Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Prodromal Labor

So you're having contractions around your due date, but you haven't actually produced a baby! Sound familiar? I'll bet some of you are already dilated (and/or effaced), but confused as to why this baby isn't sitting on the outside of your tummy yet!

Prodromal labor can be very confusing! Heck, it's not easy to remember the spelling either!

Prodromal labor is also known as "false labor".  Most women will say, "There's nothing false about what I'm feeling!" - and they are right!

Prodromal labor isn't all in vain. These annoying contractions condition the uterus, and prepare the cervix for dilation and effacement. In fact, sometimes the cervix may even dilate and efface as a result. It’s all about your body preparing for the big day. Let’s talk about the differences between prodromal labor and the real thing.

1. Prodromal ‘labor’ may begin hours or days (and do I dare say weeks?) before active labor. (If you experience more than 4-6 contractions in an hour and you are not in your 36th week yet, consider the prospect of it actually being preterm labor).
2. They may feel like Braxton Hicks contractions but sometimes they can be much stronger.
3. Unlike true labor, where contractions usually become longer, stronger and closer together, prodromal contractions are irregular in duration, length and intensity.  I tend to see moms complain that there is a pattern in how close they are together but they don't usually get stronger and closer together. 
4. They may have a pattern and show up about the same time every day (or night).
5. They will stop after a few hours.. (Okay, maybe longer than that for some of you!)
6. They may or may not be affected by your activity. Sometimes a warm bath will make them go away, and on other days, it may run it’s usual course - leaving you to wonder if *if it's really it this time*!
7. Your cervix may begin to dilate, and efface and you may lose your mucous plug. Nothing false about that!

Many women head to the hospital only to find out after a few hours that it was 'false labor'. In other words, the contractions stopped. You may have dilated, or effaced but everything came to a screeching halt. Being sent home can be emotionally confusing. You are left to wonder how you will know when it *is* the real thing. You might be embarrassed to head back up to the hospital the next time, and then you wonder about giving birth on the side of the road! (For those of you birthing at home, the scenario might be different of course...but for sake of time and length, I'll let you fill in your own scenario blanks).

Most women figure it out. It may take more than one trip to the hospital (or call to the midwife), but don't worry.. eventually you'll end up in true labor that will produce a real baby. Most care providers are used to this type of labor, and would rather you be seen if you feel the need, then miss your birth all together. Typically in true labor, the contractions will become stronger, longer (in length), and closer together. With prodromal labor, you may not see the emotional sign posts of labor.  Contractions are there, but aren't getting longer, stronger and closer together, so you may not see the physical and emotional things that come with real labor. 

Can you make them go away? Can you stop the contraction by changing your position? Will they slow down with a warm bath or shower? What about if you eat or drink? Now with Braxton Hicks contractions, these things will usually make them go away. The problem with prodromal labor is that sometimes these things can make them go away, but there's a good chance they will keep coming for a little while.  Go about your regular business. If it's night try to sleep.  If they do happen to keep coming, pretend you are in early labor.  Rest, eat and stay hydrated.  Time will tell if this is the real deal or another false alarm.  Either way, you need to stay rested up for when labor hits in earnest. 

Why does it happen? Although I don't have an evidence based answer for this question, I will tell you what I've learned from personal observations. There might be an emotional reason (perhaps a fear the mother hasn't quite worked through). Sometimes it seems like the body tries to do it's job, but our heads get in the way and talk us out of it. (The mind is a powerful thing ya know!). Once the mother faces her fears, or the fear is resolved, she goes into labor. Perhaps the fear connection is coincidental. It may also be that our bodies are just revving up for the big day, and needs a few practice sessions first. I've got a feeling that more often than not, its caused by the baby's position. It's like the body needs to use those contractions to align the baby's head just right. A positioning tool! I'm not talking about a breech baby, I'm thinking more along the lines of a posterior baby, or an acynclitic head. Once your baby has moved into a decent position to put proper pressure on that cervix, off you'll go!

