Labor just stopped!

[coltynsmom]

Ok I have no idea what is happening. My ds1 was born c/s at 41+6 due to a failed induction. We are now planning a HBAC and I am 42+4. I started having contractions 2 nights ago so I called the MW and she came to check out the baby even though we knew it was really early. Contractions were 5-7 minutes apart. They varied a tiny bit but were generally 60-75 seconds long. At 1 in the morning yesterday morning I woke up to INTENSE contractions that were 5 minutes apart lasting 75-90 seconds. The mucus plug came out in 1 big chunk so we knew that they were doing SOMETHING. MW came back around 6 to check the baby and she decided to check my cervix. 80% and a 2. Contractions continued for 3-4 hours while she was here. DH and I were getting exhausted so we decided to try to lie down. Around nine they started spacing out so the MW decided to leave until things picked back up. So that has been over 24 hours and I am having very sparatic contractions. Like 2 every hour and are more intense if I am lying down. They also last for 3-4 minutes and don't want to let go. Not like BH. So much stronger but MW says it is prodromal labor.

My question? Has this happened to you? Where you go into what seems like labor then everything stops? How long after that happened did real labor start? Do you think it made your real labor shorter? UGG While all of this is happening I am feeling pressure to go have a C/S because I am "over-due" and this seems to be proof to everyone that my body is not able to labor.

One more thing. The baby seems to be handling everything like a champ. His heart beat has been consistent and I can still feel normal movement. No concern with him at this point. Ok long enough. Thanks for reading!

[nikirj]

This happened to me, yes. It was a full week before I gave birth, but I was before my due date and I was sick in between, so I think my body drew things out so that I'd recover (I still contracted a lot in that week though). I'd think at 42+4 (yikes) you aren't likely to go another full week, even with a happy healthy looking baby.

It happens a lot, more often for second-or-more babies than for first babies.

[SelenaJean]

This happened to me too. I had intense contractions over a min long and five mins apart for hours and had bloody mucus when I was exactly 41 weeks. Then over the course of the night and next day they spread out and stopped. A full week went by before I had steady contractions again but they were far apart(10 to 20 mins) for almost two days. My water broke the evening of the second day and I had my baby six hours later. So once I really went into labor it was quick. I was 42 weeks 2 days and it was a HBA2C.

[Phoebe]

Poor you! Hugs.
I did not have a labor that stopped other than the first that ended in a csection. But my 3rd baby came via hbac after being 17 days past my due date. Once he decided it was his time, the birth was ON and he arrived in 2.5 hours start to finish. I hope that is the case with you! I know how hard it is to be so past due but you're strong and you'll get through it.

[CherryBomb]

It's common with multiparas. I had particularly with dd3, my vba2c. Started labor on a Friday, 12+ hours of regular contractions (5-7 minutes apart). Called my doula over at like 5am and wouldn't you know, right before she got here the contractions petered out . Nothing until the next evening, then the same thing happened again. I finally went into "real" labor late Sunday evening and had her Monday morning.

I was 41w3d when I had her. It was frustrating and it sucks.

[crunchy_mommy]

That happened to me with DS. I was in labor all day long & finally around midnight we headed to the hospital (planned hospital birth). I labored until morning (very intense, couldn't sleep between contrax) and then got in the shower to help with the contractions, came out to lay on the bed, and NOTHING. Totally stopped. Then they kind of resumed irregularly, and that went on most of the day, more contracting than not but not as regular or on top of each other, but still too painful to sleep through (I had been up for 2 days at this point so I was tired!!) Finally after, hmm 40 hours?? I think? my OB broke my water & started pitocin (both without my permission) and several hours later I gave birth. I think if I had been out of the hospital things would've sped up on their own sooner but at the same time I think without AROM & pit that I may have not given birth 'til the next day... so who knows??? I don't think he was ready to come out when he did, I think he would have been better off being born the next day, in his own time.

Anyway... I hope things kick in for you soon!!

[lyshy]

I had this at 39 weeks with with my DS. I woke up sunday morning in labour and contracted from 6-12 that morning. Contrax stopped and we went and DTD and rested hoping to start it again. (since that was what got it going in the morning) Sure enough at 2 I was contracting again. At 6 they were 3-4 mins apart. We went to the hopital (planned hospital birth) and they slowed to 9 mins apart, then 20 and then eventually stopped. I was already 7 cm dilated though so they wouldn't let me go home. Next morning they broke my water and an hour and a half later Seth was born. I was really frustrating to me... I can imagine how you feel being 42 weeks pg.

[jolieliz]

This happened to me day before yesterday. Started spotting Sunday, got heavier on Monday, and then Monday night I started contracting, very painfully, but they were irregular. I was finally able to fall asleep for about four hours, but when I woke up, I was spotting even heavier, and it was with mucus. This is my second child, so I knew my mucus plug was coming out. I started cramping pretty heavily, which scared me. I called my OB and was told to go to L&D at the hospital and have them check my cervix. I was already dilated to a 3. Within two hours, I was dilated to a 5! I was admitted and the contractions started, 7 to 10 minutes apart, and they were getting very intense. My doula came in, and we started our relaxation and breathing treatments. Since I am only 35 weeks, I was put on antibiotics just in case I had an infection, but refused pitocin and refused to have my water broken. I had regular contractions for about 5 hours, and then they petered out. They checked my cervix again, and I was still at a five. The labor literally just stopped. I went to sleep, and when I woke up in the morning they checked again, and still no progress. I was sent home and put on strict bed rest. I am honestly glad because I don't want this baby to have to go to NICU. And now I know what labor pains feel like, so I can prepare myself a little better(had an epidural with 1st baby). Still cramping and bleeding and having random contractions, so I bet I don't go much longer!

[Niniel]

I had 3 days of this with my DS but once my waters broke the labour that followed was pretty fast (about 5 hours). Try getting gravity to help or a bit of nipple stimulation to see if that can regulate your contractions. If you will up to it and your waters are still intact why not try making love? 

Good luck. I hope things get moving for you soon.