You are doing soooo beautifully! what an inspiration!
You'll give birth on X day, but how you get there is often your choice. You can get there freaked out, or you can get there relaxed and chill. Relaxed and chill is a lot nicer, but I've done both! I felt like a REAL failure during my freaked out prodromal labor. And, I felt like a REAL goddess during my relaxed and chill prodromal labor.
Copy/Pasting from the other thread, hope you don't mind!
This is a list of things that helped through prodromal labor. And, I need to tell you 6 weeks with the last two weeks being intense is all in the realm of normal. It's how many of us labor. A lot of women are induced in the hospital so we just don't hear so much about prodromal labor anymore. A percentage of women who birth without augmentation, experience prodromal labor. It's a very normal yet incredibly frustrating pattern. In the end though, when your labor naturally unfolds by itself without encouragement, then your birth will be so much faster than without the prodromal labor. Be prepared for a fast one, okay? (My 3rd was prodromal labor for weeks & weeks & weeks, but then she was born in 1 hour, 40 minutes when labor finally did kick in)
Prodromal Labor - what works for many women. Take what you think would work for you, leave the rest:
- Do you contract more when you walk around? If so, when you start a ctx pattern, lay down & rest. If you contract more when you lay down, then walk & be upright more. You need to do whatever to NOT encourage ctx at this point. It will happen. But, encouraging prodromal labor to continue is not beneficial at this point.
- Go for a walk by yourself (or with your partner if you feel drawn to that). Talk to the baby. Tell him/her that there is peace all around. That you trust in his/her timing. Cry if you need to.
- Stop trying to bring on labor. Chances are the cohosh & the castor oil is just making your uterus irritated, thus exacerbating prodromal labor & tiring you out before the big day. The baby's just not ready yet. He/she will guide you when the timing is right. Your body doesn't need any extra stimulation right now. It's time to rest & gather your energy for the birth.
- Physical - is there something physical holding your body back? Baby positioning, dehydration, etc.
- Emotional - You're feeling ready to meet this baby. Is there anything else holding you back?
- Plan something for tomorrow. Lunch with a friend without kids, massage, cafe for a latte by yourself before DH leaves for work, whatever. Make a plan.
- Make a plan for next week with an understanding friend. "Hey, let's do lunch on Monday, barring me giving birth." Pick a place you LOVE to eat at. Make it a set weekly date until you give birth.
- Let go of the expectation that you need to give birth soon. If you need to, you will. How does next Friday sound for birth? (I know that probably sounds like hell, but instead of telling yourself that tonight is the night each night & spreading your focus so thin, if you pick a date further away, it helps the energy build. Yeah, that's woowoo, but sometimes woowoo works.)
- Take a look at your supplements. I did Polly Someone's 5-week labor prep herbs once that sent my body over the edge. I was in labor for about 4 days straight before I finally stopped the herbs & then my ctx went back to a normal pattern for me. Red Raspberry leaf can even cause more ctx than necessary.
- Surround yourself with love & only do things that you want to do. This is not the time to do dishes. This is the time to rent a girly movie & get a foot rub.
I hope that list helped. It could have just pissed you off or made you cry. But, I thought I'd put it out there. If even one idea helped you, then so be it. Take what you want & leave the rest.
Just know that so so so many of us are supporting you & loving you right now.
Best birth so far.
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