Prodromal Labor = speedy delivery??

[ChristSavesAll]

So now that I have the title, I'm wondering what the difference is between Braxton hicks and prodromal labor.... I am having contractions and last night they were quite painful lasting a minute long ever few minutes for about an hour and then went away. I've had them each night while going to bed though not as painful as lastnight and lasting under an hour each time. I am already dilated 2cm and effaced what I would guess is 50% (I know that's not a real indicator of when real labor will start)...

So my question would be, any of you know the difference? How about whether or not you had a speedy delivery on account of the prodromal labor? Also I know some took a whole extra month before going into real labor but I'm curious about times for each lady, how long from the start of prodromal labor to the start of real labor?

[amyjeans]

3 of my 4 girls (uc), I experienced Prodromal labor. for about 2 weeks before birth. In retrospect, that 2 weeks was nothing compared to the real thing- but I am sure it was a 2 week warm-up.
I felt there was a big difference between that and braxton-hicks, although all labor is real- just in different intensities.
The braxton-hicks were minor attention-getting, but Prodromal was sometimes breath-taking.
hth!

[Belle]

subbing. will come back later but need to help kiddos now.

[Belle]

With both of my girls I had about two weeks of prodromal labor. I would get contractions 5 minutes apart for several hours then it would stop. Only to start again the next day. It was maddening. Once labor actually started there was no warm up contractions. Both my labors started out with contractions 2 minutes apart. There was never any intensity change in the contractions at all. First labor was 11 hours. 2nd was less than four hours. gotta go again.

[WindyCityMom]

I had bad prodromal labor with DD, and (very mainstream horrible pregnancy) was induced.. long, long pitocin labor. So, though my case was different, it didn't help my cervix along much at all.

[MsBlack]

Think of Braxton-Hicks the way the Dutch do--"hard belly contrax". That is, they are mainly felt as a hardening of the whole belly/uterus--but not felt in the cervix so there is little to no pressure or pain down low and center, little by way of lower back sensation. These are true Braxton Hicks, and are simply toning contrax that help get the uterus ready for the work of labor. They generally do increase in frequency and strength as pregnancy progresses--but still are going to have an impact on the cervix.

Prodromal labor can also be called 'labor by installments'--they are 'real' contrax, felt in the same way as labor though they may be milder and shorter in duration and farther apart. But this kind of labor may well have contrax that are just as strong, just as frequent, as real labor....it's just that these contrax will stop before baby comes. This kind of labor does effect the cervix to some degree (perhaps not a lot--and sometimes, producing quite a lot of effacement and dilation over time).

Some women have days/weeks of prodromal labor--or bouts of it, a few times a week--and do go on to have speedy deliveries. Unfortunately, having prodromal labor, no matter how often or strong, does not necessarily equate with 'speedy delivery'. It often does, if the prodromal contrax have indeed brought effacement and dilation, and good positioning of baby...but there is no way of knowing for sure in advance.

[amyjeans]

My 1st was born in the hospital (lots of interventions) and her labor was 13 hrs. Because she was my first, I knew nothing about birth. Looking back, I think I was beginning prodromal labor, and she was forced out.
#2- we decided UC, and I had prodromal for 2 weeks, then her labor was 5 hrs. #3 -UC, 2 week prodromal, labor 4 hrs. #4- uc, 2 weeks prodromal, labor 2 hrs. Not to debunk any theory that it can or cannot result in a speedy delivery, but in my case, I firmly believe it did. (but that was just me)

[jacie87]

With DD I had prodromal labor starting around 32 weeks. She was born at 39 weeks. I had a 12 hour labor (starting when my water broke) but I didn't feel any contractions until about 8 hours after my water broke, so I had 4 hours of contractions during labor and I think about 15-20 minutes of pushing before DD was born. This pregnancy prodromal labor started around 22 weeks...that concerned me, but I'm currently 33 weeks and very confident I'll carry this baby to term. I'm hoping for another speedy delivery!

