backwards labor

[dakotablue]

So...last night from 9pm on (tried to sleep) until I timed again at 5 I had contractions 2 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds.\

then from 5 or 6 until 8 this morning 3 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds. and then from 8 until 10 or so 4 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds.

I am still having some contractions, but not so close together that I'm going crazy looking at clocks and think (its only been 2 minutes!!!)

What is up with this?

The contractions are like bad bad gas painful, but not the 'Oh my' painful. as far as I can tell the only cervical change has been that my cervix has moved forward and maybe a cm...maybe but I can't quite reach now that its moved. they don't go away with bath or movement or position.

Anyone had this happen? Is there any hope this baby is going to come soon?

I barely slept because they were just so darn close together.

Also...um...we're getting hit with a HUGE storm tonight.

[WifeofAnt]

*raises hand*

My Braxton Hicks were anywhere from a minute and a half to 20 minutes apart.  Sometimes they were annoying, sometimes very uncomfortable, and sometimes I barely felt them at all.

My actual labor was every 2 minute contractions.  From the very first one until he was born.  Every.  Two.  Minutes.  It totally blows my mind thinking that I was in labor for approximately 24 hours like that.  Of course the first like 18 hours were just on the annoying side.  I didn't get more than an hour and a half of sleep that night.  Looking back I really like how it progressed.  It wasn't drawn out and horrible or too quick and intense.  There was no point in timing my contractions because they never got any closer together or further apart. That left me open to let my mind go and just work through it.

If I can give you a tip... don't look at the clock.  Don't think about the time.  And really try not to check your cervix.  One contraction at a time.  Your body doesn't have a swiss watch or a chart dictating how or when you're going to dilate.  If it really is labor the contractions will get more intense, even if they don't get closer together.

[clutterbug]

My early labours have both been close together, short, uncomfortable-but-not-super-painful contractions.  It seems like once I get more active, that's when they space out a bit (still, they never are 10 minutes apart like you would expect from reading a book) and get longer....and then get closer together again and even longer as birth approaches.  I agree with PP that as hard as it is, try to just not focus on them too much...that is hard when it's the middle of the night, though, I know.  Much easier if you are going about your day as usual, which of course you're not doing at 3 in the morning!

Hope things kick into high gear for you soon!

[mylilmonkeys]

I frequently get B-H patterns like this.  After 6 kids, I know if they start at 5 min apart or closer, it's not labor.  Labor contractions, for me, start at 10 or 15 min apart, and usually get closer together rather rapidly.  Also, my B-H contractions are usually really long, like 60-90 secs, sometimes more.  My labor contractions start pretty short, less than 30 secs, but increase fairly quickly.  First two babies, that every 5 min B-H pattern really made me take notice, but even though they'd last for hours, they never really changed in timing or intensity, so now I know better. LOL

[dakotablue]

Thanks to all who replied.

I'm not sure now whether this was my body gearing up. The next day the contractions got further and further apart then came back together closer and closer. By the time they were starting to get a bit intense and 8 minutes apart we were in the middle of a snow storm and Dh and I had a HUGE fight, (he was right that now wouldn't be a good time to have a baby, but he didn't have to be mean about it...)

Anyway everything stopped. I didn't even go to the bathroom for 10 hours (over night and into the morning) and I'm very good friends with my toilet.

So now we're waiting again....

I hate hate hate BH this time around. They just aren't like they were with DS (he was the textbook, full belly tightening)