Prodromal labor...advice/sympathy/support anyone?

[Cativari]

I've been having prodromal labor for about the last two weeks now. This morning about 3 I woke up with contractions (they were a bit painful) and they didn't go away for about 2-3 hours so at my doctors appointment I asked to be checked because I thought maybe there would be some kind of progress from the last time I had him check. I mean I've been having pretty constistant prodromal labor for 2-5 hours everyday at least for a while and it's been getting stronger and the contractions never come more then 7 minutes apart. So something had to be going on...or so I reasoned. I've always known during these episodes they it was pre-labor but I was hoping it had done something other then annoying me. Well I went in had him check and YEP you guessed it NOTHING I'm still very high closed and thick. I'm only slightly changed from 3 weeks ago : I know that some progress but it's still fusterating.

The stuff I'm experincing is in my back and lower stomach so I'm thinking maybe baby is posterior(SP)? Or in a bad positon.

Today I've started using acupressure points to maybe help baby positon and/or start labor (as my FIL will be back from Iraq for a week and half starting Saturday and we'd like him to meet his first grandson...if baby is ready and then he won't be back until at least July)

I'm also starting to get a little worried because I KNOW if I don't do something I will prolly go until 41.5 42 weeks, which means a medical induction and I don't want that. which means I only have about a week and half to go on my own. So I'm starting to feel crunched for time.

So does anyone have any advice sympathy or support? I'm getting pretty stress out here I know it's silly I'm not even at my EDD but I'm still stressed anyway.

TIA

[kittywitty]

I have been in the same miserable place. I also have the pressure on me by family to have this baby NOW. I get like 3 harassments a day and they are coming up here this weekend. :

Are you drinking RRL tea or using EPO? I have been doing some research today, and it looks like you can also just rub the EPO on your cervix and that should be a little more effective than just inserting it.

Are you trying any relaxation techniques like visualization or hypnosis?

Also, try walking a lot, lots of sex, and my chiro suggested going bowling granny-style. It will help you have fun and relax and the exercise will help.

I am SO DONE. This is the longest I've ever been pregnant (and first time overdue!) and this has been by far the hardest physically and emotionally. I feel a bit hopeless right now.

[Quindin]

From a prodromal mama to another, I wanted to give you a HUGE HUG

I am 40 weeks + 1 day and have been having early labour signs since week 36 - for real!! The only difference is that they are now stronger and more often, so maybe there is a light in the end of the tunnel

You can make it mama! Hang in there!!

Oh, and if you are having a particularly bad evening, my SIL (who has been a midwife for over 25 years) tells her clients to take a warm bath and have a glass of wine.

HTH

[mama2rey]

I've been dealing with prodromal stuff for 3 weeks! It's terrible! What's been getting me through are chiro appointments, RRL tea, MDC and sleep. Please know you are not alone!

[cravenab00]

you're not alone. the last 4 mornings were met with cramping, regular contractions and lots of mucous. and nothing. not going anywhere.

i feel your pain, i really really do.

up until recently, i really didnt care when this baby came, but i'm already getting from relatives "are we gonna get to see that baby when we are there for xmas????" i have no clue, so leave me alone. :

38 +5 here.
1st was 36+1, 2nd was 37+3, 3rd was 38+3, and 4th was 41. So i really have no indication as to when this little one will come. What i do know, is #4 was all tangled in his cord that made if difficult for him to come down, so i wonder if this one will be earlier?

[crsta33]

I'm dealing with this too. I went to the chiro today and am hoping the adjustment on my hip will help baby get into a better position start labor, but right now I'm just still having my regular ctx that go no where and do nothing. The chiro (who is married to a midwife and has 6 homeborn children) said that I was having little cervical dilation b/c of the hip misalignment...I go back Friday if baby hasn't appeared for him to adjust again.

A cal/mag supplement might help and although I won't do it again, I took benadryl the other night so I could rest (baby protested my going to bed and was really difficult to deal with b/c I was so sleepy and cranky from the benadryl).

I wish I knew how to either stop the prodromal stuff or turn it into the "real" thing. *sigh* If anyone figures it out let me know. We start talking natural induction techniques Friday. : and my dh is totally not being understanding and the holiday are upon us and things are really stressful right now. I can understand why baby wants to stay in (though my life would be easier if he'd just come out)

Christa

[guest9921]

Prodromal labor here as well - though its infrequent which days it tends to haunt me.

I had a feeling, which was confirmed yesterday, that baby was posterior. My body is completely ready to birth this child, but his position is not optimal.
Today, I was going to go on a very long walk, but my toddler seems to have a bug of sorts.

I ended up switching my LO into a good position this afternoon by watching a movie on my hands and knees with my tot.

A friend found this site to help me out, http://www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm - and it has some advice on how to keep baby from being posterior, and how to change him from a posterior position.
When my LO turned (he turned back a few hours ago, while I was napping,) it took a lot of uncomfortable pressure off of my perineum - pressure that felt misguided and not productive.

Now that I know he can/will turn, I feel a lot better.

I recommend trying to turn your LO, it can't hurt to try - and it very well may help bring him/her down, and end that backlabor/prodromal labor.

Good luck, hth.

[lisarussell]

baby #2...........12 hrs before birth.............ctx 5 min apart off and on for almost 3 weeks........................I was told my cervix is very firm, not the slightest bit dilated or effaced, didn't have a single ctx during 2 hrs of efm @ the birth center. Went home discouraged and embarassed. Baby was born in the car after only 2 hrs of labor ( I didn't believe it was real labor because they told me earlier that day I wasn't even close) AND- it was my easiest delivery and fastest recovery. no rips and we DTD after only 16 days.

This baby is 17 days old and we're not breaking any records- I mostly UP'd but I had several wks of prodromal labor and a VERY firm high long cervix the morning before labor began. I didn't check again until ad hour or so before baby was born, but it was only like a 4 or 5 even then. Labor was still less than 2 hrs.

SO- my bit of support is the firm belief that prodromal labor = shorter real labor.

enjoy! And just because they can't measure what's going on doesn't mean progress isn't happening. Your body wouldn't do this for no reason, there are forces greater than you and the MW / DR at work here, and I know it's hard to wait, especially when you're being taunted unmercifully. Just know that when it finally DOES kick in, the outcome & sequence of events will be more perfect than anything you could have imagined.

[mama2rey]

LisaRussel-I hope you are right! I feel like there is no end in sight right now!

I also wanted to share an exercise my chiro gave me, as well as another thing that my doula told me.

The chiro exercise-if you have stairs, go up them 2 at a time with your legs spread really wide. It helps put the baby in a good position. Make sure you alternate legs though.

My doula also told me to sit on the toilet when I have contractions and put my leg on a coffee can-alternating each leg with each contraction. Knee lunges also help turn a posterior baby.

I've been doing this for the last 2 days. I can't say it's done anything, but at least I feel like I am doing something!