four days of prodromal labor

[MotherWhimsey]

so today I feel like I've been hit by a mac truck. I'm sore all over from all these contractions. My hips feel like a human wish bone being pulled apart. At least the contractions themselves don't hurt. That would really suck, they're just intense squeezing, no pain. But now my back aches. I promise I'll have more empathy for women with false labor from now on. And I'll never be cocky again about my 4.5 hour first labor, cause this is making up for it. Although the labor could still go super fast when it decides to start, I've put way more work into birthing this one so far and she's still not out yet. it's just mentally tiring more than anything else. It's wierd, since all this laboring stuff has started I've been very subdued, and I'm not a subdued type of person. I think it's just taking a lot mentally.

[autumn_faune]

ayup. me too. dh even watched dd for me this morning so I could rest some more. what a sweety.

[tangozulu]

Funny it looks like the 3 of us are due about the same time, and all feeling the same way. I got up this morning and made breakfast and straightened up a bit, then got back in bed for the rest of the morning while dd13 watched ds for me. And I just laid there in a daze, couldn't sleep. I called my mom and said I wish she was closer to come take care of me. That is VERY out of character for me!! Probably freaked her out a bit! I drug myself out to Starbucks for some caffeine as I have things to finish for work before I can just lay around and wait for the baby.

I am also feeling reclusive and have very little desire to leave my house or talk much to anyone (besides my mom, apparently).

Are you two having any progress? I went to the MW yesterday and am 3cm, but my cervix is still high. So the contractions are doing something, but the baby needs to move down yet, and he is face up right now. She said she thought she would see me for my appointment next week?? Anyway, who knows. Hope we all feel better soon!!

[milk_maker]

I had four days of prodromal labor with DS...I'm so discouraged right now because I figured I would have it again and it hasn't started yet.

I remember how miserable I was and strung out. Just try to get some rest and try to stay hydrated and eat when you can. My midwife told me to take two tylenol PMs to help me get some sleep and sometimes they worked. Maybe you can get a nap in here or there.

[autumn_faune]

Originally Posted by tangozulu

Are you two having any progress?

Me, little if any. my cervix hasn't moved enough for me to check though.

[MotherWhimsey]

well I'm dialted to 3 and 50% effaced. so they're doing something, but my baby's not moved down either. But I have quite a public service announcement: don't drink 6 bags of super strong red raspberry leaf tea in an effort to bring on labor. There is a strong possibility you will projectile vomit with the last sip and end up peeing all over the floor. And that's just not cool at this point in pregnancy.

[autumn_faune]

*snickers* MW, WHY would you do that??? ohh the images!!! I think I'd eat a pineapple and prod dh into some prostaglandin injections first!

[MotherWhimsey]

desperation? i dunno, it sounded like a good idea at the time. I figured I would just see if anything happened if I drank it, then give up. I give up. I'm never drinking that again.

Oh dh and I live an hour and a half apart right now, and I won't see him till next friday unless I go into labor, so no prostaglandin injection for me.

[sbm1001]

I had that with my 3rd pg for about a week or so before he was born. NO FUN! Hopefully this means a nice short, easy labor to come!

Shannon

[tangozulu]

autumn, I can't reach my cervix to check it either, but I am 3 cm per the MW so just because it is still high doesn't mean there hasn't been progress!

MW, cracking up about the peeing. I am drinking my RRL tea right now. I usually drink 2 strong cups a day, but have been nervous the last few days and cut down to 1/day...suddenly I am hesitant for this new little guy to arrive, as if RRL tea even makes that much of a difference...I think if you're not ready, you're just not. But your story was pretty good. Sorry DH isn't available for helping things along. Hoping my DH will cooperate tonight, but we have been "regular" with sex anyway, so not sure if it matters as much, though it does help me to get to sleep.. :

[apelilae]

I had it with my DS for six days. It's so hard. But, pretty soon you'll be holding a baby!!!

[MotherWhimsey]

here's the story as I wrote it in an email to a friend:

"So I read that if your body is ready to have the baby, if you drink a lot of red raspberry leaf tea it can send you into labor. I figured what the hell, with all the false labor I'm having, why not give it a try. But did I go brew a cup? Hell no, I decided not to take any chances. I brewed the water for five bags of tea and threw six bags in for good measure. Then I let those suckers steep for about 30 minutes. Poured it into a mug and proceeded to chug it. I got down to the last two sips... took one more sip, and there was no way that shit was staying down. I ran to the bathroom faster than any nine months pregnant woman on record and proceeded to projectile vomit twice... and in the process peed all over myself and the bathroom floor. Now I was sitting there with puke dripping out of my nose as my mom walks in and says "are you in transition?" I gave her the most baleful glare one can give with puke dripping out your nose and said "no, but hopefully my water just broke, cause if it didn't I just peed all over your bathroom floor." I hoped for a while that it was my water, but none such luck, just another one of those pregnancy indignities, loss of sphincter control. But it would have been funny if it actually had been my water breaking, cause the tea would have induced labor, just not in the intended way. So I am not trying any induction methods anymore, period. "

several hours later, I'm finding it amusing.

