prodromal labor

[megs4413]

Has anyone else experienced this? I've been struggling with it since friday. I'm having periods of regular contractions that peter out after a time. Friday it was 12 straight hours at 6 minutes apart...only made it to a half centimeter dilated. Contracted for 4 hours saturday at regular intervals (7 minutes), 6 hours on sunday (7 minutes), 3 hours monday (5 minutes apart and lost my mucus plug). Last night I contracted every 3 minutes for 4 hours. Made it to 3cm last night and had bloody show...and then they disappeared. I'm so tired. When I had my older kids, if you went into the hospital with regular contractions and were dilating, they'd give you pitocin to "augment" if you were not progressing, but they don't do that now apparently. I'm getting so exhausted and am worried that I'm headed for a c-section from sheer fatigue. Any advice? I'm resting, resting, resting today despite contractions. I was relieved when they sent me home this morning instead of starting the pit because i felt like i was too tired to labor successfully. Maybe this is just a vent, but if anyone has any tips, I'll take them! Baby is doing well!

[Philly Mom]

I had this a couple weeks ago and then it went away. For me, I think it was just the baby getting into position because she was in a bad position before and a great position now. Yours is clearly getting you really ready. So my friends who have had this close to delivery had dehydration problems by the time they got to the hospital for real. So beside rest, drink as much as you can now. I would also nap as much as you can, whenever there is a break. Good luck and keep us posted.


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[AshleyAnn]

I had that with DD several times, it always happened at night. A shower often helped them calm down and relaxed me enough to sleep. Its horrible to constantly think its time and its not, I finally was induced with pitocin because my blood pressure spiked. Could you request an induction at this point? (If you want to go that route)

[megs4413]

I had that with DD several times, it always happened at night. A shower often helped them calm down and relaxed me enough to sleep. Its horrible to constantly think its time and its not, I finally was induced with pitocin because my blood pressure spiked. Could you request an induction at this point? (If you want to go that route)

they won't do an elective induction until next week. It's already scheduled. they're VERY picky about it at this hospital...I was surprised they wouldn't augment since my cervix was changing, just not quickly. But, they're VERY anti-intervention here. i didn't even have an IV, which was so weird to me!

[Philly Mom]

they won't do an elective induction until next week. It's already scheduled. they're VERY picky about it at this hospital...I was surprised they wouldn't augment since my cervix was changing, just not quickly. But, they're VERY anti-intervention here. i didn't even have an IV, which was so weird to me!

That is very strange. At my hospital they would I think. Next week they are going to start taking steps to induce me, sweep membranes, because I have a large baby and I want a vaginal birth. I had pitocin with my first when labor was not progressing. Got the baby out.


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[essnce629]

Epsom salt baths (2cups in a full bath) really help calm down non-productive contractions. I had non-stop (2-10 minute apart) contractions from 26 weeks till I went into labor for real at 38 weeks, but since they weren't changing my cervix there wasn't much to do. I took an epsom salt bath once or twice a day when they would get too close (2 min) apart and that would help them space out. My midwife told me to drink one sports drink a day like Gatorade to help replace the electrolytes I was losing from being in a constant mini-labor. Lots of water too.

But just think how much your body is getting out of the way now before real labor begins! If you're already 3cm now, maybe you'll be 5cm by the time real labor starts and you'll already be half way there!!! All those contractions are softening and shortening your cervix and hopefully labor will be a breeze when you get to it!

My labor started out pretty slow, but at 4am they finally got regular and strong enough that I couldn't go back to sleep or do anything else. When my midwives checked me at 6am, 2 hours later, I was already fully dilated! So embrace that prodromal labor (and then go take an epsom salt bath)!