For those that have experienced lots of prodomal labor...

[remijo]

How do you KNOW when its the real thing? I have been in false labor in the hospital about three times now and the last time the nurse said she was positive I would be back later in the day. Contractions were coming in strongly 3-4 mins apart for about 6 hrs, back pain and lower cramping. They stopped almost as soon as they sent me home. Fast forward three days - now they are again coming every 4 minutes consistently but much stronger, but still how do I know its the real deal? They don't change if I get up or lay down or drink water, same as before. If I wait until my water breaks, could I be minutes away from having baby? (FWIW, I was induced with my 1st, labor lasted 7 hrs after I started dilating - I am already dilated 3 and 75% at last check a couple days ago). So how do you really know? I refuse to go in for another false alarm but don't want to risk birthing at home. And I just sent my DH to the gym because I knew if he stayed home and nothing happened, he'd be crabby.

[RedOakMomma]

Have you tried the warm bath technique? When contractions start, run yourself a warm bath and take a long, relaxing bath. If contractions stop or slow down, you're not in labor. If they don't...they get stronger...pack your bag.

Do you have the Penny Simkin book called the Birth Partner? I believe there are methods of telling labor in there...way more in depth than the bath method.

For me, we wanted to stay at home as long as possible before heading to the hospital. Our signal, which my partner had to look out for, was when I was deep enough into labor to require a "ritual" to get through a contraction. Nothing weird or freaky...it's just something most laboring women do when labor is intense and rounding its way toward transition. In my first labor it happened when I was already at the hospital (went in too early)...I wanted a cool washcloth on my forehead EVERY time I had a contraction. I felt like I needed that washcloth to get through it. Ritual. In my second labor, it was circles. I started focusing on a spot in the carpet while sitting on a birthing ball, and when my contractions started I'd have to stare at that spot and make small circles with my hips.

When my husband saw me doing that, when I snapped at him for interrupting my ritual, or indicated that I needed to concentrate, he knew it was time to go.

The "ritual" thing, from what I've been told, is one of the best indicators.

Good luck! It WILL happen!

[rlmueller]

Just relatin'

I only had prodromal at night for a week with my first but it always went away before I considered the hospital and I was induced anyway so I never had the real labor start outside of the hospital.

I was okay with a UC or midwife homebirth which I am set for, but now with breech nuchal cord x2, I don't want to miss the signs and not go in when I need to. I need babe to wait until Monday to come now so that I can have my OB consult for version or okay to breech birth with the cord issue. Then get a plan in place for baby to come.

[StrawberryFields]

I had over a week of prodromal labor with dd and it was brutal!! I don't really have any good advice on how I was able to tell when I finally was in labor other than that I just knew. The prodromal labor, while "real" feeling and including hard contractions and such, always eventually ended of course. When I was finally in real labor it just kept progressing and progressing and eventually my water broke. I had called the midwife long before my water broke though. It was just clear that time that the dd was on her way.

Even if I had waited until it was REALLY REALLY obvious that the baby was on her way--like, screaming during contractions obvious, I still would have had enough time to get to a hospital if I was birthing there--and my hospital is a half hour away. I think you can always really be minutes away from having the baby but in most cases you will know long before the baby actually arrives that it's actually going to happen that day.

When I was due with my first and I asked the midwife how I would know I was in labor and she said I would just know. It was kind of like that. Sorry that isn't very helpful, I know!!!

[Cativari]

For me the difference is where/how the contractions are felt. The practice stuff either happens higher up, lower down or a little in the back, the real stuff will kinda feel like a girdle or waist cincher being tightened and lossened. Real labor feels like a wrapping around sensation, it's a more complete feeling then practice labor. Also I get a bit of boody show or mucus plug in the day or so leading up to real labor.

[chai]

Originally Posted by remijo

So how do you really know?

I never *knew.

I was in labor at least 36 hours. My midwife did not think I was in "real" labor because I was "too calm." Well, I stayed that way until I was 10 cm.

BTW, the ONLY reason I even went in to the birth center when I did was because I was bleeding at that point. Based on how I felt, the timing of the contractions, etc., I assumed I was still in, as my midwife put it, "pre-labor." When I talked to the midwife on the phone and I mentioned blood, that's the only reason she had me come in. I was 8 cm when I arrived.

Your contraction pattern sounds just about how mine was the whole time. The only difference I can recall is that when I finally went to the birth center I really didn't want to be talking during a contraction, so I'd have to wait until one passed before answering a question, etc.

Also, FWIW, I ended up pushing for 3 hours, so you don't necessarily need to worry about being minutes from delivery after you've progressed really far.

[sharr610]

Originally Posted by Cativari

For me the difference is where/how the contractions are felt. The practice stuff either happens higher up, lower down or a little in the back, the real stuff will kinda feel like a girdle or waist cincher being tightened and lossened. Real labor feels like a wrapping around sensation, it's a more complete feeling then practice labor. Also I get a bit of boody show or mucus plug in the day or so leading up to real labor.

