What is this?

[EmmetnLindley]

So I have been having rather painful contractions every 20 minutes from about 8 a.m. this morning and it is now 11 p.m. They are regular, intense but they aren't really getting any closer together. I have been doing some things around my house, showered, went out to get food, etc. but I also have been trying to rest. I had a rough night with about three hours of sleep so I am trying to avoid complete exhaustion.

Is this early labour? I think it must be but the contractions are rather painful.... if I were to try to talk during them, I only get out the first two words and I am past the point of just deep breathing through them.

[zipworth]

It sounds like labour to me! I would notify your care provider. Any discharge?

[EmmetnLindley]

Originally Posted by zipworth

It sounds like labour to me! I would notify your care provider. Any discharge?

Yes, I posted this a few hours ago on the main I'm Pregnant page...

Does water ever ooze vs. gush or trickle?

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It all started on Friday night after I inserted the first yeast treatment ovule. A few hours into the night, I felt something oozing out of me and I went to the bathroom to wipe. The same thing happened on Saturday night. I assumed that the yeast treatment was doing something to cause more discharge in order to wash out my vagina.

If it had been water, I thought that it would gush when I stood up from the couch or trickle often. I did check and it was clear/odourless when it was running down my leg but there wasn't that much.

This brings me to tonight! I haven't inserted the final ovule yet and I have had a lot of discharge today. I was sitting on my birth ball, stood up and felt oozing. There was a lot of ooze in my underwear... like enough to go right through onto my pants. Could it be that my water is leaking or has broken?

I thought that I would know for sure but there hasn't been a gush and it doesn't trickle.

[AllisonR]

Maybe it is the yeast infection that is oozing, and your waters are still intact. Only 10% of mommas waters break so early. Which is a good thing anyway, baby will be able to press more evenly with the water bag and you will feel less discomfort.

Perhaps you are starting labor with intact water. If so, great. The yeast infection is just adding an additional element to the mix.

[EmmetnLindley]

Any ideas for why the contractions aren't getting much closer together? It has been about 22 hours now and they are 17 or 18 minutes apart.

[zipworth]

I know a woman who had a prolonged early labour and her active labour was very short! I am an expert by NO means but I have heard a long slow early labour is good...My water broke with a trickle, it felt like I had lost bladder control, and after that my labour started. I think you are in early labour........anyone?

[Avani]

My contrax have never been consistent with early labor.My last birth(oct.26th) my contrax would be anywhere from every 5-10 min to every 20 min.Then when i would change positions they could be every 2 min then go back to every 10 min.My active labor was about 45 minutes and that was when i hit transition and contrax were still very spaced out and inconsistent but much more intense and then i felt like pushing.

Your baby might not be correctly positioned and that can cause a prolonged early labor.The discharge could be your water or from your infection.Hard telling.

[katie-p-]

Hi there remember me? I also had a yeast infection and did the treatment too. I've had alot of discharge but my is the cream coming out. Mine was clear too but when I went to the bathroom in the a.m. I could feel the cream come out and see it in the toilet, sorry tmi. But anyway it could be the cream and it sure sounds like early labor to me. Good luck!!!!!!

[AllisonR]

Originally Posted by EmmetnLindley

Any ideas for why the contractions aren't getting much closer together? It has been about 22 hours now and they are 17 or 18 minutes apart.

I agree with pp, maybe poor position so babe is not pressing evenly on the cervix. Try a few lunges (like joggers do) as long as you can hold without wearing yourself out. Have you tried hands and knees and making hip movements at the same time? Not for 5 minutes, but for maybe an hour. An alternate to this is to clean the floor like this, crawling around. Then you can accomplish a clean floor and maybe change babes position at the same time. If it works, then babe will suddenly be pressing more evenly, and therefore more intensely and you might really see things speed up.

Also, this is a long time, so I think a call to your midwife might be helpful. Or are you seeing an OB? Then they will tell you to come in, and do a VE (which if your water really is broken will increase chance of infection and then they will want to keep you and put you on a 24 hour schedule....) Of course if they do a VE and your water isn't broken and you are not dialated much, then you refuse to stay and come home again. Choices? Options? Let us know how you are doing.