Here's a tip: Spend some time on your hands and knees. At the very least, try forward leaning positions while sitting or standing. If your baby is truly posterior, you may be able to let gravity turn that head the way it should be for an easier birth. If baby is already in a good anterior position, he'll just stay that way, so it won't hurt anything to try anyway.

Finally, relax - and let your body do its work. You may find your labor easier, and perhaps a bit faster if you were blessed with prodromal labor. Take advantage of these contractions and practice your relaxation, breathing or whatever you plan to use to cope with labor. 

57 comments:

  1. Never had prodromal labor but I've dealt with precipitous births! As nice as those sound, they aren't fun, either!

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  2. I found this very helpful. I had contractions several hours yesterday that never stopped and never helped to really move my body beyond 1 centimeter or 60% effaced. I did end up spending the night in the hospital. They hurt at times they went away at times they intensified. I guess I get to take this one as it comes and learn from it. Thanks for teaching me this it was interesting to learn. Hey I also did lose some of my plug due to the exams last night. So I am not due till April 14th but hey I am getting close!

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  3. Hi Amy,
    I know you will be 'term' soon, but you still have a month to go! Sorry you are experiencing the joys of prodromal labor, but it's probably a good thing they didn't kick into real labor yet. Your body is working perfectly - so hang in there :-)

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  4. It might be interesting to know that with some women who labor prodromally, "real" labor contractions resemble false ones in that they are not necessarily regular. (And conversely, some "false" labor contractions can be very regular and consistently long and strong and last much more than a few hours). This can add to the confusion of prodromal labor considerably.

    I have a blog on Prodromal Birth to help women not feel alone and make good choices when they find themselves in this pattern of labor. It is www.nmfrogblog.blogspot.com.

    Good to see a birth teacher acknowledge the existence of prodromal labor. Some "professionals" (including birth instructors) don't believe it is a valid experience.

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    1. I've gone through prodromal labor for the last 4 of my births! The last two boys had been posterior and significantly larger that my first three and didn't turn until the last minute. I am on all fours now, with passing of dark mucus plug with sharp contractions every 15-20-10 etc and they sure wake me. I'm exhausted. This obe measure a lb more as well so I am doing all I can to turn him while he feels like he is chiseling his way out. One more thing-last labor (4 days) because of his position i was timing more spaced but he nurse said they were every two minutes by the time I reached hospital. Also after pushinv so ling eithout him turning my cervix started to close to 9/8 around his head and Dr had to (oooow) lift and pull cervix ovr his head while I pushed. Most painf labor ever.

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  5. This has been very helpful! I've been in "early labor" for 2 weeks now. Contractions come and go--rarely regular, sometimes intense. But they have always gone away within an hour or two. I've been dilated, but not very much effaced, and passed my mucus plug 2 weeks ago.

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  6. I had this happen with all three of my births so far and it is good to put a name to the condition (besides "false" labor... that just sounds depressing).
    With the third birth I had so much prodromal labor that I still wasn't completely convinced I was in labor when I had my routine scheduled midwife appointment. She checked me and it turned out I was at a 6!!!- even though my contractions had paused (again). Don't worry-45 min later they picked back up again and I hit a seven shortly after that.

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  7. So glad I found this. I knew there had to be a name to what I've been experiencing. For the past week or so, about every other night, I've had long bouts of contractions every 3-15 minutes lasting about a minute each for anywhere from 5 hours to FIFTEEN hours. The first few times it was very frustrating when they finally came to a halt (generally between 4am-6am); now I'm just kind of ignoring it. These are not Braxton-Hicks -- usually they're pretty intense & painful and I have to pay attention do some conscious breathing to work through them.

    At this point, I think when I actually DO go into labor I'll just be in denial until the head starts popping out!

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  8. This happened to me yesterday! Started at 10 AM at the grocery store and lasted all dat until about 8 PM. I went to the doc around 4 and I was told that although I was having contractions they were not intense enough to cause me to dilate more. I have been sitting at about an inch dilation and 50% effaced for 3 weeks, so frustrating. Although the contractions did not "hurt" they were uncomfortable and very consistent. Craziness!!! and very annoying! Glad it hnas a better name than false labor, although the doc did not call them that thank god, I felt crazy enough. Glad to read that it is more than Braxton Hicks as I have had those since about 6 months or so. Also very cool that it may make my true labor easier!! I am all for that!!!

