didn't go until I had reached hosp and found I was 7 cm - great relief.

With DD2 I was wondering why they weren't checking unit they told me.

I know it is more of an issue for HB, because you start a 6hr clock from the point of examination to a point of intervention, because of the risk of infection.

SO - don't get too hung up on measurements and just go with the flow.

Sending positive vibes!

I may have amended her instruction slightly, Hangingbelly.

Still no contractions when I got up this morning so we went in. They asked a shiteload of questions and listened to the baby's heartbeat to ensure she wasn't distressed (she wasn't). Insofar as labour's concerned - no progress. As anticipated was told that if by tomorrow (Sunday) morning nothing had happened I should think about being induced. I really really really don't want this though. So am praying that things get going at some point today although no signs as yet. Time to head off for a fast and exceedingly bumpy drive somewhere in the locality mereckons.

ooooo how exciting,heres hoping the bumpy ride worked
Wishing you all the luck

Any more progress???

good luck!

Hi ,Louise's (lolianja's) partner here.
Louise woke up to strng contractions, one minute long approx. and about 2 minutes apart, at 6:45am. The car wouldn't start so we ran tot he bus stop but we didn't know there is no 7.14 on Sundays, buses start at 9, a true 'oh s**t' moment! We had to think fast, and we got a lift into town with an old couple (Tom and Alice if you were ever to read this... you're 1 in a million!) did lots of singing on the way, we got there around 7.35, but because i'm so intelligent and remembered the roads completely wrong from the map it was the wrong side of town two miles from the hospital!! Clever old me! We waited for a bus that would go past the hospital, one came at about 8.05... we arrived at the hospital at about 8.10/15. Louise started to push at 8.30 and at 8.42 our beautiful son yes son! -- James Mark Nicholas Andrew was born,weighing 9lbs 8.5ozs and measuring 23.5 inches long... Apparently this was the tallest the midwife had ever delivered! Although Lolly is 5foot9.5 and I'm 6foot4 so it does make some sense! We are in hospital at the moment but not for much longer,Mother+baby both doing brilliant, Louise was a star and amazing and aweinspiring to watch her handle it so well, no pain relief at all and she barely made a sound, she even laughed through most of it and seems to be unscathed, no tears or anything... All the staff are all still gob smacked that a baby as big as our James came out of such a skinny young lass with such a tiny bump and doing what looks like no damage! We were both very shocked whena bout 2 or 3 minutes after what we thought was our little Anna was born they took the bundled up baby from Louise to do the standard check over and found it was a boy, Louise seemed in denial at first but we've just both agreed now that we can't imagine him ever having been a girl now.. He is the most amazing+ beautiful thing I've ever seen,such a handsome little lad, he has a thick curly dark blond mop and is the absolute spit of his beautiful mum thank God! So, from first contraction to all done, dusted and a beautiful baby son in 1 hour, 57 minutes! Regards, Paul xx

Many Congratulations! what an amazing story. Best Wishes to you all, lovely news. xxx

wow what an amazing birth story, so quick. congratualtions to you both

Wow, lucky he waited till you'd got to the hospital!

Congratulations

Aww lovely and what a suprise too! Did the scan say it was a girl?

oh wow! what a wonderful birth story!

congratulations Louise and Paul, and welcome James Mark Nicholas Andrew!

(did you know the old couple, or did they just happen to give you a lift? what absolute stars!)

Congratulations from a fellow Marchee !! Great birth story !

Congratulations from a fellow Marchee !! Great birth story !

Congratulations lolianja! I can't believe you had such a journey to the hospital and so close to the giving birth bit - you'll be telling this story for years!

Thanks Paul for the update. Best wishes from the March thread to you, Louise and Baby James.

Congratulations lolianja DH, and James. Glad you made it to hospital in the end, lol!

Congratulations!!!!!

Glad you made it, just! Maybe a taxi might have been quicker....

Welcome to James

Congrats from the "First time Mum's expecting spring babies" thread! Our first birth! I have put a link to here so they can all see - hope you don't mind.

Lovely story and well done you! Brill names as well

brilliant news lolianja and Paul, congratualtions on your baby boy! what a great birth story.