Am I in the longest latent labour phase ever?

[kittycat37]

Hi - I'm 38+4 - I've been having contractions on and off for at least two weeks (sometimes very mild - sometimes strong enough to make me have to stop what I'm doing completely). Yesterday I had to go to hospital and they did a heart trace on baby because of raised BP throughout the pregnancy (it was fine) - during it the MW said 'you're contracting aren't you? I think you may be in the early stages of labour'.. I said 'I've had this everyday for weeks'. I came home last night and had the biggest nesting urge ever (cleaned under bed etc). Then went to bed with fairly painful period pain type contractions. I slept but still have them now (but very mild). Thing is I want to go and see my parents today who live 80 miles away (My dad has a serious illness). With DD (now 3) one minute I wasn't in labour, then I was. I don't know what to do in this situation, stay home, go to parents'.....any advice? Thanks - sorry for rambling on..

Not sure if I should have put this in 'childbirth' topic instead.....

Would you be driving on your own? If so, stay at home! Could you ask your mw to check if you're dilating?

No DH would be driving. Trouble is checking with MW means 45min trip to hosp which would rule out trip to parents anyway. It's my Dad's birthday, he's had a turn for the worse recently with illness and I know it's going to be really difficult to get to parents' for ages after baby comes. I think I'm going to risk it. The pains are very mild now and they have hospitals near them if things change. This may be hocus pocus but I sort of feel I'll only really be ready for full labour once I've made the visit. Thanks for the reply.

Good luck and hope that baby stats put!

I travel a lot for my job and I just had to think if the worse happens I can pull over and ring an ambulance who will take me to the nearest labour ward pretty quickly so I would at least be safe, if not in the ideal place that I had planned to be in. You will feel better for seeing your Dad. Is this your first baby?

Hi Kittycat, I'm in roughly the same boat - am also 38 weeks and have also been contracting for the last 2 weeks, hospital traces etc, but have not been checked for dilation for about 10 days. It's definitely preventing me from doing normal things that take me too far from any given hospital.

I have been finding it terribly difficult to drive through some of these contractions so I'd think twice about driving on your own, however, I know how frustrating it would be if you sat at home all day with nothing happening. If you do drive, take it gently, make sure your phone is charged and if you're on a motorway drive in the slow lane so you can pull over easily.

One suggestion I've had regarding bringing labour on is to rid myself of any doubts or niggles that could be holding me back from full on labour; perhaps you need to visit your dad to clear your mind sufficiently to welcome labour with open arms?!

Whatever you do, just take it gently and I hope it all goes to plan for you.

Whoops, just noticed that your DH will be driving, please ignore my irrelevant advice re driving yourself!

Thanks for the replies - am back home with no sign of any contractions whatsoever now although had some exciting this afternoon. I'm really glad I made the trip (and was even more glad DH was driving).

It's my 2nd thinker - did you make it to your chosen birthing place in the end?

Nocoffeenoworkee - that's interesting someone said that about getting rid of worries etc to be ready for labour - I do have that feeling of wanting to put things in order as much as possible before the big day - do you? I don't remember it so much first time round with DD1 (nearly 3yrs ago). Good luck with yours!

I bet after all this my baby is going to go overdue.....

good luck kitty! hope all goes well

Kitty, I can't quite put my finger on what is holding me back mentally (although it is my first so could be any number of subconscious things!), but I definitely feel the need to finish about a million projects that I've started - all domestic, but pressing nonetheless. However I'd class that as nesting so I'm at a loss to see where else I need to 'let go'! Glad to hear you made your trip OK. Best of luck!