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  9. I had prodromal labor with my (posterior) first daughter from 35-39 weeks. I still never went into labor... I went to the hospital to be checked and was at 6cms, they kept me and broke my water the next day. I had my daughter that night.

    I'm 36 weeks pregnant with my second daughter. She's anterior, but I've still been having contractions for a week. I have semi regular contrax from 6-10pm every day. I have them when I'm on my feet. I just got back from the hospital tonight after having contractions every 4 minutes (sometimes longer, sometimes shorter) for 3 hours. And my contractions started at 1 today instead of 6. My cervix hadn't changed from almost a week ago (although I am at 2-3 cms, 50% effaced, -1 station), so my midwife sent me home. The nurse said I didn't have prodromal labor, but just an irritable uterus... But after reading about both, I definitely fit in the prodromal category! While i'm fine with my little girl staying in another month, I'm already quite sick of this prodromal stuff! Plus I live 2 hours from the hospital, so I'm nervous I'll have the baby on the side of the road. I thought my labor the first time was simply because she was posterior... This time my kiddo is anterior! So frustrating! Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone!

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  10. This post is a great description of what I've been dealing with for a couple weeks. Passing it along to my husband - he's getting frustrated at all the 'false alarms' ... we haven't gone to the hospital yet, but we've been ready to go a couple times.

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  11. Thank you so much for this information! Great article. And I love reading all the other mamas' comments too so I know I'm not alone. My first daughter was posterior and born at 38 weeks after 2 full weeks of prodromal labor. I've already been having more intense prodromal labor with #2 - ctx 4 mins apart and lasting 1 min each. I hope it helps my husband understand I can't help the "false alarms" calling him home from work! But I do hate laboring this much alone.

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  12. It is Easter Monday I am 38 weeks+2. Good Friday at 5:30pm I went straight into 1 min long contractions that were only 2 min apart. 7pm my midwife came a checked on me and I was 95% effaced and just starting to dilate (on the previous tuesday I had been 40% with lots of BraxHicks over the weekend). this regular contraction rate of 30 mild contractions an hour has lasted now for 3.5 days excepting slowing and allowing me a nights sleep each night. So nothing 'irregular' about it. So I am pleased, my body is working at very gently and slowly opening and when active labour comes I will be close if not fully dilated already. But we are also getting impatient knowing that when it does happen it will likely be quick to happen. Yay for home birth plan! I teach prenatal yoga and well educated in the science and nature of birth but didn't really expect this. Friday we thought it was 'time'!

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  13. I am currently preggers with number three and like normal dialated to a five with two weeks to go. I am really frustrated when trying to explain this situation to other people, they think I'm crazy or full of it. But with my last child I was at a 7 and finally asked to be induced, big mistake, no epidural and 40 minutes later my son was born, but he was horribly bruised and I bled out....I am currently trying to keep myself in a zen zone so I don't try to get induced again, but I'm feeling super Grouch today. I'm glad to know I'm not alone.

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  14. I'm expecting my 2nd daughter and she's posterior (yay!) and I've been having pretty bad contractions since Thursday night and it's Wednesday! They've been irregular, but at night they're bad enough to wake me several times throughout the night. I'm pretty much exhausted and so ready to have this baby. I'm only 2cm dilated and 37.5 weeks, so my midwife said this may go on for another week :(

    Considering the fact that I've had an irritable uterus and have been having Braxton Hicks since 16 weeks, I really wish this baby would just come already!

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  15. I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant and noticed that my contractions are coming at the same time every day. They're not strong, they only last about 30 seconds, and I only notice about four each day, but the last one I remember before going to bed last night was at 2:36 am and the last one I remember tonight was also at 2:36 am. The first one I notice when I wake up typically happens just an hour or two after I get out of bed. I'm pretty sure it's Braxton Hicks, but it does seem that since my contractions are fairly predictable, then if I pay closer attention to the contractions than I did in my previous pregnancies (this is my sixth), I might be able to get a little bit of an idea as to when I might go into labor. This article was very informative.

