Contractions question..

[Fly]

hello mummy's...

can i just ask about contraction frequencies? i know its usual when you are in first stage to have erratic contractions...did you find that you'd be havin clusters of contractions around the same intervals n then not have one for a bit longer and the next one be really big? n then it all ease back down to a regular pattern again?
And even when you're a bit further along in labour do you still get random longer gaps in amongst the regular ones?
To illustrate what i mean this is my frequency since startin timing at 9am this morning...
4mins, 9 mins, 5 mins, 5 mins, 4 mins (this was painful n long this one), 10 mins, 9 mins, 8 mins....

 

[midwifemo]

hiya, it is probably very early labour. You may find they stop completely for a few hours and start again. They will be erratic for a bit as your womb is trying to co-ordinate itself. This may go on all day or until tommorow before you go into established labour.

The strength of each contraction will be different until albour is fully established

Relax and try to distract yourself, its gonna be a long day!!

Take care

Mo

 

[Fly]

thanks Mo my midwife said also that with second babies they quite often don't settle down into a regular pattern at all so am just chillin at home, have stopped timing them for the meanwhile and am gonna have a bath n read some magazines x x x

 

[midwifemo]

my guess is that baby will arrive tommorow. Do let us know how you get on

 

[Bee]

Mine were around every 4-5 mins right from the beginning with some every 6-7 minutes. They started at 10.30pm at night and he was born at 4.40am

Good luck! Keep timing them and call the hospital if in any doubt

 

[Sherlock]

That sounds like latent labour to me. That's not classed as first stage labour yet Need to be 3 cms dilated with contractions coming regularly usually about 3-4 minutes apart.

You may find this continues for a fair while. Generally once they start happening on a regular basis 5 minutes apart for an extended period and then gradually get closer together you can say labour is really getting going.

I never had random gaps once I was in established labour and my contractions started then about every 5 minutes apart and then built up to every 2-3 minutes apart and did this for half an hour was when I called my MW and she came out.

FWIW my latent labour lasted 2 days before I was classed as in first stage labour Like you my contractions came and went, had varying gaps and sometimes even stopped for an hour. Other times they got as close together as 3 minutes but only for one or two contractions at a time. Then I may not have had one for 7 minutes.

 

[Charlotte_faeriemad]

Hi Fly,

How exciting, you seem to have all the advice you need so just wanted to say good luck and let us know how you get on

 

[Fly]

Thanks ladies

Well am still sat here in latent labour have been told to have sex eeeeeeeeeeeek!!!! My cervix is still posteriour but the plug has all come away now - sat ere havin contractions again n i know they are all doing sommat but ohhhhhhhhh it hurts bein this pregnant! Still - its all character building

never in my life have i been so stressed bout the idea of having rudey cuddles with my gorgeous sexy lovely - fancy the arse off him but idea of him puttin his winky in my foofoo is already makin me eyes water midwife said "you won't enjoy it but thats not the point!" lmao!

 

[hennaly]

Good luck hun
Now go, go get bonking!!

 

[lea m]

never in my life have i been so stressed bout the idea of having rudey cuddles with my gorgeous sexy lovely - fancy the arse off him but idea of him puttin his winky in my foofoo is already makin me eyes water midwife said "you won't enjoy it but thats not the point!" lmao!

 

[Blackfairykitten]

I love that you call it winky and foofoo too! How's it going?

 

[Fly]

Tryin hard to think sexy thoughts but but but.. erm.. been havin some good strong contractions tonight - they definatley gettin more painful everyday - goin walking again tomorrows if i not crippled by bedroom antics tonight

 

[trixipaws]

i had irregular "contractions" (thats what i thought they were at first) when examined by the MW i was told my cervix wasnt dilated yet but however it was effaced- and the pains were "effacing pains"

they stopped for about 16 hours and when they started again they were the real mccoy! i was holding my baby less than 40 hours after the effacing pains

 

[Chrissy1]

I found during my latent bit that the longer I went between contractions the more intense and longer they were until I reached official labour when they just hurt !!!

 

[Fly]

Well all these bloomin contractions have been gettin little man's head fully engaged i found out today. I think I'm feelin it all alot more cos I have a dodgy disk in my back...i ave done the same one in twice and it's been spasming lots - so tightenings that wouldn't have necessarily hurt have been absolutely excrutiating in all honesty so i'm sat thinking "oh this is it i'm on me way" and its not at all - its my sodding bad back!!! me cervix is still posteriour and hard although she did say its starting to soften - am really happy to hear little man's head is fully engaged though and i've had that much show that i think i have definatley lost all my plug now so things will start happening soon...

 

[hennaly]

It will happen very soon