Mentally holding back labor?

[Cathi]

I'm not due until around Sunday of this week, but have been having prodromal labor nightly for several hours. Contrax will be close and strong for a couple of hours and then stop. I know baby is not posterior and is in a really good position but I keep thinking that my mind is holding back my body from laboring fully, make sense?

A lot has been going on the last few weeks and I just keep thinking I have 'one more thing to do and THEN I can go into labor' kind of thing. Like, I wish we could make it to Thursday so I can get all the bills paid and sent out before I am AWOL for a while. Or, my DD came down with a bladder infection yesterday and she needs to see the pediatrician today so if I can just get that done I can labor. Or, if labor will just wait until the snowstorm passes....ugh, it just goes on and on and on.

So here I am at 2 in the morning with insomnia, my supposed pasttime of the last three weeks, with contractions and what feels like a mile long list of things to do before baby can come.

Can the mind stall labor? Should I TRY to let things go and know that it will be ok if I'm laboring and everything around me is in chaos? I'm a complete control freak so this is really hard for me :

[flapjack]

Yes, the mind (and adrenaline) can totally stall labour. I had a month of prodromal labour because my dh and I had stuff that we needed to talk about- yes, there was a physical reason too (nuchal hand) but ultimately, it was the emotions that held things up.
This is why you really need to sort your head out. Yep, it was a textbook homebirth, but also incredibly stressful.

[milk_maker]

I think I'm mentally holding back labor. By this point in my last pregnancy I was having lots of mucous, tons of contractions, and was showing all signs of going into labor. This time around she is super high up and no where near dropping. I think it's because I'm so terrified of doing this without my husband and being a single mama to two babies. DS was SO high needs and I'm scared that she's going to try and beat his record. I'm terrified and I have a feeling that's keeping me from opening and allowing my body to go into labor.

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

This is interesting...I'm sure it's possible. I feel like once I get my head sorted out and 'ready' for this baby, that it's going to get here. Never felt like that before, but I've had so much prelabor stuff going on this time. I am just not there yet.

Maybe try and do a big day, get a lot of stuff done, and then just let it go as much as you can? Tell your dh/dp what you think about mentally stalling labor - I'm sure he can assure you that he'll pick up the pieces

[happydoulamama]

I believe that we can stall our labors but usually only for times of adrenaline-type of fears, not a to-do list. What I've learned by working with mamas is that almost every "not first time" mama has prodromal labor of some sort- and so do I. I have cramps every day, some big ctx at night, labor signs, and absolutely nothing happens. It's just a normal function of a well-functioning second-time mom. It will happen when we all- baby included- are ready!

Hang in there. I'm right there with ya.
Rachelle

[Tanibani]

1. Yes it's possible

2. To make you feel better... my first born was sooo HN's also (which was challenging, but I am glad for the babywearing time he got in) and my daughter was so NOT! Totally different temperament!

So that should give you hope! Have hope everything will be OK!

You and your family will thrive.

Just remember to give your first born one-on-one time (something I didn't do) and THAT was the source of my problems with him.