I'm still here - how can I move on from latent stage? UPDATED

I remember walking around the park with my tens strapped on trying to get everything moving faster!

I cleaned all my floors and cupboards on all fours in the middle of the night when in early labour. I thought at least i'm in a good position for baby and it kept my mind off it! I remember Stevie Wonder was on an early morning rerun of the Jonathan Ross Friday night show......

Distraction is key. Force yourself to cook, clean, rest (if you can though staying still made me feel worse), walk round the park several times, pop to the local shops.....

oh Spam sorry to hear this

No idea what you can do but sending plenty of 'baby out' vibes your way

x

updated on first page

HI Spam

Sorry to hear you are still a bit in limbo. I've not got any advice really as with my labour with my DD everything happened thick and fast, infact it was scarily quick once it got going! In the nicest possible way I hope you don't make your midwife appt this afternoon - really hope things move on a bit for you and that you get to meet Spamlet soon.

I'm heading back upstairs to try and go back to sleep now but looking foward to reading your BA - hold on to the fact that it will all be worth it in the end.

Love Bee x

Replied on the other board.  I was in tears when I phoned the labour ward and when I explained that I was getting tired already before being in proper labour and I was afraid of needing intervention in 2nd stage like last time (forceps) i convinced them to take me in so I could have pain relief for sleep purposes.  Being my 2nd baby I had more confidence to tell them what  I needed.  As it happpens when in labour my contractions were  8 mins apart rather than the 2-3mins that they assume to mean you are in labour.

HTH

Thanks Leela, I may well do this. I've been trying to avoid asking for drugs as I really want to go in the home from home birth centre with a pool, and if you have pethadine or an epidural, you can't do that. However, I am not going to be a martyr, so will see how the day goes

Sorry you're still in limbo Spam.

Hope things kick off a bit more for you soon.

Come on Spamlet, get a shift on!

Oh Spam, how rotten for you. i was really hoping to read your BA this morning.

We were at a soft play thingy yesterday that had a bouncy castle and a trampoline. I did think how good that'd be for hurrying baby along. I know Extremely Late Pregnancy is an odd time to be taking up trampolining, but needs must, and all that ;)

Spam, I can sympathise.  With Charlotte I started in latent labour on the Tuesday afternoon.  My contractions would ramp up overnight, then disappear by morning.  I remember posting on here on the thursday morning, utterly fed up that things had still not progressed.  Luckily for me, I'd managed to sleep from about 4am each day (usually with the TENS on permanent Boost - oops), so I had got some sleep.  C was born on the Thursday night.

I hope the midwife can help.

x

This was my labour. I started contractions at 1am Wednesday, and couldn't take it anymore by Thursday night, and was admitted b/c of exhaustion. I had contractions every 5 minutes though (give or take a few), never as far apart as 10, but never close enough to count. I just had a VERY slow "latent" stage (I hate that term). It took me forever to get to 3cm. But think positively, you might be dilating and getting ready, just not in a normal pattern of close-together contractions, and you may have a really quick active stage! GL!

Oh Spam, that sucks! I hope things progress for you today and you get to meet your baby very soon.

Spam, please give them another call if you're getting really tired, this is exactly the same as what happened to me. I had contractions for 4 days before they let me come in because I would get them every 3-4 mins and then they would fade off to 1 in 10 mins. I got so frustrated, I was tired, I hadnt slept in 5 days and I felt I wasnt going to be able to carry on like that without progressing.

They let me go in (MLBU) after my 3rd phone call - I found out it was protocol to allow you in after that - and when they examined me I was 5cm dilated. They really couldnt believe it because I hadnt fit in with textbook guidelines and agreed to keep me in as I was then in full labour. It gave me the boost I needed to keep going knowing that something was happening.

It drives me mad thinking that people cant go in until they fit certain criteria when you know your body and if you need help. It had taken me 3 times of calling and sobbing down the phone that I couldnt cope anymore for them to agree (with the intention of sending me right back home again). I wanted a natural birth with gas and air as the last resort, I went in with the intention of having anything that could have speeded up my contractions or at least let me sleep.

i was so hoping to get up this morning and see you BA! Hope things get moving soon. As for 'you can't come in until contractions are 2-3 mins apart'... they are hardly going to stop you if you TOLD them you were going in! Maybe they can give you something so you can sleep then when you wake up you can go for your water birth. The pain relief of the water is phenomenal BTW - when I was on dry land it was awful - i coudn't have coped - but in the pool I was fine. I have faith that you can have the birth you want. Sending you big hugs and baby out vibes

I think you're doing really well hun. I reckon because your body is getting a lot of time to build up the endorphins (your bodys natural pain relief) you may get your drug free water birth. Just try to stay calm and relaxed and keep moving about. The baths might slow things down so perhaps shower if you find water soothing. I hope your midwife examines you at your appointment later and finds that you're dilating nicely. You will be meeting your baby very soon. Hope it goes well

You are doing really well lovely, I agree with everyone else keep hassling the hospital sending lots of baby out vibes and big hugs

x