AAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!! (ummm... vent.)

[Individuation]

Can someone please reassure me that the neverending story of my so-far two-week prodromal labor will one day make a funny birth story? Please tell me there's really a baby in here, causing up to four hours of regular, painful contractions that peter out just when I'm exhausted, and that I haven't imagined the whole thing? Please tell me someone else has been through this and I'm not a lunatic? Please tell me that when a self-check for dilation finds me somewhere between six and seven centimeters that this means a baby has to come out of there sometime?

I wish my stupid water would just break already. Or something.

I'd try sex, but quite frankly, I'm really dilated and the baby's really low and I'm not quite sure there's room.

Do you know how many times I've rolled my eyes at women who were "sick of being pregnant"? The first time around I had NO labor signs until 42 weeks, I was like a big soft mellow cushion, I could have stayed pregnant forever. Now I'm 38 weeks and a bit, and ready to tear my hair out.

Somehow, I'm blaming my husband for this. I'm not sure how yet, but I'll come up with a way...

Seriously, though, has anyone else had this? Ever?

[DoulaClara]

Right there with ya, mama! Only I have no idea where the heck my cervix went. I tried checking it for the first time all pregnancy- nada. It's like a bunch of mush. I can't tell anything from anything in there. I walk like I just got off of the freaking Oregon Trail or something.

I have to keep repeating over and over- my baby knows what kind of labor to have, my baby knows what kind of labor to have...

[meagansroses]

i'm feeling ya. I have been having the same miserable 4-6 minutes apart contractions for 3 days. Diarrehea, out the ying yang: (sorry tmi) and still====== no baby. I keep telling myself that someday I will be able to come online with a new post of "baby is FINALLY here" !!! SOMEDAY

[earthmama369]

Three weeks of prodromal labor with ds and oh yeah, it sucked. On the bright side, when "real" labor did finally start, I started at 100% effaced and 5 cm dilated. That sped things up a bit!

[luckydog]

Yep, I had three weeks of it with DD3 (started at 38 weeks, delivered at 41), but never got that dilated from all the prodromal stuff. I was only 4 cm when I had my first VE after labor officially kicked in.

[RoseRed]

I am not in your ddc, but your title caught my eye. So I snooped

And I have to say that that is just where I was a year ago. I actually think more women have that than other.. I was in and out of the hospital 4 times before I actually had a baby

Well enough of a pop in for me!

Happy Labor Dust Everyone!!!

[Krystal323]

i feel ya--i was due may 9th, was so sure i'd go early, like, before May even got here. Yeah. I had 6-7 weeks of prodromal labor, was dilated to a 5 for WEEKS, and my dd was born May 27th, SEVENTEEN days late. unfortnately i caved to my fears and lost my UC, ended up in the hossy. not pleasant. so hang in there!!

[GiantGi]

I have been having nightly rounds of the menstrual cramps, back pains, ctx worth timing etc... Went to doc appt yesterday and like a fool allowed a VE to check. I am soft with 1CM of dilation. Burst my bubble. :

[2sweetboysmom]

Im 36w 5d I have just completed my second day...um, night of prodromal type labor ( had it for a week with my second) I am hoping it does not continue for weeks and weeks. At last self check I was a soft 2+ but still pretty high.

[jee'smom]

Originally Posted by 2sweetboysmom

Im 36w 5d I have just completed my second day...um, night of prodromal type labor ( had it for a week with my second) I am hoping it does not continue for weeks and weeks. At last self check I was a soft 2+ but still pretty high.

What does that mean? I was told yesterday that I'm a "soft -1". I know what the number means, but what does the word "soft" mean in front of it?

[DoulaClara]

Keri- Beats the heck out of me! I thought the cervix was soft throughout pregnancy. Closed, but soft. I would guess that a multip would be even more so, especially at term!

Clara

[Juvysen]

I suspect it means you're partially or mostly effaced. I haven't had any vaginal exams this pregnancy (except the pap smear one at the beginning) but I've been in the same place as all of you... strong premenstrual/menstrual feeling cramps, strong braxton hicks, diahrrhea for two weeks now. I was very late w/my dd, so I keep expecting another two or three weeks of this (I'm due the 16th) but I never had any of these feelings when I was pregnant with my daughter except for some low back soreness down by my pelvis from my massive belly. Maybe I'll go earlier? Who knows. I just hope it's soon!

[ahdoula]

Before a cervix can open (dialate) or efface (thin) it has to soften. Normally it feels like the tip of your nose, as your due date closes in, or as labor progresses, it has to soften before effacment and dialation can occur. Make sense?

[MandyB]

Just have sex! Seriously, it worked for me. I was in the SAME position as you 4 days ago. We had sex and less than two hours later I delivered my baby!

[bdavis337]

Ok I hesitate to say I'm in this group, but EVERY night for about 5 hours, I have almost non-stop bh contractions that are so painful I can't move or even think about moving. I have no idea if it's doing anything, but it's predictable and it happens every single night. Been going on for about 2 weeks now.

[jee'smom]

I know what a "soft cervix" means. I want to know what "soft -1 station" means. She specifically used the word "soft" in conjunction with station, after already telling me that my cervix was soft, 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated.

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by MandyB

Just have sex! Seriously, it worked for me. I was in the SAME position as you 4 days ago. We had sex and less than two hours later I delivered my baby!

Tried that yesterday... got more cramps but nothing exciting:

[dcgrl]

I have NO experience--first-time mom. BUT, I read somewhere on MDC that ingesting sperm may be a more effective way of inducing labor than having it deposited on the cervix. Maybe you could try that, if you're not squeemish about it, and aren't interested in intercourse because of the baby's position + your dilation...

[scrappingmom]

The "station" reference is about where the head is in relation to the pelvis/birth canal(i forget now)... -1 would mean its close but not engaged yet.

[jee'smom]

Yes, I know that station means where baby's head is in relation to the 'ischial spines'. I was wondering what the word "soft" in conjunction with station means. (On another thread, Clara said it may mean 'there, but not there firmly'- sounds good to me!)