FYI, I never got the wrapping around sensation, even at 9 cm. I had back labor and all I could tell was the back pain became more of something that was happening on a regular basis, but my midwife still had to tell me. I was in pre labor for like 2 weeks.

I think the ritual thing is a good indicator...best I've heard so far based on my experience.

[Hey Mama!]

Went through prodromal labor twice and for me the thing that made me know it was actually labor was that it just hurt worse. That's it.

[akat]

My water broke at the very beginning of my 5 days of very intense, painful, off and on prodromal labor. When I say painful, I mean that when I tried to lay down through them, my body would leap out of the bed feet first during the contraction and I could not stop myself. I had to be cajoled into eating small bites of food for the last couple of days. Didn't get much sleep. I never went into 'real' labor, just finally got a section after 5 days of water broken, and still being 3 cm. So for me, prodromal labor was nothing mild or anything like Braxton-Hicks. Also, I was needing a 'ritual' during the last day or two of it.

Doesn't really answer your question b/c I never went into 'real' labor but thought it might give you some kind of useful information...

[Dov'sMom]

I haven't had a lot of "prodromal" labor, I don't think, in the sense that each of my labors took a long, long, time, but they never stopped or slowed down, so I think was just real labor taking a long time.

My mother had all C-sections after long labors, and I'm still not sure if they were necessary or just because doctors got impatient. Therefore, I knew I wanted to labor at home as much as possible. In hindsight, with #1, contractions were under 3 minutes apart for over two days, so it was the right decision! I didn't go to the hospital until they were so debilitating that I was afraid if I didn't go right now I wouldn't be able to get there at all. For both babies, that proved to be transition -- I got to the hospital between 8 and 9 cm with each. #1 took another good 4 hours to come, but #2 was born within an hour of my being admitted. I'm a little afraid now with #3 to do that again because I don't want to risk birthing at home and if it gets much faster from transition to birth than #2, I will. On the other hand, I'm afraid to go in too early (#2's labor was 24 hours, not 54+, but still under five minutes apart, nearly 2 minutes long, and requiring deep concentration for at least 10-12 hours), because I know that if I have to sit still and be monitored for 1/4-1/2 hour every hour I will probably cave on the anesthesia. I can't stand sitting still during labor. And I know that because of my size, it's really hard to get a good external monitoring and they will push for internal or keep me lying prone for the monitoring, both of which will severely interfere with my preferred methods of analgesia during labor (rocking and hot showers). My first birth they couldn't do the external monitor because the straps they had didn't reach around me ( -- the ultrasound department in the same hospital had long enough cords but was closed in the middle of the night and no one would try to get them) and insisted on doing internal instead. Which is a huge part of why I consented to an epidural (the other part was that my midwife was insisting I needed to sleep or I wouldn't be able to push -- remember, I'd been in labor for more than 50 hours, and labor started at night, so no sleep for three days) (which was thankfully never administered because baby came before they got their act together).

[meganlisbeth]

hopefully you have had your baby by now!

i had prodromal labour for a week and never really knew when the "real" thing started. my body just started to shut down because i was so exhausted so they took me to the hospital and kind of snuck me in. they broke my water there and my baby was born the next afternoon.
best of luck to you.
prodromal labour sucks.
xo

[MaerynPearl]

With my daughter, I dealt with prodromal labor for a month before she came (and she came early!)

The way I knew it was the real thing the day it was... was that i got bloody show. not much... a tiny tiny drop of blood, but that was more blood than I had seen come out of THAT body part in 39 weeks!

even walking into the hospital my then-husband turned to me and said if this isnt the real thing, Im not going to be the one bringing you next time (blah see why he is not my now-husband?)

I started questioning it even sitting in the ER filling out paperwork (it was 4:30am, that was the only way to get in) because i was relaxed so they didnt seem as intense... but I got to my room at 5am... and she was born a bit after 8am.... I was already 8cm by the time they checked me the first time in the hospital (about half hour after I got into my room... they werent rushed as I was not in a ton of pain and they werent worried about it at that point)

[NSmomtobe]

Originally Posted by chai

I never *knew.

I was in labor at least 36 hours. My midwife did not think I was in "real" labor because I was "too calm." Well, I stayed that way until I was 10 cm.

BTW, the ONLY reason I even went in to the birth center when I did was because I was bleeding at that point. Based on how I felt, the timing of the contractions, etc., I assumed I was still in, as my midwife put it, "pre-labor." When I talked to the midwife on the phone and I mentioned blood, that's the only reason she had me come in. I was 8 cm when I arrived.

Your contraction pattern sounds just about how mine was the whole time. The only difference I can recall is that when I finally went to the birth center I really didn't want to be talking during a contraction, so I'd have to wait until one passed before answering a question, etc.

Also, FWIW, I ended up pushing for 3 hours, so you don't necessarily need to worry about being minutes from delivery after you've progressed really far.

