how do you know when... « Back to Group Discussions

[organicviolin]

OK so you'd think I was a first timer here...but alas, I'm not. I'm on kid 3. I have this MO where I'm in early labor for 2.5-3 weeks then BAM baby. So I'm at 2.5 weeks now with it. Time-able, strong contractions every 5 minutes or closer together depending on what's going on. They get more intense as I am up and about...I rarely am lying down except to attempt to sleep. I eat and drink and they are still there....

So I got sent home from L&D last night for failure to progress...these contractions are definitely getting stronger. (I had a HB last time but due to insurance have to go to hospital and the hospital is 40 min away).

Any ideas for some things I can do to get things kicking it to high gear? I'm not gonna go to L&D again unless my water breaks or I'm smacking my head into the wall (literally).

My body has been "clearing out" for a while already. lovely I know.

We've been DTD and that's about it thus far. I don't necessarily want to do castor oil again. I do have some black cohosh if things get super annoying. 

Anything else?

[J1379]

Some things that have helped me to progress further in the past: going for walks at a good pace, pelvic rocking on a stability/birthing ball, and just doing some activities around the house (e.g. going up/down the stairs alot, washing floors on hands and knees etc.).  Hope you meet baby very soon!!!!

[Clarasmama]

Are you sure of baby's position?  It might just be that s/he is trying to get into optimal position for birth, so the contractions are trying to move the baby rather than dilating your cervix.  If baby is posterior or on your right side doing LOTS of hands and knees cat/cow yoga positions, down dog, resting on a birth/exercise ball (I lay my chest on the ball so my belly hangs down), possibly rebozo technique with a long wrap or bed sheet to wiggle baby around, DTD while you're on hands and knees....that's about all I can think of!

FWIW, my midwife plainly states that she will take her clients straight to the hospital if they take castor oil, she does not like to take that risk on.  She's seen too many babies with serious meconium complications from mom drinking castor oil, because it can make the baby have a bowel movement just like it does to mom when she drinks it.  She recently had a mom who was past 41 weeks, she told her not to drink castor oil but the mom did anyway, and when she got to the house the mom was pushing already, baby was coming feet first with lots of meconium...that baby was delivered safely but he needed lots of clean up and a few minutes of rescue breaths, which can be nerve wrecking at a home birth.  You will be in a hospital too, so where that mom at least got to stay skin to skin with her baby when he was cleaned up your baby would probably be whisked away for suctioning/warming/bathing/observation and it would be much longer before you could hold him or her.  I wouldn't take the chance with it, but some people do!

[organicviolin]

Baby is in prime position. Head down, no longer posterior. I drop even lower every day. I also lost my plug earlier today in a big huge glob. So I must be dilating even more now. The contractions are still coming. I'm rocking in a rocking chair for a bit checking email on phone until I lanolize wool covers and vacuum the car. When rocking the contractions are much stronger or when I'm putting away laundry. I will finish that after my kids nap time.

[Clarasmama]

Sounds like baby will be here soon!!! I haven't seen any plug or anything, and in my last labor I didn't even get bloody show until I was about 7cm dilated.  I'm 39+1 today, so it could still be a while...I wish I was gearing up for labor instead :)

[aruss]

I lost some mucous a few days ago, but as far as I understand it doesn't mean a lot after a first baby. I think I lost it 10+ days before my last one was born!

[organicviolin]

oye! so I'm still doing this obnoxious prodromal labor thing. Contractions all the time, uncomfortable...but I'm not smacking my head on the table. I don't want to rush this kid out or anything, but my lord! I'm losing my marbles and my patience. My kids are misbehaving (I'm assuming because they sense that something is coming), the dog won't be more than 2 inches from me and I'm just ready for this to be over! I wish it would just hurry up and be major labor and then wham! done = BABY! 

How is everyone else holding up? 

[birthjunkiemom]

My contractions calmed down that past couple of days, but I had another adjustment this morning and they've started on and off since then again.  I'll be 37 weeks tomorrow, and my babies usually cook a long time, but I am already so over being pregnant.  It's really not good.  I had 3 emotional breakdowns today that I still don't have a baby, yet it could be another 5 weeks yet.  And I have to go back to work next week and have everyone make comments about how they can't believe I haven't had the baby yet. 

[organicviolin]

birthjunkiemom I hear you. I'm supposed to be at work on Thursday and I am tired of the comments of how big and low I am and how baby is going to come any minute. My contractions are picking up and I'm trying a couple of positioning things to see if that will aid me in going from this stupid early labor to active...argh

[rudhaen]

Ack it's so hard to know when the baby will come and it's so hard not knowing!

I have also been having prodromal labor--really strong but irregular contractions for a couple of weeks now.  I'm at 39 weeks today, and I have felt so ready to get this baby out into the world.  Still, it could be quite a while longer since I've had zero other signs that birth is imminent.  I guess I just need to let go and accept that this baby could be quite late.

Maybe you are on your way though, especially since you passed your plug.  Here's hoping!

[organicviolin]

Seriously rudhaen! It makes you want them to be able to read a calendar or at least make these last weeks less miserable 

[gentlymade]

I am so confused by this kiddo. This is my third too. The others both came at 37 weeks with no real signs they were coming until I woke up in the middle of the night with serious contractions. Both of them were breech. This one is head down and I have been having cramping and contractions for the last week. Nothing big or dramatic, but way more than with my other two. I am at 37 weeks and soooooo ready to meet my little one. I have no idea what to expect here though because this one is so different! I have a bicornuate uterus too so little goober has been stuck on my right side for the past month or so and my ribs feel like they are going to crack! Don't know what I will do if this one goes late! Here's hoping the New Year brings us safe, healthy and TIMELY babies!!