Dysfunctional Labor

[thechuzzle]

Dysfunctional labor is awful....... It started Saturday night with contractions at about 10 minutes apart, they were uncomforatable but bearable. So I just did my best to deal with them and sleep as much as possible. I called the midwife Sun morning just to let her know, and she came by and checked the baby, my blood pressure and cervix. I had gone from nothing to 2 cm and 70%, I was pumped as this was further than I had ever gotten with my first one. So we just continued Sunday like a normal day, with contraction all day. By that night I needed to sleep so I had some wine and went to bed. We decided Mon morning after there was no change that this was just prodromal labor, and we would try and kick it up into the real thing with blue/black cohosh every 15 minutes as my blood pressure was holding fine. So all day I kept at it, with no result really, so Mon night I went to go to bed and at 10:40 my labor changed. The contractions that were coming were much different, and they were painful. This combined with my new symptom of very loose bm made me think we were really headed into labor. So I sent dp to bed, and took a bath. That made no difference, and they were not changing no matter what I did, so I knew they were the real thing. So I just dealt until about 4:30 am when I had enough and calle dthe midwife and doula to let them know what was happening. By now they were 3-4 minutes apart and 30-45 seconds long and had stayed that way for over 2 hours. The midwife said she would be right over, and the doula would be on her way soon but she has a longer drive. So when the midwife got here my blood pressure looked great, the baby looked great, and my cervix looked the same. I almost lost it, it was the most discouraging news I had heard. Well after the doula arrived we assertained that the bay was posterior, and just not sitting well on the cervix, hence why I could have 8 hours of constant contractions and no progress. So we planned for me to see the acupuncturist and chiropractor that morning, take a long nap, and see where we got. Then the doula was going to bring me back a labor tincture that night. So off I went to all my appts, the doula got here at 8 and stayed through three doses of tincture, and sent me to bed. So here I am Wed morning, contratctions every 10 minutes, and horribly discouraged. I am pretty sure the bay has flipped and is no longer posterior as I do not feel the contractions in my back anymore, but they are not what I want them to be either. It is just fustrating, I want them to come or leave, not just make an appearance when they feel like it. Anyways thanks for listening to me whine, dp is no help when it comes to that, as she just makes it all worse asking every 5 minutes "when was your last one? Are they the same? Worse?" I am quite happy I sent her to work today, although everyone there is giving her crap for leaving me alone, I rather have it that way!

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

:::

Hoping these good labor vibes i am sending you either kick this thing into high gear for you, or bring it to a screaching HAULT. Either way, wanting you to be comfortable.

[Katielady]

Aw man! I hope things start to go more smoothly. You're doing so much to help, which is great. One other suggestion I have is to do a lot of positive visualization of a strong labor, good position, normal birth, etc. If you have a copy of spiritual midwifery, reading some of the positive birth stories in there could help. I feel like this phrase "dysfunctional labor" is so harsh, and could get stuck in your head, you know? It could really help to focus on what you want to have happen, which is a regular, progressing labor (or whatever words make you feel good.)

Good luck mama! You can do it! You're doing great.

[cjarvis]

I am sorry you are going through this. Go check out www.spinningbabies.com and click on the techniques link. I bet one of those techniques will help speed up your labor.

[e123vg]

just because these contraction don't "feel" doesn't mean they aren't doing anything. keep your head up. i've been having contractions for the last two months and although it sucks, i feel like i'm almost to my goal. so good luck and i'm sure your baby will be here soon

[ambotchka]

I'm sorry you're going through all of this! It looks like several of us are. Rest assured that SOME day, we'll have empty uteri (is that the right plural for uterus??) and arms full of baby.

At least you know your uterus is working hard. With the baby turned, it can't be long now. I have no idea which way mine is, except that he's head-down.

[thechuzzle]

Wow who thought I could do a whole night of this again. But now add the fact that I have a grape sized hemorrohid to it and bad diaper rash from all the stomach acid and that just = miserable. If I weren't having a VBAC I probably would have said screw it and gone to LD and had them hook me up to the pitocin. But I really want my birth and that means hanging out till it is time to go and having my wonderful midwife deliver me. I hope the rest of you are doing better than me. I feel hugely discouraged today.

[Katielady]

Originally Posted by thechuzzle

Wow who thought I could do a whole night of this again. But now add the fact that I have a grape sized hemorrohid to it and bad diaper rash from all the stomach acid and that just = miserable. If I weren't having a VBAC I probably would have said screw it and gone to LD and had them hook me up to the pitocin. But I really want my birth and that means hanging out till it is time to go and having my wonderful midwife deliver me. I hope the rest of you are doing better than me. I feel hugely discouraged today.

That sounds really sucky. I'm so sorry it's been so miserable! Do you have herbs for a sitz bath?

Hang in there mama. Got any good movies to watch to distract you?

[coyotemist]

I hope it kicks into gear soon! Get as much rest as you can.