This sounds like my experience as well, except that I started to feel a strong urge to push when I reached 8 cm dilation, so this is when I was admitted to the hospital. Before that, I was told that my contractions were not strong enough or close enough. I couldn't get a cervical exam before that though because my water had broken.

[Ashes]

Hoping you've had your baby now too, and everything is well.

I am not sure if I had prodomal labour, but I was sent home from the hospital twice. There is no shame in going in, over and over again. The third time, my water had broken. I still waited 10 hours after this happened to go in. I had a bloody show and the baby was born about 24 hours AFTER my water had broken, with pitocin induction... and then finally an emergency c-section (due to brow presentation).

The entire time, I had contractions that were 60 seconds in duration, and 5 minutes apart. Except... the contractions all of a sudden were 20 mins apart, about 12 hours after my water broke... hence the pitocin.

Weird eh?

The nurses all said that ANYTHING is considered normal in labour...

I'd love to hear an update on how things went with you!

[remijo]

Thank you everyone! I am going in in the morning to get my water broke, dr doesn't think pitocin will be necessary as my uterus is doing everything it needs to do. The problem is I have too much fluid, its not allowing baby to engage and further dilate me. I am fully effaced and very soft though so my cervix is ready, it just can't finish that jump into active labor. So...tomorrow morning I will finally be free of the constant contractions and holding my baby.

[kalamos23]

I had prodromal labor for 6 weeks. Yes, that's right. Your body will eventually go into full on labor, trust me. Mine finally did - turns out not only did I have a ton of water (she had an Olympic size swimming pool in there!) but she was asynclinitic. I went to the hospital when I thought I just couldn't do it anymore - at hour 45 of the ctx not stopping. I was 4-5cm and 80-100% effaced for 3 weeks. She was born at hour 48 after I got an epi (which totally stalled out my labor but it let me rest so whatever) and my water broke and I was in transition with triple peaking ctx when I stepped out of the car at the hospital.

38 weeks is still really early - I'd give it some more time if you can.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122999215427128537.html

[kalamos23]

Oh, I had the coming every 3-4 minutes thing for hours for about 4 weeks before she was actually born, but again, the prodromal labor started right before 33 weeks for me.

[PaisleyStar]

Originally Posted by Cativari

For me the difference is where/how the contractions are felt. The practice stuff either happens higher up, lower down or a little in the back, the real stuff will kinda feel like a girdle or waist cincher being tightened and lossened. Real labor feels like a wrapping around sensation, it's a more complete feeling then practice labor. Also I get a bit of boody show or mucus plug in the day or so leading up to real labor.

I'm not trying to be obnoxious, but this is not always the case. I had prodomal labor for WEEKS with DC2, and it felt the SAME as the labor right before he popped out...except that labor was a little more intense, but the same exact feelings, if that makes sense. I had bloody show for two weeks leading up to the birth, so that was not a reliable indication either. LOL

And, OP, I didn't *know* until my water broke...THEN I thought, ok, well, baby will be here eventually...in retrospect I went into transition immediately, but at the time I didn't think I was that was and was shocked when I realized I was pushing and a head was there. LOL.

Anyway, not really helpful, but just wanted to say, don't rely 100% on "will feel different" or "will get bloody show" or "water will break"....It's fairly rare for people not to make it to the hospital if they really intend to, but prodomal can, in some cases, give a pretty quick birth. But I think you'll be ok and get there on time.

[solinox]

I had two weeks of prodromal labor, and I still didn't believe I was in labor the day I gave birth last time. I gave DH permission to call the midwives that afternoon (he was born at 9:45pm), but I swear right up until I was pushing I didn't feel any different, contractions were still randomly 7-15 minutes apart, everything seemed the same as before.

Good luck with breaking the water! That's risky business, even with the annoyance of prodromal labor I wouldn't risk it myself.

[ColwynsMommy]

I had 48 hours of contractions every 7-10 minutes. The contractions weren't horrible, but I couldn't lie down during them, and it felt better to be leaning over on something, rocking my hips side to side. So, I had a ritual even though it was early labor.

My prodromal contractions felt the same as my active labor contractions, except that active labor was more intense. Note: not more painful, just more intense. The difference for me was that during early labor, I didn't mind if other people were talking and I could talk if I had to.. whereas during active labor, I wanted everyone quiet and I wasn't able to talk during a contraction. There was just one contraction that was suddenly different like that. I didn't even want my husband in the room with me during contractions.

I ended up going from 2cm to babe-in-arms in under an hour, and it really wasn't that painful. I remember thinking, "I must be overreacting.. this can't be transition, because I don't feel like I'm dying or being split in two" or whatever other analogies I'd heard. In fact, I waited too long to call the midwife and she didn't make it. So anyway, while I cursed the 48 sleepless hours while I was living them, I'm betting that's why my active labor was so easy.. in the end, it was worth it. I wouldn't hasten to break the water, either.. I know it's a pain, but maybe your body is laboring that way for a reason.