[RomanGoddess]

Yesterday I was having regular and very uncomfortable (although not outright painful) contractions all day. Started at every 8 minutes or so in the morning and by evening it was every 5 minutes. The midwife checked me in the evening and said that I was dilated 1 centimetre and that the baby had descended. She checked me again two hours later and I was dilated 2.5 centimetres. Then she checked an hour later and I was at 4 centimetres. What she couldn't understand though that the contractions still didn't really hurt. There were definitely more uncomfortable than BH contractions but more become of pressure on the rectum and legs than anything else (like my legs couldn't hold the weight of my body).

At that point I was tired and fell asleep. The midwife stayed over in the guestroom. When I woke up at 4AM the contractions had completely stopped and I was back down to 2 centimetres! What is with that????

I am at exactly 37 weeks so in no rush but I found it strange that everything just stopped and that the cervix decreased in size (although baby is now descended).

 

[lotus.blossom]

Wow, that must be so frustrating for you! At least you weren't in a lot of discomfort for no reason. Maybe the baby changed its mind!!

I hope that things pick back up for you for real soon. I'm sure you're very anxious now to meet your babe.

 

[jeliphish]

Welcome to my world

:

I have been having regular and stronger contractions on a daily basis...and everytime I think "here we go," they just stop. But I do think it has helped me dilate slowly and successfully thus far. I haven't had a decrease in cervix dilation as I have steadily made it to a 4, but you could have been at a 4 because of the contracting and pressure on your cervix at that point and then once they stopped, your cervix may have relaxed. (??)
I am thinking that you are going to continue to dilated like me with little complication. From everyone I have talked to on MDC as well as my OB, I have heard that this tends to make actual labor quick and smooth... GL! keep us updated...sorry I couldn't offer more solid advice on the situation.

 

[j_p_i]

Oh my, how frustrating! I know that sometimes labor and contractions start and stop, but is it common for dilation to go up and then back down?

Anyway, hopefully it happens for you soon! Good luck mama!

 

[russianthistle]

s, mama. It's the sleep.

If it makes you feel *any* better, this happened to me at 9 cm and after something like 35-36 hours of active labor, last time. I was soooo tired, I just needed to snooze. After that, I went from near full-dialation backward...enter hospital birth...

Maybe you're just not ready, quite yet! I was dialated to 4 well before labor even started!

And, because this is your second birth, it is unlikely that you will have the lengthy labor I speak of above.

 

[johannasonja]

i had that going on for a couple days, starting at 35 weeks and 6 days and my son was born 5 days later, my contractions got really strong and than stopped.
just make sure you eat right and sleep (if you can), on the 5th day i got some veggies and took a nap and in the night he was born after 45 minutes of labor.
i think it was due to a lack of good nutrition because the last week i didnt eat well, every time i did i would feel sick.

johannasonja

 

[2boyzmama]

DDC crashing with some optimism for you!! Something similar happened during my second pregnancy...prodomal labor for many many days, although I never had dilation checked, so I can't tell you if I dilated and regressed or not.

BUT...the light at the end of the tunnel is this...on a Friday night contractions started again at dinner. I ignored them thinking it was yet another false alarm. Around 10pm I was too uncomfortable to sleep, so I got in the bathtub. I thought the contractions stopped completely in the tub, and it wasn't deep enough to cover my tummy, so at midnight I got out of the tub. Suddenly ctx were every 2 minutes and INTENSE!!! I woke hubby up and at 2 something in the morning, only a little over two hours later, I had a baby boy!!! So labor was 6-8 hours long total, but I didn't know it was "real" until the last 2 hours. Made the days and days of start and stop contractions worth it to have a short labor! (my first labor was 44 hours!!!)

Hang in there mama!! Maybe baby wasn't quite in the right position and your body recognized that...trust your body, it knows what it's doing.

 

[Punchy Kaby]

I don't have any words of wisdom, but I can understand the frustration! Get people to make you laugh, it is supposed to help relax things down there. Good thing you got some rest, you may need it

 

[Asher]

Aw, I'm sorry!

I normally get lots of prodomal labor, but going from 4cm dilated and then back down has got to be extremely frustrating.

 

[scrappingmom]

*hugs* I know JUST how you feel! last pregnancy a few days before my EDD I was having awsome contractions i stared timeing around 5-6min apart range they worked over a few hours down to 2 min apart, back aching(i have a curve in my spine and get back labor) then suddenly ..it stopped... not slowly just one minute contracting and then not again. I gained and lost dilation thru it as well, i think THAT was teh worst part of it! i wond up being induced at 41wk 6days, cervadil got it going good though pitocin was started but hardly needed.

i'm into my 5th day of contractions now with no changes in the last 2 days

but not gone backwards!

 

[RomanGoddess]

s, mama. It's the sleep.

Yeah, I figured as much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrappingmom *hugs* I know JUST how you feel! last pregnancy a few days before my EDD I was having awsome contractions i stared timeing around 5-6min apart range they worked over a few hours down to 2 min apart, back aching(i have a curve in my spine and get back labor) then suddenly ..it stopped... not slowly just one minute contracting and then not again. I gained and lost dilation thru it as well, i think THAT was teh worst part of it! i wond up being induced at 41wk 6days, cervadil got it going good though pitocin was started but hardly needed.

Well, I hope that this does not happen to me. I would like labour to kick in again soon, without any help form pitocin or cervadil.