[jljeppson]

I had somewhere around 5wks of prodromal labor with two out of my six pregnancies. Those two also happen to be the only ones where I had a dry run (thought I was in labor only to have it peter out). These were my 3rd and 5th labors, so it's not like I didn't know what was going on with my body. With both babies I started labor dilated to a 5, delivered in 7-7 1/2 hrs, and felt NO pain during their labor and deliveries. The contractions got to the point where they caught my attention and I had to concentrate on them, but it wasn't due to pain. It's just like how some activities you can do without paying attention to, and some you need to concentrate on. i guess it's like the difference between sex and peeing. You can do a million other things while on the toilet (brush your teeth, read a book, whatever) but during sex you have to focus on what's in the moment or your mind can mess things up for you.

[akind1]

I've been having this for 2 weeks going off on and on. . .and really hoping the actual labor will be speedy. this is my first so who knows.

the most irritating thing is when I tell people I've been having contrax and they peter out, they are like, oh, Braxton Hicks! and I'm like noooo, these hurt. They are not BH. s

Taking notes though, hoping for a short labor, and soon!

[jljeppson]

I forgot to mention that a 7-7 1/2 hr labor is short for me. My next 2 shortest were almost double that, the next in line was more than double, and the longest (my first) was 8x longer.

[Belle]

Originally Posted by akind1

I've been having this for 2 weeks going off on and on. . .and really hoping the actual labor will be speedy. this is my first so who knows.

the most irritating thing is when I tell people I've been having contrax and they peter out, they are like, oh, Braxton Hicks! and I'm like noooo, these hurt. They are not BH. s

Taking notes though, hoping for a short labor, and soon!

nak,
yep. mine hurt too. at least all that work ahead of time made fr easy labors for me.

[blissful_maia]

dd2 I had about a week and a half of prodromal labor each night, and my labor with her was 1 1/2 hours.

ds I had 3 full weeks of prodromal labor and had a 25 minute labor.

[hillymum]

If my third had not been a midwife pregnancy/delivery I am sure I would have been forced into a pitocin induced delivery at least 2 weeks before ds actually arrived. I had at least 4 weeks of constructive prodermal labour. By 38 weeks I was 3cm dilated, by 39 weeks I was 5cm dilated and 2 days before I actually went into labour ( at 41wks 1day) I was 7cm and 90% effaced. I had no indication my of labour until my waters broke. Contractions started 10 minutes later and withing 20 minutes were 2 minutes apart. Ds arrived 90 minutes after my waters broke. I had a wonderful silent birth and left the birthing center about 2 hours later.

Prodermal labour for me was mildly painful contractions from morning that eased off by early afternoon.

[Rockies5]

the answer is: SOMETIMES

[mommy2two babes]

I have had prodomal labor with both of mine so far for a couple of weeks before each.

I had one 17 hr labor and on 56 minute labor that said the second time I was 3 cm for 3 weeks before delivery.

This time I am 39w 3d with no prodomal labor so far but I have been 2-3 cm for the last 3 weeks. I guess we will see

[MrsMcCullen07]

Well my dr. told me I had prodromal labor with my DS but mine started on Sunday morning at 7AM and I had him on Tuesday at 6:33 PM .. I am guessing now maybe the dr. was wrong .. but eitherway I wasn't dilated any when it started and I was only 4cm @ 2 AM on Tuesday ... I went from 4cm to 10 cm by 10AM though .. although I pushed until 6:33 he was finally born via c-section at 6:33 ... I had contractions 6 mins apart from 7am on Sunday until midnite on Monday night when they got to 4 mins apart then when I was 8-10cm they were 2 mins apart .. when I started pushing they were back to 5-6 mins apart even with pitocin .. I was worn out by then

[MamaRabbit]

I had prodromal labor with all of mine, and my longest labor was 5.5 hr (the twins). My shortest labor was about 3 hours with DS and tons of prodromal with him.

I was supposed to doula for a birth yesterday. Baby #2, lots of prodromal labor the last week. She woke up uncomfortable and with a little bit of pain. They live across the street from the hospital so she walked over just to get checked out thinking she'd go back home if not established labor after days of thinking it would start any time. .... Baby was born 30 minutes later!!! Of course I didn't get the call until about an hour after he was born LOL

[Natalie's Mama]

I had prodromal labour for two weeks before DD showed up. My BH were never painful, sometimes mildly uncomfortable but never painful. The prodromal labour contractions were painful and regular. They started at 5 or 6 pm every night and suddenly stopped between 3 and 6 am for two weeks. One day they just didn't stop. I still had a 40 hour labour start to finish and they sped me up by breaking my water.