There isn't much action any more in my DDC- Jan so I'm going to post this here too in hopes of getting a response.

Since 4:30AM I have been having 1 minute long, intense contractions every 3-4 minutes. I only got 1 hour of sleep last night, today- with the help of some arnica- I was able to nap a little, maybe 2 hours.

Nothing is changing, same contractions, losing my mucus plug (I can't imagine there is much left) but, my water hasn't broken.

I don't think I can take another sleepless night, it was no fun.

Would you go in to have your water broken to get things moving? Or should I suck it up and let it happen whenever it's going to happen?

I'd try to hold out a bit longer. What about taking some caulophyllum?

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2002_Jan/ai_81138237/pg_3

I'd try to hold out a bit longer. What about taking some caulophyllum?

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2002_Jan/ai_81138237/pg_3

Thanks for the link, a couple of those would be a good fit.

NP, keep us updated, you're doing great! :love

It's really not uncommon for your water to stay intact until you're almost completely, or even completely, dilated so it not having broken doesn't mean you're not getting there. Hang in there!

Breaking your water will put you on a deadline. Do NOT do it. Cochrane research shows that it does NOT work.

You're doing great. Hang in there

My first labor was like this...hours of contractions lasting over a minute less than 5 minutes apart, but little dilation. It turned out that babe was malpositioned, so my body was working on repositioning him for delivery. It was a long labor, but trust that your body is doing what it needs to do. Try many different positions, keep yourself hydrated, keep eating small amounts to keep your strength up.

Hang in there!

It's really not uncommon for your water to stay intact until you're almost completely, or even completely, dilated so it not having broken doesn't mean you're not getting there. Hang in there!

I agree with this...my water was broken for me at 8cm with my dd and at complete with ds. You are doing great mama!

I know how long labors suck mama! Mine was 36 hours after my water broke. I have to agree w/ pp most hospitals will put you on a deadline if your water is broken and unless you are up to the fight (and I really mean that) once you hit their arbitrary limit, it probably isn't worth it.

I have one sister whose water never breaks till the babe is being born.

Breaking your water will put you on a deadline. Do NOT do it. Cochrane research shows that it does NOT work.


:yeah:

it increases the risk of infection for the baby (Since he's not in a secure bag)
makes cntrx more painful for you (since the bag isn't there as a cushion)
makes labor harder on the baby (since the bag isnt' there to cushion him - he gets suqeezed harder)
makes cord prolapse a risk - which necessitates an immediate c-section

MAYBE you could consider having membranes stripped - but do NOT consent to amniotomy (breaking BOW) Ever! Mine didn't break till I first started to push.

I agree with these mamas as someone very anxious to speed things along and had her water broken too early. Ended up given pitocin and making things hard on both me and ds. And if that was faster I'd hate to have seen how long it would have taken with out. It was like 34 hours. Did not have it broken with the next one, similiar labor and cut my time in half to 17. (yeah, I'm proud of that 17. LOL)

The other thing I would say is I had PTL at home for months but then when they did allow me to labor, I had sudden and irregular leaps in dilation, so my advice would be to have the dilation progress checked. It just made me feel better to know that even though it was going slow, I had gone from say 3 to 4.5 and then a big jump to 8 etc.

I was never able to tell at least in the first two phases of labor a difference in the productivity of the contractions. So I wouldn't assume that there's still no change till the dr. or midwife says so.

Get what rest you can mama and hopefully you'll be updating us soon that your little one is here.

Try walking!

Have a hot bath, if it's not real active labour it may calm things down so you can sleep. Sleep/rest might make things quicker in the long run. If it real labour it might kick things into gear.

My first labor was like this...hours of contractions lasting over a minute less than 5 minutes apart, but little dilation. It turned out that babe was malpositioned, so my body was working on repositioning him for delivery. It was a long labor, but trust that your body is doing what it needs to do. Try many different positions, keep yourself hydrated, keep eating small amounts to keep your strength up.

Hang in there!
:yeah:
If baby is malpositioned keeping the water intact will give baby more room to get in a better position.

This sounds a lot like my labor 3 weeks ago today! I woke up on the 26th with sharp contractions that were really regular. I'd only managed 2hrs of sleep the night before and wasn't able to get anymore sleep during the day. We ended up at the birth center in the wee hours of the 27th because of how strong and regular the contractions had gotten. I was convinced I'd be pushing a baby out in just a few hours. I'd lost my mucus plug. I was only 1cm dilated and the midwives gave me nubain to sleep. We stayed at the birth center and I managed to sleep about 3 hours though I contracted the whole time and woke to the peak of each contraction. In the morning, I could be stretched to 2cm, so they had me walking the stairs, doing lunges, and sitting on the birth ball. Nothing changed in an hour although I was still contracting. They sent me home with more medicine to help me sleep, but it did nothing and my water ended up breaking on its own. Unfortunately, my contractions spaced out at that point, so I ended up as a hospital birth with pitocin to augment the labor although I did avoid an epidural or any other interventions besides fetal monitoring. 8 hours after the pitocin was started, I had my baby boy.

For me, the problem seemed to be that the baby wasn't dropped low enough to be helping things along. He stayed relatively high until I started pushing. He was also posterior? so I had back labor the whole time...he only turned when he was coming out.

I'd say ride it out mama! You can do it!

I wouldn't break your water. contrax like this can last a while - get's your body ready!!! Like a 'warm up'... If baby isn't ready or aligned, breaking your water can cause baby to fall into an undesirable position, and reduces the comfort cushion. be excited and patient. take a bath. eat nutritious foods, honey, lots of water... put on some motivating/relaxing music. take a nap. enjoy the energy! keep us posted!