feeling very discouraged

[desilou]

i'm 41 w + 1 today and last night (around 11) after days of increasing bh contractions i began to experience what i assumed to be "real" contractions - very strong tightening that wrapped around my lower back into my front and took my breath away - very different than what i've experienced previously. after dh timed them for about 1 hour they were running about 7 minutes apart and we decided to try to sleep. around 2:00 a.m. i woke up from the continued strong sensations and discovered actual bloody show. i've been losing plug and passing lots of mucus for a week or more but this was mixed with varying amounts of bright red, pink and brown. also, i had to do #2. so i went back to bed for awhile and continued to experience strong contractions.

around 5 i got up and started moving around and the contractions stayed the same. i called my parents and put them on alert before they left for work. as the morning went on i continued to experience strong contractions and dh and i proceeded to prep things at home for our impending hospital stay. also, we made the fatal mistake of notifying more family members. well, sometime after noon things just sort of fizzled. i am still experiencing a strong backache with intermittent contractions, but even after several walks things haven't picked back up. i'm also still passing pinky mucus/spotting. my doula feels that this is my body telling me to rest before a night of hard work and that i need to take advantage of this time. i just feel extremely foolish for getting excited and getting everyone else excited. i don't know if this is all part of one long labor or if i'm just going to be waiting again for something to happen. i was supposed to have a NST today but jumped the gun and cancelled it because i thought i was having a baby. i do have a mw appointment tomorrow so if nothing happens i'll just see her then.

anyone have advice or experience with this labor pattern?

[faerymom64]

I have already had one of these experiences, where my midwives came, got all set up an dthen the contractions just STOPPED. I felt like such a tool getting everyone out of bed at 4am for nothing and alerting all of our friends and family. It sucked.

Now, I'm having a similar experience, except I won't say anything to anyone until my water breaks. I'm 40+5 and have been having steady ctx's every 6-8 minutes for the past 7 hours, but the only pain is in my hips, not my abdomen, which makes me think that this is another 'practice' run.

I am so frustrated and impatient and aggravated. I feel your angst acutely. Hang in there with me. We really can't stay pregnant forever.

[desilou]

absolutely! this time next week we will probably have new babies and not give this stressful time a second thought!

i have had more ctrx this evening with a TON of bloody mucus. everything is very concentrated in the lower back and groin areas. my doula just emailed some instructions from spinning babies on exercises for me to try.

[yamilee21]

I had a similar pattern all last week that was not "real" labour, which is why when "real" labour started, I was still unsure. Even on Sunday, when I truly was in labour, I continued to stall periodically; my midwife came, stayed about 2 or 3 hours, left her equipment and returned again maybe 5 or 6 hours later. It's tough; what helped me until they became almost unbearable on Sunday was not focusing on the contractions too much, continuing to eat and drink properly, and doing my best to continue with my chores. I reorganized my entire kitchen and dining room, and finished almost all the laundry, working right through some very painful contractions until it was simply no longer possible. Just take care of yourself, and try to keep your mind on other things. Hey, I don't plan on allowing anyone in this DDC to break my record for gestation length, ; so try not to worry too much - it will be over for you soon.

[Spark]

Oh, goodness, please, don't feel foollish about telling everyone & getting so excited!

With my first I had 3 "false" alarms. With my 2nd even though I was more understanding of that exact labor pattern, I STILL had 2 "false" alarms. It wasn't until my 3rd babe, that I adopted the - "It's not labor unless I'm crowning" philosophy & managed to not have any "false" alarms with her. So far none with this babe either... but only because I haven't crowned yet!!!

Soon! It just means your babe will be coming soon (in the scheme of things!)

[Kidzaplenty]

I am hoping things picked up for you quickly. Don't worry about feeling foolish, though, that is just part of having a baby.

I have gotten to where I don't trust my cxs anymore. So I keep telling my family that if they hear the baby cry, then I have had the baby! If not, I am still waiting!

[catnap70]

Don't be discouraged mama--all signs indicate you are on your way. My mw actually told me to take a bath after I had been contracting for 4-6 hours and then expect things to peter out and THEN call her when they started up again. So, when I called I had to let her know I had already been in the bath and we were ready to go. I think it is your body telling you to get some rest 'cause you will need it!

[spirit4ever]

I think I'm in the same boat! I had dh stay home from work after a whole night of what i thought were real contractions, to go to the Dr's to find out NOTHING has happened! I have severe lower back pain that is quit intense and I thought that it was labour! Everyone got excited! I hope for all of us that it happens soon!!!