False Labour, or just a slow start?

[happygrl]

This is so frustrating.

I'd been having fairly regular contractions at around 10 mins apart since 4am, however since around 1.30pm they've slowed right down to around 20 mins, but they have increased in intensity.

I've also had a bloody show (TMI). My midwife suggested panadeine and a heat pack to see if this stops it (which would happen in false labour), but if anything the contractions are more intense with the heat pack. They are also more intense if I am lying down.

Does this sound like I'll be going into established labour soon, or should I grit my teeth and settle in for the long haul?

Any ideas on how to get this party moving along would be appreciated, I don't think I can keep this up for days .

Thanks

[deany]

sex can get it going as can,raspberry leaf tea walking nipple stimulation (how far along are you?) it does sounds like early labour because of the bloody show so i know it may be annoying (having to wait for labour to establish) but it sounds like you will meet your baby this week! Congratulations best of luck with your labour =) is this your first bub?!

[happygrl]

Thanks deany,

I'm 39 weeks today

The raspberry leaf tea, walking & nipple stimulation I can do.

I'll need to speak to DH about the sex LOL.

This is my first, so I'm hoping that this doesn't go on for too long. I just want to meet my little guy.

[BazzasMum]

Mine was stop and start for a few days. Really painful and annoying - turns out bub was turning from ROA through posterior to LOA, the right position for birth. But once it got going, there was no stopping it. Maybe get down on hands and knees, see if bub is in the right place to get your labour going properly.

I tried all of the above too, and the only thing that worked was correct positioning. Good luck, and hope it doesn't drag out too long for you.

[AM]

Try not to think of it as false labour, if you are having a bloody show it usually means your cervix is opening up, so something very constructive is definitely happening, it is all getting you closer to meeting your bub.

As no-one can really predict for you whether or not things will hot up, or this will be a slow prelude to full blown labour, possibly the best thing to do is simply try to make yourself as well rested, fed and watered as possible so you have oodles of energy if and when labour does really come knocking.

Take care, at 39 weeks this *could* certainly be the beginning of labour, but try to just go with the flow, it certainly could all die down again for days or even weeeks, but you will probably be a bit dilated from this preliminary work, less to do later on!!

Take care.

[happygrl]

Thanks guys,

Malaysian curry for dinner, raspberry leaf tea and a nice long walk around the park seems to have sped things up a bit.

I hope I can keep up the momentum and my next post is about my little boy

[AM]

Ooohhh exciting!!