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  16. I had never heard of prodromal labor until one of my friends went through it. And then I never expected that I myself would experience it, especially since I didn't have any kind of labor signs with my first child until my water broke on its own. I'm currently 35 weeks pregnant and have been experiencing prodromal labor since about 30 weeks. Let me tell you, I am emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted! I will have contractions for nearly 7-8 hours out of the day, with them starting out mild and progressively getting more intense and closer together as time goes on. This happens almost every day and usually through the night. At one point, I did go into active labor, when I jumped from 1.5 cm to 3 cm in less than 8 hours. After spending nearly two days in the hospital, the progression stopped, and I was sent home.

    One of the most frustrating things is that people who haven't experienced prodromal labor treat you as though you're just being a child or exaggerating. But, let me tell you, what we prodromal laboring mommies go through is exhausting and is very very real. My contractions get so intense that I will feel the need to push and will remain doubled over, unable to breathe, and in tears from the pain. Though I know he would be pre-term, it's hard not to wish for him to just calm already. After having dealt with this for 5 weeks, the thought that I could possibly deal with this for another 5 weeks is beyond daunting. The doctors have even had to prescribe me ambien, just so that I can sleep through the night.

    It is very discouraging to constantly go into the hospital, thinking it's the real thing, and then get sent home. It's so hard to know when it really is the real thing. I'm not the only one exhausted by this. My husband too is beside himself. We've just resorted to making the decision that we will not go back to the hospital unless something obvious (like my water breaking or heavy bleeding) happens. Though I fear the possibility of having a baby at home, the constant upheavel is just too exhausting.

    Thank you for your post. I think it is good for more people to become aware of this.

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  17. For nearly five weeks (since I was 35 weeks) I've been 5 cm dilated. Last week at my appointment, I was 6 cm dilated. I've been 90-100% effaced this whole time. I've gone to the hospital twice. My husband took the first two weeks off to watch me. I feel like I don't even want to call my family or friends because they are all hoping I'm calling them to tell them I've had the baby.

    I have contractions almost every evening. I am to the point where I don't believe I'll ever really go into labor. Each time contractions seem stronger or more regular, I get my hopes up, and I am crushed.

    Thank you for this post. It was encouraging. I will be hoping my baby is in a good position soon! My due date is in just three days!

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  18. Thanks for posting this!I've had this pattern of labor for EVERY baby. Now I'm 32 weeks with baby no. 4. It is so frustrating, because often the last month of pregnancy is completely held hostage by this pattern. What makes it even more frustrating is that my Dr. just tells me they are braxton hicks contractions and not to worry. But they feel, and act VERY differently from Braxton Hicks! The one thing that makes it all bearable s that "true" labor goes quickly for me. 5 hours with my first, 4 with my second, and 3 hours total with my third. I am very nervous, since last time I almost had the baby in the car, things moved that fast, but we're ready for a quick labor, right nown to packed bags, arranged childcare, and the OB being warned. Doesn't mean the Dr. will act on that, but they know! lol! They just keep missing my births because they don't come to the hospital quickly enough! That being said, I know a nurse who is FANTASTIC at delivering babies! :D

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  19. Thanks for posting this!I've had this pattern of labor for EVERY baby. Now I'm 32 weeks with baby no. 4. It is so frustrating, because often the last month of pregnancy is completely held hostage by this pattern. What makes it even more frustrating is that my Dr. just tells me they are braxton hicks contractions and not to worry. But they feel, and act VERY differently from Braxton Hicks! The one thing that makes it all bearable s that "true" labor goes quickly for me. 5 hours with my first, 4 with my second, and 3 hours total with my third. I am very nervous, since last time I almost had the baby in the car, things moved that fast, but we're ready for a quick labor, right nown to packed bags, arranged childcare, and the OB being warned. Doesn't mean the Dr. will act on that, but they know! lol! They just keep missing my births because they don't come to the hospital quickly enough! That being said, I know a nurse who is FANTASTIC at delivering babies! :D

