Not Knowing is the Hardest Part-Updated
I feel like this is a stupid question...How do you know when you are really in labor?
I spent most of yesterday convinced I was in the early stages of labor. I had many of the symptoms of early labor as opposed to "false" labor. In fact, I felt so bad, I didn't feel like reading blogs.
I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE READING BLOGS.
After 7 hours of irregular contractions, they finally stopped. I still feel very crampy, but the waves of contractions, back ache, and abdominal hardening stopped.
(I was finally able to get my Google Reader to "no new posts.")
Tate and I were freaking because we weren't quite sure what we were going to do with Peanut when we needed to go to the hospital. Tate's parents are set to come and stay with us in about 2 weeks. I couldn't really decide if I was truly in early labor or if it was just a false alarm, so I didn't want his parents to drive 11 hours just to have the contractions stop.
Not knowing if I was actually in labor was the hardest part. Since I was induced last time, I have no experience with spontaneously going into labor. Not knowing if my in-laws should come was incredibly stressful.
I have a doctor's appointment this morning. Maybe she'll tell me I'm 9 cm dilated and it's time to be admitted! Or maybe she'll say that I'm going to just have suffer through the cramping until labor starts. Maybe I'll post an update later, maybe I won't.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
**Don't forget to participate in my name the baby contest! Click on the button to your right! You may not have much time left to participate. Don't miss out on the fun!!!
Update: I'm not in labor. Fingertip dilated. Bladder infection (explains the cramping and possibly the contractions). Induction scheduled for May 11.
Thank you all for your kind words and advice. Your comments have really helped.
I'll probably not do much commenting at all your blogs today, I'm grumpy and fear my comments may come across that way. Hopefully I'll be back to my jolly self tomorrow.
Thank you all again.
Labels:
Huh?
31 People are even more brilliant:
Oh, I wish I had great advice for you. Labor was very different for my two kids so I can't say that it's always the same for a woman.
One thing that really helped me was to do something different and see if the contractions change. That is, if you're sitting, try standing. If you're lying down, try walking. See if the contractions change. That always helped. Sorry to hear blogging doesn't seem to help. I would have thought that would be a good distraction.
Stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause braxton-hicks.
Try not to carry Peanut too much (again, easier said that done, I know!!); overexertion isn't good either.
Wish I could offer you more advice. I know it's impossible, but stressing out about it probably doesn't help at all.
Take care. Will be hoping you hang on until your in-laws arrive to take care of Peanut!! (sorry to use up so much space!)
I have no advice for you. I had to be induced for both of mine. I always wondered....
"Will I know when I am in labor?"
"Will I know when I am having a contraction?"
"Will this baby ever come?"
Shauna gave great advice! Hoping that you make it until your inlaws get there! Well, hoping you make it as long as you can and are comfortable!
Shauna's right, labor is different every time, and all of her advice sounds right on.
The only thing I wanted to add is that when I was pregnant with my first daughter I had no braxton hicks at all, no idea what they even felt like, but with my second I had them a lot, especially towards the end.
I realize this doesn't answer your questions at all, but I think it's normal to have more braxton hicks with your second preganacy.
Good luck, I wish there was more I could do for you.
As I understand it, fake labor tends to have irregular (even if frequent or CLOSE to regular, like 5 min, 7 min, 5 min, 9 min) contractions that don't get closer together. Also, if you do something different (like getting up and walking around if you've been sitting), the contractions might stop or slow down.
Real labor tends to have regular contractions that get closer together (how can they be both? I know, I think they're just screwing with us too, but I guess it's like 7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6, like that). If you walk around, they should stay just as strong and regular.
This from someone who was up all night once in the last pregnancy, excited and charting contractions, and then went to the hospital in the morning, and was not in labor.
The OB said if I felt a lot of contractions, drink a big glass of water and lie down on my left side.
If you think you're in real labor, call the OB, and they'll check you at the hospital. Some women are there practically every day for a few weeks, so they don't think it's a big deal. Then if they confirm labor, THEN go home (uh, unless they make you stay, in which case the 11 hours might not be enough advance warning) and call the in-laws.
