Prodromal labor...

[lisko15]

So... I started with very sporadic contractions Monday night, continued to a lesser extent on Tuesday, but at 4:00 a.m. today I woke up with 3-5 minute apart, pretty painful, at least 40 second contractions, which continued until 6 a.m. (when we went to the hospital). At the hospital in triage, it was found that I was absolutely NOT dilated at all. Completely closed up. So I was sent home.

I've continued to have sporadic contractions all day, some more painful than others. The contractions "ramped up" pain-wise (they were making me breathe differently) from about 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. this evening. At this point they have tapered and are pretty mild.

I guess I just want anyone's experiences... anyone else have such crazy prodromal labor? I guess I had this with my DD as well, but the contractions never got so close together or "patterned" and eventually my water just broke (after 24 hours).

I'm half glad that they've stopped at this point, so I can get a good night sleep... but I'm discouraged - and how many days/nights can I really do this... thinking I'm in labor but not being quite sure...

The stupid resident at the hospital told me to ignore my uterus. Oh, okay... has she ever been almost 40 weeks pregnant????

[Tear78]

I'm so sorry honey! I hope that you get clarity on this, and that you're able to welcome wonderful little Caleb into the world soon with a healthy, smooth labor! Thinking of You!!!

[queenofchaos]

Yeah, Ive had that w/ a couple of my pgs and it can be exhausting. On one hand there's the "is this IT?" stress and then often times the ctrx are bothersome/painful enough to keep you from usual activities, like sleeping.
This site has some good coping strategies: http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/prodromal.html
Also lots of other reading material.
I can't believe you were told to ignore your uterus.

[Adallae]

With DD, I had 8-12 hour stretches of sporadic contractions, followed by 24-48 hours of nothing, off and on, for about 2 1/2 weeks. SO frustrating. The good news is, when active labor finally started, I was fully dilated after just 4 hours and DD was born 2 hours later. So maybe your body is preparing you for a short labor?

[lisko15]

Thanks for the responses and the webpage link. I wish I had read it before NOW (3:18 a.m., and awake with "real or not real" contractions again)... as I may have taken a Benadryl before bed to help me sleep better.

These contractions seem a bit stronger, and more in my back, but still not longer than 40-45 seconds. The worry of getting sent home from triage is keeping me from taking anything too seriously.

However, on the other hand, they are also way too painful for sleeping.

This really is no fun...

[Tresa]

Remember that those contractions are doing work, whether they are measurable by physicians or not.

I had prodromal labor that sent me all the way to the birth center, an hour away, taking my son out of bed, disrupting peoples lives...I swore it was the real thing. It lasted all night long, finally quit when I was physically exhausted and laid down to sleep for the night. IT sucked, major disappointment. However, when I did go into labor, the whole thing, start to pushing (3 pushes), lasted just under 4 hours. So it was worth it!

My midwife told me to do everything I could to get the labor to go away (warm bath, glass of wine then lay down for bed, etc) and when it was the real thing, those things wouldn't work. I had more labor a few days later, then nothing, then the next weekend I finally went into real labor, labor I denied and ignored until it woke me up at midnight...she was right, of course.

Anyway, there are no guarantees on anything, but try and be patient with it. No one can say anything to a 40weeks pregnant woman to make her truly find patience, but you don't have a choice otherwise, do you?

Baby is coming! Soon! It won't be in there forever, I promise you that Good luck and good labor and birth vibes to you, I remember you from the TTC for more than a year forum from a looooong time ago. Congrats!

[terra-pip]

I agree with everyone here...if you just cannot make it stop by changing your position and you are obvioulsy contracting then you may be in labor. I would stay at home as much as you can too. You could be like my second...contractions that could be dealt with easily and insisting to everyone you could stay home longer but being 7 cms ("wow really I didn't feel that") when you got to the hospital. I was like you with my first...got my MW out of bed in the middle of the night and went to the birthing center on icy Jan roads only to be told to go home.

[Tear78]

Wow, Lis. Today is your due date! I've been thinking about you, and I hope you're holding Caleb in your arms by now!!!