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  20. Im 39 weeks prego and im having my contractions or dont know if they real but I have one at 12:10 and stop like one to two mins and the another one at 12:20

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  21. Last night I had this... for 9 hours, radiating to my back and down my legs, at 8-12 minutes apart almost the whole time. For 2 hours it was absolutely consistent and I nearly called the midwife. These are not the normally occurring braxton hicks I've been getting since 20 weeks along. These are consistent and painful, resembling real labor (this will be my third). Today since they've stopped, I'm so exhausted I feel like I have the flu and my body aches... when I wiped up, the baby was engaged, but disengaged this morning. I'm 37 weeks and really hoping this doesn't happen again tonight!

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  22. I meant when I woke up, not wiped up...

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  23. This is very comforting to read. My DOULA informed me of this birth pattern and I was hoping I wouldn't have it. 32 weeks along, I've been contracting for about 20 hours!!!! :-( my mom is annoying the hell out of me making me feel like a baby for trying to do things that ease the pain. I had to finally distance myself and say I love you, but I make my own decisions. Thank you and stop touching me. Lol glad to know I'm not alone. Haven't slept much today at all. Hopefully they'll subside enough for me to get some rest. In the meantime screw the naysayers... Me and baby are gonna get through this as positively as we can! I'll keep the annoying folks away/at bay.

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  24. Well, it has been somewhat of a relief to discover I'm not alone and to put a name to what's been going on the last week or so. I'm full term, just had 24 hours of what I thought was long, drawn out early labor (after several other starts/stops this week of shorter duration) and was just feeling really mentally defeated. My doula and I just talked about prodromal labor and I found this post and comments...feeling a little better about the circumstances and in my search to just accept my circumstances and be assured that baby will be here soon in spite of the irregularity.

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  25. Im glad im not alone omg i went to the hospital and all labs were good but like most said mine were consistent and not the normal bh they started in my back and turned into contraxtions over a few days im 31 weeks .. People keep telling me ow its nothing u r over reacting they get worse .. As if we dk that they start like this tho this is the beginning stage most people dont pay enough attention to realize it! Until tgeir water breaks and they r full blown

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  26. I absolutely experienced this. It entirely on for a whole month before my third child was born, and two days before my second. I blogged about it here http://mumsaremade.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/waiting/

    Thanks for writing this informative post to reassure all those going through prodromal labour!

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  27. Btw- in labour with my third child I went from 5 cm to baby in arms in 15 mins! Somewhat surprising, but in a nice way. All the warming up really got my body ready:)

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  28. Thank u so much for this,, all of you. Ive been experiencing this for a week now and im 35 weeks along. I felt like I was crazy. I went to hospital tonight t8 find out im not dialated and my cervix only shortened a bit. Baby is settled nicely tho. So dr gave me some percocets and wants me back for ultrasound. This is my 3rd pregnancy. All different. Thanks for sharimg all your stories. Nice to know im not nutts and these contractions are real and do happen to others and can hurt bad.

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  29. I was aware of this but had no idea just how bad it could get. Exactly on my due date I started having contractions at 1am. These felt significantly different from earlier contractions - for one thing, they were painful. The pain intensified to the point where I could do nothing during a contraction except rock on my hands and knees, shaking and moaning. I showered, walked, squatted, rested, changed position, all multiple times. But still, contractions were anywhere from 5 minutes to 10 minutes apart. They lasted 1-2 minutes and the intensity remained high. After 30 hours of this I called the midwife begging for help. I ended up spending a few hours sleeping in the hospital with the help of iv fluids and morphine. By that point, I had been awake for almost 48 hours and was completely exhausted. I was 3cm dilated, had lost the mucus plug and had a lot of bloody show. I wish that I had had some warning of how truly intense these could be - I never found any resource (outside of comments on internet forums) that mentioned the potential duration and intensity of these early contractions.

