For those who had pretty long and intense pre-labours...

[BabelFish]

... how long did your ACTUAL labour end up going for?

I have been in `pre-labour' for about four weeks now. I have had one false labour where I was in hospital overnight but my contractions just stopped, but now I am five days away from my due date and it's all happening.

I have contractions every single day, many of them, strong and mildly painful.

I have dull cramps in my lower abdomen, lower back and upper thighs.

The baby is fully engaged, anterior and perfectly positioned.

I haven't lost my plug but I know not everyone does.

I am expecting this bub some time in the next ten days even though he's `technically' due next Tuesday.

I have heard LOTS of people say that if you have strong, lengthy pre-labours you often have a reasonably quick, easy labour.

I didn't labour spontaneously with my DD so this is all new to me.

What have your experiences been?

[IndigoJ]

... how long did your ACTUAL labour end up going for?

I have been in `pre-labour' for about four weeks now. I have had one false labour where I was in hospital overnight but my contractions just stopped, but now I am five days away from my due date and it's all happening.

I have contractions every single day, many of them, strong and mildly painful.

I have dull cramps in my lower abdomen, lower back and upper thighs.

The baby is fully engaged, anterior and perfectly positioned.

I haven't lost my plug but I know not everyone does.

I am expecting this bub some time in the next ten days even though he's `technically' due next Tuesday.

I have heard LOTS of people say that if you have strong, lengthy pre-labours you often have a reasonably quick, easy labour.

I didn't labour spontaneously with my DD so this is all new to me.

What have your experiences been?

I had Irritable Uterus (as you know :laughing: )
My contractions were 5min apart for up to 12hrs a day for 8wks. They were registering off the charts (actual contractions, ouchie ouchie)

My labour started on Friday afternoon with 20min contractions, then at 8am Saturday the were 5min conntractions (same as my IU ones) 5min contractions lasted untill 930pm then they were every minute from then onwards. I had bub at 5am Sunday morning.

So from 20min contractions about 38hrs
from 5min contractions 22hrs
from 1min contractions 7.5hrs
2nd stage 3.5hrs

Bub was engaged and in perfect position after being diagnosed with IU at 33wks.
So the theory didnt work for me :) sorry

I wish you a quick, relaxed birth, you deserve it after you last one :)

[BabelFish]

Oh gawd you poor love!! The suspense would honestly have killed me if that happened!

Thanks for your kind words - I do hope this is a good one but we'll have to wait and see I guess. I feel much more knowledgeable and in control of what I want this time so hopefully that will help.

I haven't done a shred of reading though so hopefully that won't too badly affect my ability to do it drug-free. I feel like I could be a lot more prepared! I have a book here perhaps I should start it!!

[chickenandfrog]

I was only in pre labour for 7 days with regular contractions that were registering quiet high on the ctg machine, they kept telling me it was established labour, then after hours of 1min long contractions every 4 mins they would tell me to go home as i wasn't dialating at all, they were very strong painfull contractions, i was hitting the gas and all. But so called actual labour lasted 21 hours and was horrible. I hope everything goes smoothly for you, best of luck :-)

[growingbelly]

I had about 4 weeks of pre-labour with measurable contractions but no action downstairs :no: (I have a irritable uterus too, Got to love that :no:)

Anyway after 4 weeks of this and no real progress i was induced, my waters were broken and i was put on the drip.

Turns out I was 3 cm the morning i went in to be induced, I was fully closed but 'ripe'the day before when my Ob checked, but overnight I got to 3 cm. Anyway from having my waters broken and the drip put in it took me 16 hours to get there, had I gone into labout naturally I dont know if it would have been quicker or slower. Good luck, such an exciting (and scary) time :)

[cookie087]

I had about 5 wks of pre labour, bub was engaged from 32 weeks, lost my plug at 36 wks and was induced at 40+4 as he wasn't coming and it was getting dangerous for him to stay inside. He was my first and from re time I was first induced to the time i gave birth it was 6.5hrs.
HTH!

[QTB]

i had pre labour from 34 weeks with DS2 - he ended up going 9 days overdue.

from the time i realised it WASNT just pre labour (IE the pain got bad) it was 50 minutes! (after a 34hr labour 1st time around)

but from when the contractions started (and i thought it was pre labour as they were weak) it was 7hours

[Mrs Nietzsche]

22 hours (2nd labour)

10 hours (3rd induced labour)

weeks of prelabour with both

[Sugarplum2809]

I am in the same boat. First baby due tomorrow and been in pre-labour for a week. Went to the hospital on monday due to some strange pain that lasted all day and no contractions. Had a pain in my lower abdomen and a sharp stabbing pain on the left. They said that I was having braxton hicks. :confused:

Getting very impatient, want baby out. Got covered in some silly pregnancy rash - so itchy, was scratching in my sleep. :hair:

Still waiting. Do not think that I have lost my plug yet. If I do not go into labour by monday, they said that they will discuss an induction. So I am praying that the baby comes before monday.

Anyone know how to bring on labour?

[purplecat]

hmmm.. I am thinking maybe you shouldnt have asked this question... :flowerz:

go read yer book crazy lady

[1+1=5]

i was in pre-labor for about 2 weeks, it was so horrible :crying:, i feel your pain. my labor ended up being 25 hours long.

[bAaM]

my first 2 where LONG labours with no pre labour.

My last bub I was in pre-labour from 30 weeks, I also had seperated hips so was in agony, At 39 weeks i went in to my appt balling and she indused with the slow release tape. I was not engaged or ripe at all. The pre labour had done NOTHING.

Tape was in at 7am i had the same pre-labour pains till 3pm. was 1cm and ripe so they broke my waters and labour was 3 hours.

I honestly dont really think it matters though. Your body is different to all of ours, if bub is ready he/she could come quick but if you get it in your head that your going to have a long labour you will take longer to take up the offer of pain relief, I kept saying to myself I will labour for 5-6 hours then reasses pain relief but he came to quick to get anything lol.

[Starlet]

My first I had some niggles, waters broke during the night, no contractions, induction - 7 hours of labour.

My second, 10 days of prelabour, waters broke, contractions stopped, induction - 5 hours of labour.

My third, 4 weeks of prelabour, 6 hour labour - no intervention.

My fourth, head almost fully engaged by 33 weeks, LOTS of prelabour from then, real labour didn't start until 5 days overdue, 7 hours of labour including natural delivery of the placenta(no jab to hurry it up) - that alone was 40 minutes.