Prodromal labor support thread

[Jilian]

I thought I'd start a support thread for those of us who go in and out of labor. I've officially entered prodromal labor, today for over 4 hours I had regular contractions 5 mins apart. They weren't very strong but they built in intensity and started lasting longer - then they died off when DS came home from a day on the boat w/my mom. I did get a little excited and so did DH, even though we tried not to. I'm trying to remember that every little bit of labor is progress and not get discouraged - but it's hard. I'm only 37 weeks so this could go on for another 5 weeks

How are all the other prodromal labor mamas holding up?

[firefly mama]

Yay!!! I'm so relieved to see this thread where I can hang out for the next few hours (days...weeks...month?). I've been in and out of prodromal for 2+ weeks now. Today is the most serious so far - ctx all day long 5-6 min apart, but totally ignorable and not progressing. But tiring. And I'm suddenly on a mega-mucus production kick. I'd just like to sleep well tonight, and then my little man can arrive. Today I'm 37 weeks and today was my Blessing Way, so now I'm totally ready to accept him.

[Jilian]

2 weeks?! Maybe we'll get lucky and be one of those mamas who says "I wasn't sure if I was in labor or not and when I was checked I was 10 cm" Are you doing anything to encourage labor? I haven't yet but I might start next week when I hit 38 weeks.

[momtokay]

i guess i'd belong here. i had a pretty quiet day, though i did have a good run of contractions that actually got worse when i climbed in the tub instead of getting better like usual?!? thing is i'm only 35 week so i could have SEVEN more weeks of this. ugh!!! my first came at 38 weeks and my second at exactly 37 so hopefully i'll just have a couple more weeks, or even better hopefully the ctx will settle down until closer to baby time. they can be so tiring!!! thinking of each of you!

[Mab]

i have a dumb question: can it be prodromal labor at 35 weeks? i guess i don't quite get what prodromal labor is. I feel very, very , very crampy, as if I was going to start my period. I also feel nauseous, but don't have regular contractions, just my usual here and there braxton hicks. I'm knitting in the couch since I woke up and drinking water. I know whatever it is is good, uterus practicing, etc, just wanted to undertsand the terms

[firefly mama]

I think it could certainly be prodromal labor at 35 weeks, cause that is when mine started. It is so weird. Somedays I feel like I could be pregnant for another 4-6 weeks, and sometimes I'm not certain I'll make it through the night. I didn't have any of this with DD...so it is all very new. Actually, each of my episodes of ctx so far have felt EXACTLY like my labor did with DD (early labor), so it has been very confusing. And tiring. Today was pretty chill. I took a 3 hour nap too.

I'm not doing anything major to encourage labor. I kinda figure when it is really time, it will get going. I do have a toddler, so am not really able to rest as much as I would like to. I'm continuing to take my herbs and stuff and making sure that I stay hydrated and well fed. DH and I have had a little action lately...but nothing has come of it. I'm kinda glad it it holding off. I totally agree with Jilian - I'd love to be one of those moms that doesn't think it is labor until like 30 minutes before the baby is born. Actually, talking to my mom today, I learned that my brother's birth was exactly like that. She had lots of pre-labor stuff then a sporadic early labor, then dilated from 3-10 cm in 10 minutes and out came my bro. Ooooh, I hope I get just a hint of that.

[momtokay]

Originally Posted by firefly mama

I'd love to be one of those moms that doesn't think it is labor until like 30 minutes before the baby is born. Actually, talking to my mom today, I learned that my brother's birth was exactly like that. She had lots of pre-labor stuff then a sporadic early labor, then dilated from 3-10 cm in 10 minutes and out came my bro. Ooooh, I hope I get just a hint of that.

That's sort of how my labor went with my second. My water had broken in the afternoon so I knew I'd be having a baby sometime soon, but the contractions hadn't really kicked in. I went into the birth center to get antibiotics and had them check me before I went back home to get some sleep (ha ha). Well I was 4cm when they checked and DD was born 30 minutes later. I have to say it was a bit of a roller coaster ride and in the end when I was holding DD I was still very disoriented and couldn't quite figure out what had happened. I'd do it again over a long drawn out labor like my first though.

As for prodromal labor-land I had a rough day today. 3+ hours of ctx 3-5 minutes apart and nothing I tried slowed them down. Finally fell asleep for a nap and when I woke up they had spaced out. I can't wait until I hit 37 weeks so I can stop debating if/when I should call the midwives and just wait it out knowing that if it's the "real thing" that is okay...unlike now when the baby would be a preemie and have to be born in the hospital. Just 10 more days to 37 weeks. Actually, I only have to get to Thursday (36 weeks) to be cleared for a homebirth so that's not too long I suppose.

Thanks again for starting this thread. Nice to know there are others going through the same thing, well not that I want anyone to have painful ctx for hours on end, but it's nice to not feel alone, yk?

[firefly mama]

DEFINITELY nice to not feel alone.