I was lucky with my first pregnancy: my water broke. That's the best "knowing for sure you're in labor" sign, in my opinion. No way anyone can think you're kidding yourself.
Shauna and Swistle gave you some great advice!
I'm no expert! I had tons of BH with my 2nd from 14 weeks on and ended up in L + D for false alarms 3 times.
Don't hesitate to call your OB if you're really questioning it. They won't tell you to come in if they don't think you should.
Not long now! Hugs!
I was induced...I have no clue either.
I'm certainly no expert, but about a week ago I thought I was in labor. I drank close to half a gallon of water that evening and took it easy, and the contractions stopped. It was just strong braxton-hicks contractions brought on by being too tired and dehydrated.
But since my first was a scheduled c-section, I have no idea how to tell once I really am in labor.
I'll 2nd what Shauna & Swistle said. Subsequent pregnancies have a LOT more braxton hicks and false labor contractions at the end.
I could type out my whole labor story with the Spare but I won't. Bottom line, I wasn't sure either. Had a day of irregular contractions that were still there in the morning (first sign b/c it was unusual) They got stronger and closer together, regular...no matter what I did. Walking made them closer & stronger and I figured "this is it".
you know you can count on me as an emergency babysitter for you if it goes down that way and your IL's can get here in time.
Let me know what the doc says today!
Little Miss Priss Who Tries Not To Swear says "Oh Shit! You DIDN'T WANT TO READ BLOGS!"
I'm not so sure you are beginning labor but you definitely experienced temporary insanity. I've decided that we're too much alike (after reading your blog for all of 3 weeks now, I consider myself an expert.) If I don't feel like reading blogs, then I have probably experienced an aneurism or a psychotic break with reality or my electricity is off.
I was induced at 5 days past due date with Stinkerbell and 7 days before due date with Lucky. I did lose my mucous plug with Stinkerbell and was having early back labor (read: paralyzing back ache.) But I couldn't tell you what it's like to GO INTO LABOR AND ALL.
I was one of those pregnant gals who wanted to know the day I'd deliver ahead of time. Probability and due date and waiting are crapola.
"Doc, schedule my inducing. Have my epidural tray READY when I arrive. Break my water 1 hour after my epidural. And don't give me any shit about it!"
Now, about me being Little Miss Priss Who Tried Not To Swear... Stinkerbell has been shaming me about my use of "tv words". ::looking ashamed::
I'll be thinking about you. I hope you do well. Rest. Be lazy. Sleep as much as possible. Consider giving Peanut some benadryl.
kidding.
not really.
Eat some good stuff.
Pack your bags (unlike ME, who waited till the night before I was induced to pack a THING!)
Get a little nookie. It'll be a while till you get some again.
Shave your legs. It'll be a while before you CARE about that again.
Pack your chap-stick and hard candy and favorite socks.
Get some more nookie. Just because you can and that it might help get things rolling.
Rest rest rest rest REST!
Let us know! I'm all excited about Little Miss Pickles coming to meet us! We could have an arranged marriage between her and Lucky! OOOOOOHHHH! Isn't that horribly funny?
I'm no help. It's really been too long ago.
Can't wait to hear what the Dr. says!
I have no experience with pregnancy a second time around but with mine I woke up that morning fine and regular contractions every 20 mins for 12 hours. I just kept walking and working till they were about 12 min apart then left work to go get hubby.
Hope the inlaws make it!! If not don't hesitate to give me a call either, I may be the closest to you!
I had 2 c-sections so I can't help you...but I am sending prayers that things don't happen till help arrives!
Hugs
Aldara
Regular contractions. Bloody show. Water breaking. You can have one or all of these symptoms.
Has your doctor told you how dilated and effaced you are?
Shauna's comment about the contractions continuing even if you change your position is very true. My doctor told me that one.
Go get some rest. It sounds like you need it. We will all be ok, we're big girls.
I wasn't induced with either of mine so I can tell you what they felt like for me. Like Shauna said, they were different for both so you never know. With my 1st, it felt like those poop cramps you get when you are on vacation trying not to go in a public restroom. I mostly felt them in my lower back and butt. I thought I was constipated but I was on the phone with a parent from my classroom and she told me I should probably go to the hospital. She was right.