I can't reach my cervix either. My midwife checked when she was here on thursday, that's the only way I know.

and as for dh sleeping with me to get labor started, the last two times it just brings on longer and more regular false labor. Which I suppose is a good sign. I'm just getting tired of all the false labor. But not tired enough to even want to ever look at a box of red raspberry leaf tea. <shudders> I know I over did it, but I blame pregnancy insanity and the call of the red raspberry leaf tea. It was like a siren... at least till that last sip.

[autumn_faune]

Originally Posted by MotherWhimsey

I can't reach my cervix either. My midwife checked when she was here on thursday, that's the only way I know.

eh, I usually can find it no problem, but it retreats posterior sometime in the 3rd tri, and doesn't come back anterior until there's enough progress of some kind to make any difference. I figure I'm better not knowing anyways.

:

[minka]

Uh, girls, I'm with you. I'm due concerning my calculations at 23rd, concerning the US, 25th and concerning LMP, 29th. It's happening since last saturday, allmost every day I'm having a few hours of ctx at 10 or 5 minutes. They are not that painful, but yesterday I felt the baby pushing against my pelvis and streching it. OUCH!!!!
I'm qiute tired, also since my 4,5 old DD has smallpox since thursday and it's quite hard for her. So, if I sleep because of the absence of ctx, I wake up because of he irritated schraching...
I've had the last appointment on tuesday, I was 2cm dilated, softened cervix, but still in retroverse position...

[autumn_faune]

smallpox :???? Are you having to do the sterilizing everything and strict confinement and everything?

And what does that mean for your birth and postpartum? Will you be able to have your dd around the baby any?

Man, I thought LizaBear won for worst stuff to have to deal with right before birth!

[milk_maker]

Originally Posted by MotherWhimsey

here's the story as I wrote it in an email to a friend:

"So I read that if your body is ready to have the baby, if you drink a lot of red raspberry leaf tea it can send you into labor. I figured what the hell, with all the false labor I'm having, why not give it a try. But did I go brew a cup? Hell no, I decided not to take any chances. I brewed the water for five bags of tea and threw six bags in for good measure. Then I let those suckers steep for about 30 minutes. Poured it into a mug and proceeded to chug it. I got down to the last two sips... took one more sip, and there was no way that shit was staying down. I ran to the bathroom faster than any nine months pregnant woman on record and proceeded to projectile vomit twice... and in the process peed all over myself and the bathroom floor. Now I was sitting there with puke dripping out of my nose as my mom walks in and says "are you in transition?" I gave her the most baleful glare one can give with puke dripping out your nose and said "no, but hopefully my water just broke, cause if it didn't I just peed all over your bathroom floor." I hoped for a while that it was my water, but none such luck, just another one of those pregnancy indignities, loss of sphincter control. But it would have been funny if it actually had been my water breaking, cause the tea would have induced labor, just not in the intended way. So I am not trying any induction methods anymore, period. "

several hours later, I'm finding it amusing.

I can't reach my cervix either. My midwife checked when she was here on thursday, that's the only way I know.

and as for dh sleeping with me to get labor started, the last two times it just brings on longer and more regular false labor. Which I suppose is a good sign. I'm just getting tired of all the false labor. But not tired enough to even want to ever look at a box of red raspberry leaf tea. <shudders> I know I over did it, but I blame pregnancy insanity and the call of the red raspberry leaf tea. It was like a siren... at least till that last sip.

:

Oh god, that was awesome!!!! Thank you SO much for sharing htat!!

[cornflower_3]

All my sympathy mama. Thank you for sharing your RRL story, I've got to say, you are a very good story teller. Although I am sorry the experience ended so badly for you. Just remember, Babe is coming soon. Babe is coming soon. Babe is coming soon...

[sophiamama]

I totally feel for you! With dd I never had contractions before my water broke.....this time, I've been having them for a week! Starts in the afternoon, lasts until into the night, contractions every 8-10 minutes. It's driving me nuts!!!!!: Today's my due date, but I hold no hopes of a baby actually coming out!

[tangozulu]

anyone tried/considering trying EPO?

[MotherWhimsey]

yeh, I've thought about it. And the nice thing about EPO is that there are very few ways I could screw it up so badly. I mean I guess I could shove a whole bottle of caplets up my vagina, but I think all thout would end up doing would make me a very sticky, drippy mess.