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  30. I am 38 weeks pregnant and just went theought this. Was sent home ofrom the hospital last night even though I was contracting so hard I could barely walk but they were not dilating me. I'm exhausted frustrated and I just want to cry.

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  31. Honestly, I'm experiencing this right now and I was in no way prepared for it. No one told me this could happen. It's emotionally and physically draining. I'm 40 weeks and 2 days and I'm on maternity leave now with a clear schedule and all I do is wait. Intense contractions for hours and then . . .nothing. I'm losing my mind.

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  32. Im currently in the hospital for the second time because of this crud, and oh yes i did cry when they told me it wasnt going anywhere, every 2-3 minutes lasting 60-80 seconds each from 10a - 430p and now just nothing, im seriously ready to go lift weights and run a marathon!!!!

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  33. I referred to this article in 2013 to help me stay sane waiting for the birth of our first (he arrived within 3 weeks of Prodromal labor at 38wks!). Now I am 36 weeks pregnant with our second and I'm experiencing this AGAIN! So, here I sit, reading this article. Again. Prodromal labor sucks but I very much enjoy the reminder that it's not all in my head ;)

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  34. I'm going through all this for a week and tomorrow is my due date I don't think my contractions r gonna go any stronger or my waters going to rupture. This all is so annoying. I've literally tried every single thing been to hospital three time everytime I go they say I'm 4cm dilated no more progress. I feel like I'm pregnant for years😑

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  35. I'm going through all this for a week and tomorrow is my due date I don't think my contractions r gonna go any stronger or my waters going to rupture. This all is so annoying. I've literally tried every single thing been to hospital three time everytime I go they say I'm 4cm dilated no more progress. I feel like I'm pregnant for years😑

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  36. I've been having a lot of contractions for the past 2 days! I went to the hospital the nurse checked me over and I was dilated 1cm. They kept me in for an hour then sent me home. I see my doctor tomorrow so hopefully he will tell me more about what's going on and he'll check me again! Its so confusing! Lol

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  37. Strangely, before reading this post I have never heard about prodromal labour before. But this is what has been happening to me, and now I know what it is, I feel a lot calmer.
    I am now 41 + 4, have been having BH for months, and last week they have become more painful.
    However since yesterday I have been hit by excruciating contractions which were coming every 5 min for 12 hours! Each lasting around 2 minutes. We went to hospital firmly believing that we will be coming back home with a baby. I was checked and sent home as only 1 cm dilated and contractions are not strong enough.
    However the pain is killing me. After few hours breaks yesterday afternoon when I managed to grab some sleep, they came back with a vengeance - paracetamol, codein, warmth bath etc, nothing helps. The only way I can cope with it is to pace around the house slowly.
    It is almost 5 am and I still cannot seat or lie down and have contractions every 5-6 minutes now and every time it feels like like someone is trying to tear my uterus apart. I don't know how much longer I can cope with this... Called hospital they could not suggest anything else for pain relief.

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  38. Hopefully that was the real deal, Julia. I feel for you. Today was my due date and the midwife told me I'm 3 cm, 50% effaced. I went through this so called false labor 5 days ago. We were about to call my mom, babysitter, etc. And then after about 5 hours of what felt like contx. they suddenly stopped. It's confusing and a little embarrassing. This is my 4th, and nothing like this happened with the other babies. My husband is just confused. However, my mwife today said, my body IS working towards the goal and to be very prepared, it could now happen very quickly. Now if I can only sleep...

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  39. I am 37w4d pregnant with twins. I am a mom to 4 kids and this is my fifth pregnancy. After a long tiring day yesterday at hospital for NST, and appointment with my OB, the whole night I was feeling contractions
    which are not BH for sure. They were painful and lasted a very long time. I have never experienced this with my previous pregnancies, all being natural unmedicated deliveries. I was into tears yesterday as the pain was not leading anywhere, as I was hoping at least they will break my water. Finally in the morning I took a warm bath and breakfast which made me sleep for sometime. I am glad to know I did not grow weak with time rather the contractions meant to be painful.

