my cervix wont co operate

[shere]

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions.... I am 37 weeks. 3 weeks ago they stopped labor with Trebutiline (sp) and I still had contractions. esturday my doc said stop taking the trebutiline and we will see what happens. So for 4 weeks I have had contractions that are 3 min apart, babies head is engaged and am 60% efaced. However only 2 cm dialated. The contractions are so painful and still no change in my cervix. The doc told me that because I have kaiser the insurance does not like the dr to induce or strip membranes unless the is an emergancy. So my contactons won't do anything now, I have a stuborn cervix, but when I get to 40 weeks we can strip the membranes! HELP!!! Any suggestions?
Shere
PS I forgot to add....This is the very same thing that happened with my first 2 kids. They indiced me with pitocine and it made it bad and long and I didn't dialate any further I think I was stuck at 3. When they broke my water then I dialated. I was hoping someone might know how I can dialate naturally. I already have the contractions going!!!

[mamallama]

Those last few weeks can be hard!

Stripping the membranes carries some risks (the chance that your water will break before your baby & your body is ready for labor & increased risk of infection), so that might be why Kaiser doesn't think you should do it without strong reason.

Regarding the painful contractions...what a bummer! I'm so sorry! Maybe you could use this as an opportunity to practice your coping techniques for labor?

Best wishes, mama!

[captain optimism]

If they rupture your membranes and you don't go into labor, they will have to induce you. (There is a risk of infection once your waters break.) My water broke (normally) and I didn't go into labor and it was not good--pitocin, a long labor, blech. A lot of people have had emergency c/sections when their waters broke and they didn't go into labor.

There is a mama here whose membranes had ruptured and she didn't know it (and her OB didn't realize it!) and there were some serious complications.

In short, I'm not an expert, just another mom, but don't have your membranes ruptured early. It increases your risks, both of infection and of a stalled-out labor. If your membranes are intact and you haven't lost your plug, get in the bathtub. That will help your discomfort/pain. I hope.

[SamuraiEarthMama]

i had what my midwives called "prodromo" labor and an irritable uterus... sounds a lot like what you're going through.

i just did my best to deal with the contx during the day, and some nights i would drink a glass of wine, or take some skullcap/valerian root tincture to slow things down enough to sleep.

please have faith that your baby is doing some very important last minute development right now... that hurrying things might actually cause your baby to have breathing problems.

but yes, it's maddening. i think it's nature's way of telling you to clear your plate, settle down and get ready for the serious business of birthing.

warm water, a gentle massage, quiet time with your dp... try to enjoy these things as much as you can before the baby arrives!

warmly,

katje

[USAmma]

I had the exact same experience! I was on terb from 23-35 weeks and then had 3 weeks of "false" labor with constant contractions. Very frustrating.

What worked for us (or else it was coincidence) was dh and I had sex and I lubricated him up first with Evening Primrose Oil. Every time we had sex, which was about once a week from 35 weeks on, I dilated 1 cm that week. By 38 weeks I was dilated to 4 cm!

I also bought a tincture called Labor Ease (you can buy it on-line) with blue/black cohosh and some other stuff. The salesperson said it would work within 3 days and sure enough on day 3 I had the baby, at 38 weeks. It really seemed to organize my cx and made them more productive, as well as reduced the "false" cx so I could rest. The salesperson said it would not work unless she was ready to be born.

I wouldn't have tried to induce labor before the due date but I was not getting any sleep and it was affecting me and our family. I totally understand how you must be feeling.

You are almost there! Hang in there and soon this will just be a memory and you'll be holding your baby!

Darshani