So now I'm on my 3rd solid day of loose bowels - at least 10/day. How long can that go on before you poop out a baby??? I have a new sympathy for newborn tushies - 10 loose stools a day is really uncomfortable down there.

[inkedmamajama]

i had this with both of my previous daughters, and fully expect to be posting in this thread in a couple of weeks! (im only 35 weeks now, so i dont expect it to start until 37/38 weeks)

[Jilian]

OMG, 3 straight days? That has got to be painful! Isn't it crazy how you can have all these signs of impeding labor and then nothing comes of it?

I've been using the contractions as a way to practice really relaxing my pelvis and being aware of my body. I like the practice. If I can completely loosen up I can actually feel the baby's head putting pressure on my cervix and I can feel my cervix doing something. I never got to feel this with DS so it's interesting.

I agree that it is tiring. I cannot nap during the day because DS does not nap and most days I am exhausted by 2 from all of the contractions. Last night I had a MAJOR back-labor contraction that took my breath away and scared me a little. Today I've been really focusing on making sure the baby is properly positioned and I think he is now.

I'm glad this is all somewhat normal, it's nice to have a few other people to talk to who are going through the same things.

[Shell_Ell]

Not quite prodromal, and still a few days shy of being full-term (I have 9 days to go, but who's counting...)

I woke up with contractions this morning. Literally... I was WOKEN UP by one. They were very sharp and intense for about the first two hours I was up this morning. It's fizzled down to cramps now, thank goodness. I think I was just dehydrated. It was really hot here yesterday, and humid. And DH didn't want to turn the A/C on. Next time I'm going to turn it on anyway.

[firefly mama]

Well, the loose bowels are firming up a bit, but now I'm losing a little bit of mucus plug here and there. And ctx have intensified and gotten deeper in my pelvis, but now they are TOTALLY unorganized. I had a MW appt today and she thought this could possibly be the day, or it could (obviously) be weeks. Greeeeeeeat. :

[Jilian]

What does everyone do with their other children while dealing with prodromal labor? This is the hardest part for me. Some days the cramping gets really intense and I'm nervous about traveling too far from home with DS, so we stay in. DS is an outside person and likes to play outside. I feel really guilty for not being able to take him out as much as usual.

[momtokay]

we have a fenced backyard that i can see from a couch and i've been known to send the girls out (only together not alone) there to play when i need to lay down and don't want them to see me hurting. luckily, or unluckily depending on how you look at it, most of my worst contractions happen at night so i'm not getting much sleep, but the kids also aren't awake when i feel my worst. the last few days though i've started having more contractions during the day too. i can't believe i could have 6 more weeks like this!!!

edited to add: Anyone have any words of advice for me on how to handle the "down" days (down as in mood not in a lack of contractions). I've been up so much at night with frequent and getting to be painful contractions. I'm exhausted during the day, but mostly my problem is I feel like a "failure". I know that I don't want to meet this baby yet (I'll be 36 weeks tomorrow and I'd like to make it until 37 weeks), but I can't stop feeling like all these ctx should be doing something and leading somewhere and as much as I don't want to meet baby yet, I do feel like a failure for having so many ctx that don't lead to a baby...does that make any sense?!? Anyone else ever felt that way? What did you do to turn things around? TIA!

[firefly mama]

Yesterday I was uncomfortable enough that I asked DH to stay home until DD's naptime. If I hadn't done that, I just would have stayed home with her. I couldn't have handled anything else.

In other news, I'm sorta thinking I might be on the verge of the real thing here. I lost a HUGE mucus plug this morning...like nothing I've ever seen before (and I saw my plug with DD too). Loose stools are back, and I've got that aching cramping that is coming in waves...I'm currently trying to time it. We'll see. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow...maybe a week I guess?

[momtokay]

Originally Posted by firefly mama

In other news, I'm sorta thinking I might be on the verge of the real thing here.

Oh how exciting!!! Wishing you all the best for when baby decides to make an arrival!

[Jilian]

Oh Christine, how exciting! I hope this is it!

MomtoKay I completely know what you mean. I've been having contractions for so long now and my cervix is a little soft and maybe a fingertip dilated. It's frustrating because I'm going through all of this work and it feels like it's all for nothing. I'd like to stay pregnant for at least a few more days (or another week) but I feel dissapointed that I haven't at least dilated a bit.

[firefly mama]

No more prodromal for me. Real labor has come and gone (and I thank the prodromal labor for making my real labor only 7 hours long...MUCH better than the 17 hours from last time).

See my announcement in the announcement thread.

[momtokay]

oh christine, congratulations!!! i hope to following your footsteps about a week from now when i hit 37 weeks. off to read your birth announcement!

[Jilian]

Congrats!!!! I'm off to read your announcement! I hope to graduate from this thread soon too.

I've found that each time I have a false start it is stronger than the last false start. I'm hoping that this is a sign that things are progressing and real labor will be here soon. Now contractions seem to be coming every day