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  42. This was so helpful. I just want to say thank you. I've been having contractions for 3 weeks (35.5 weeks now) for about 4 hours each day every three minutes for a minute...painful. My husband and I have believed that they are tied to baby's position. After reading this last night we tried ballroom dancing and I really got my hips into it. Then suddenly we felt her do a quarter turn and drop. Voila...contractions stopped. Baby still very active. Mama can sleep now, breathe better, and isn't in pain.

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  44. Oh good I'm not crazy. Been having contractions for 5 days now. Painful and have to breathe through them. Will last a few hours to 8 hours and be 7-10 min apart, but guess what got checked today and baby hasn't even dropped and cervix has NO signs of opening! So frustrating to be in this much pain and no results! I'm 38.5 weeks.

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  45. I'm 39 weeks baby lying breech and have been having contractions that have gotten stronger (but not more regular) for a full week. All my muscles ache like I've been doing a full work out every day! Getting very antsy as I just want baby out as Drs say I can't go past 40+12 due to breech position. Hurry up baby!

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  46. I'm 39 weeks baby lying breech and have been having contractions that have gotten stronger (but not more regular) for a full week. All my muscles ache like I've been doing a full work out every day! Getting very antsy as I just want baby out as Drs say I can't go past 40+12 due to breech position. Hurry up baby!

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  47. I am 2 days away from my due date and today I started contracting. They started around 4 pm. And went from 10 mins apart to 2 mins in 2 hours. I can home to have a bath and almost instantly they stopped. So I'm assuming false labor??

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  48. 39 weeks pregnant and I'm having "contractions" they are increasing in intensity but aren't lasting long
    What could this mean ?

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  49. I cried when I read that there are others that are going through the same thing. This is my third child. All three of my labors were the same. For weeks I dilate all the way up to 8 cm and then go in because I can't take it any more. Water never breaks and I'm in exhausting pain. I'm not the only one that lasts this way. Thank you for all who shared their own stories.

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  50. I'm so relieved to read this. Thank God I'm not alone. I have had this contractions since 36 weeks and had to manage it because the baby would be born pre mature. At 37 weeks I started exercising to help and speed up the labour as my doctor advised that since it's VBAC, it will be goo to deliver before 40 weeks. Today, I'm 39 weeks and still no strong contractions yet. I was in the hospital on Wednesday, doctor said my cervix is soft but closed, I slept in the hospital thinking by morning things might improve but nothing happened So I went home feeling embarrassed and frustrated. I wish I never stopped work, now everyone(colleagues and friends) are calling to hear the good news. well thank you for writing this article. I believe I will carry my little one very soon.

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  51. Thanks for sharing this. 4th pregnancy. Never had this. It's horrible. I've had I for a month now. Went in to labor and delivery twice. Good to know I'm not crazy or a wimp. 50% effaced and 2cm as of last week. All natural deliveries with first three. My third was "sunny side up" but I didn't experience this labor pains with here. I'm tired. I'm 37 with three others to care for. I just want this over with. Thanks for posting ladies.

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  52. This is exactly what happened to me last week. I am a laundry tech at a hospital at my town and the job involves a lot of walking and pushing carts of laundry all around the place. I have developed a good relationship with the awesome OB nurses. On Wednesday I was at work when I was having intense back pain that wrapped around to my front. It became so intense that by my lunch break I went straight to a occupational health nurse and was told to go into the OB unit. I was monitored there for a couple hours and called my fiancee after I was checked by one of the female OB nurses and was told I was dilated to 2cm and having contractions 4 to 6 minutes apart. After another hour of no progress I was sent home to monitor the situation at home. It all continued until Saturday when everything just stopped. My fiancee and I both lost two days of work for basically nothing. We both went back to our jobs Monday. I had my check up yesterday and my doctor checked me and I'm 100% effaced and according to him more like 1 to 2 cm dilated. I am 38 weeks along so he told me it could happen any time. I explained what happened those few days back and was told this can happen from time to time especially with the activity level my job requires. It is incredibly frustrating though because I am also group b strep positive and will need to be given an iv once labor does start.

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