so how...

[CalebsMama05]

...would I go about keeping labor going next time it gets started? I am not sure why it keeps stalling out...one time it just STOPPED. when she popped up out of my pelvis...the 2nd time the contractions just spaced out and got weaker...and the third time they gradually spaced out and then came back very painful and close but not lasting very long (30-45 seconds) and then just spaced out gradually.

I am tired. I am irritated. I am READY to have this girlie...and I don't understand why this is going on...with my other two I must have won the pregnancy lottery...my worst gripe with my oldest was the horrible back pain from 20wks+ and the worst with my younger ds was that it was summer and I swelled up a bit. I never contracted until labor (I did have slightly uncomfy bh's with ds2 though) and never had bad/painful contractions until the DAY I had them.

I have no problem with waiting to have her...she should come when she is ready...but I just don't want to have any more painful contractions that should lead to a baby that just ruins my mood and makes me crabby and tired. any ideas?

[kathywiehl]

That is so hard to deal with. Honestly I think if it's not real labor it will stop no matter what you do but maybe nipple stimulation or pressure points might help if you are just on the edge.

The great thing is that no matter what happens, those contractions are doing some of the work and every day that goes by is a one day less of being pregnant and one day closer to meeting your baby.

[CalebsMama05]

I tried that but I'm so squicky about ds2 nursing...I just can't stand it. my nipples are VERY sore. I am going to nurse him a couple of times when I get home and maybe dtd with dh. I am not sure...I'm not very happy with dh right now :

[chaoticzenmom]

My midwife told me that 3rd babies are notorious for causing false labor. I went into false labor several times with my third. What I think helped was to meditate. I told the baby that it was ok to come, that I was ready. I told myself that it would be ok and that I could handle 3 children. It was more mental than physical for me. You'll likely go in the middle of the night when the children are asleep. I'd start labor and then one of my children would come into my room and I'd stop. One night, I got them in bed, went to my room and meditated, then the contractions started like normal. With each contraction, I told myself that it would be ok. Then, around midnight....Wow! I jumped out of bed with a really painful contraction and that's when I knew that it wouldn't stop. Three hours later, there was a baby in my arms.

Oh, also I kept busy during the day, but took naps whenever I could because I knew that labor would start at night because that's when false labor always started. One day, I woke up from a nap at around 4:30 having a hot flash, shaking and nauseous. I called my midwife and she said that I had just had a hormone surge and that labor would probably start soon. She was right, it was that night.

Good luck
Lisa

[CalebsMama05]

mine actually seems to be the opposite...it always stops once they are in bed : due no doubt to the fact that I'd hate to have to wake them up in the middle of the night.

[smokeylo]

Maybe it's a positional thing? Can you get to the chiro, or do some spinning babies stuff to see if the babe is just sitting in there funny and needs some wiggle room? Maybe head to the pool and float? Just don't wear yourself out trying to get it going, ok? Save your energy if you can!

[ksera05]

going off of Lisa's post - I told DS it was ok for him to come if he wanted to on Tuesday night. He was born very early Thursday morning

[AlpineMama]

With DS I told him "hey, I hit 37 weeks, you're good to go now." I was sort of kidding because I had had no contractions or anything with him at that point. My water broke a half hour later and he was born about six hours after that, after about four hours of real "labor" including an hour and a half of pushing. (He got stuck.) So uhh... I'm a believer.

[SumnerRain]

I just wanted to give a mini update, I just got out of IMs with Jami and she wanted me to thank all you. She and I agreed you guys are probably right that it is a fear thing, I think she's afraid of healing and caring for her two other LOs and a NB without family/partner support. She is going to go take a hot bath, meditate, release some of her fears and make some affirmations that she CAN do this.

Anyways, again, she says thanks and hopefully soon she will have updates about the birth of her daughter!

[trizzle]

I talked to my midwife today about DH's illness, and when I mentioned my random, start and stop contractions and being a little (ok, a lot) weary of it (don't want baby to come before he/she is ready, but don't feel like I really need to "practice" labor quite so much pleasethankyou) she said something really helpful: She told me to think of it as "money in the bank for labor,"---that much less that my body will have to do to move the baby to the right place, further down, any of that stuff. She said that they aren't for nothing, and that they ARE paving the way for this baby's arrival. made me feel better anyway.

[Justmee]

Just wanted to say I am having the same thing. Starting & stopping, ready to have baby. With my twins the water broke (PROM, they were 35 weeks), with Rivka I had no contractions and they just got stronger and stronger and she was born 10 hours later.

[flapjack]

Agreeing with both trizzle and Lisa49 here. Skye did this, and it was so, so hard. I literally spent a month dipping in and out of labour land. The birth itself was fantastic though.
You might try pulsatilla, but to be honest that's better at hastening the stall, if this is what's meant to happen. It'll get you out of limbo faster.

[Gunter]

so many good points made by people already that not sure i have much to add.

letting go of fears and worry as labor begins

if things stall once labor has started/picked up, then pulsatilla and black-blue cohosh tinctures can be helpful.

but being as open and ready to the baby coming as you can be would be the best first step. then, the tinctures will be working with you instead of forcing something that you may be resisting.

and, BTW, i have had to overcome my own fears of being a mom to two with this pregnancy. at 36 weeks, i am only beginning to embrace it as approachable vs. completely overwhelming and insane.

[CalebsMama05]

LOL parenting two isn't that hard...when things get unmanageable (in stores) I can usually grab one up under each arm...with three though...that's when I am REALLY outnumbered!

[Gunter]

Originally Posted by CalebsMama05

LOL parenting two isn't that hard...when things get unmanageable (in stores) I can usually grab one up under each arm...with three though...that's when I am REALLY outnumbered!

thanks for the encouragement! you are right!

[CalebsMama05]

it was even easier when Jake was still loving the sling.