With my 2nd- you know how it feels when you are taking a nice walk and then all of a sudden a BIG MACK TRUCK comes by and runs over you every couple of minutes? Labor can be very similar to that.
Good luck and keep us all updated!
Thanks for the update.
Keep drinking that water! It'll help with the bladder infection, and stave off unnecessary contractions. Try to get some rest, too. Take care!
May 11, huh? Hang in there!
Oh, I'm sorry! I had 2 c sections so I'm not much help. With my 1st one though, I lost my mucus plug right before the contractions started and had "Bloody Show" which made my bedroom look like a crime scene as I cruised into stage 2 labor before my idiot doctor realized the baby was breach.
Hang in there!
I have never given birth to anything. One time I sneezed and coughed at the same time though- that's been the greatest feat my body has done thus far. I do hope that you feel better though! :)
Thinking of you here In the Trenches! I have no advice (3 c-sections; and my water broke with Eldest) but lots of good wishes! Hang in there.
I found the whole am I in labor thing to be so frustrating! It was never anything at all like the pregnancy books said it would be. I agree with everyone who said drink lots of water, and try to rest up. You are getting so close, and you know you need all your energy for the delivery and those first few days with a newborn. You're getting so close!!!
Glad to know you haven't had that ten pounder yet! They just don't seem to come when YOU are ready!
The last few weeks are the worst. Hopefully your water will break while you are on the pot then you'll know for sure that it's time. This happened to me with my second baby.
I'm a c-section girl, but my advice for a second-time mom would be, "MILK IT, GIRL!!!!" Right now you can at least get people to do a little someting for YOU--take full advantage of it. How about a pedicure, so the piggies look great in the stirrups?
Hope your feeling better today!
I went in to be induced - and they said I was already in early stages of labour. I just felt like I was having Braxton Hicks but they said they couldn't induce me while I was having mild contractions as it would make them too intense, so I had to sit at the hospital all day to see if they got stronger or went altogether. That was 8am. At 6pm suddenly they hurt - boy did they hurt - and then I knew it was the real thing! I remember saying to my hubby "ok I need some pain relief now" and he said "no you don't just breathe through it" to which I turned the air blue with my reply. So I definitely knew when the time had come!
Glad to hear they figured out what was causing the cramping. I agree with the advice to "milk it" ... take care of yourself! I'll be thiking of you.
I had Braxton-Hicks contractions for the last 3 months of my pregnancy and I asked people all the time "How will I know when this is for real?" And they all gave me the same stupid, useless answer "You'll know. It will be different." Gee. Thanks.
Now that I've been through it and people say to me "How will I know when I'm really in labor?" I say "You'll know." Still stupid and useless advice but it's true.
Ugh!! I had a bladder infection w/ Squidge right at the end too and it sucked big time.
My second went from false labour to LABOUR!!!! in about an hour.
So beware of EVIL UTERUS! (or would that be Uterii?)
Good luck. You will know-I was induced with my first (idiot doctors) and I very much knew when the real contractions hit. It's weird-it's like automatically knowing what pot smells like. You just do.
Uhmmm... how may I ask do you know you are a "finger tip dialated?"
You and I are in the same boat-if I am still preg by May 11 they will induce. I have been doing jumping jacks every night and praying for labor to come--or even better, I have been hoping that labor will come while I sleep and will not even wake up for most of it and then I have a baby. No such luck? Oh well...
Thanks for visiting my blog-I have been to yours before (probably through Sub. Obliv. as well)
Wanna race to the L&D?
With Tanner's birth, I went to the hospital at this point ... I didn't know if it was real or false labor, I just said - If I was not pregnant and I was hurting like this, I'd go to the hospital ... so we went and I was 3 cm dilated. Maybe it just depends on one's pain threshold ... I always thought of mine as - um - not good. Now if I had the Peanut issue to also consider, I don't know what I would do ... maybe have a neighbor on call to help in an emergency? Wish I was closer and could help you out ... Ashley
Post a Comment