Please Share Your Labor Experiences... Posted: 05-01-04 18:59pm
I am 38 weeks pregnant and my doctor is
expecting me to go into labor a little
earlier than first thought. I have been
having braxton hicks for approx. 2 weeks
and my cervix is soft, but labor still
hasn't started yet. I have had some
contractions that have been very tight and
painful, yet they never turn into anything
mor than another false contraction. I had
my last child 14 years ago and was
induced, so I truly don't know what to
expect or how to tell if real labor
starts. I was hoping that those of you
who have had children and gone into labor
naturally could share your experiences.
How did you tell the difference between
real labor and false contractions ? How
many weeks did you have braxton hicks
before labor actually started ? Also did
you notice any kind of discharge before
labor started ? Thanks in advance for
anyones input, greatly appreciated.
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purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Posted: 05-03-04 16:51pm
Both my kids were full term no braxton
hicks with either. Son 9lb 1oz daughter
8lb 4oz both 22inches. I'm just under 5ft
tall.
My contractions started at 5mins apart
& my water broke at 5 minute intervals
for 50 minutes!! With her then to 3
minutes & then no birth after 3 hours
& 50 minutes.
Young master was a typical male did
nothing to help I had to do it all, no
contractions!! His head had crowned &
my water hadn't broken so the dr did that
& I pushed like hell & 21 minute
later he arrived. That was after about 12
hours of "tightenings" something i'd never
heard of - they can last a few seconds or
minutes be fine or have you hitting your
head onb a wall & screaming with pain
& it just feels like the baby is
trying to sort of push out through your
tummy (like stretching but it can be
hell!!).
I totally bypassed transition with both
kids!!
Good luck & expect the unexpected.
Oh, I saw my dr the day my daughter was
due & he said she hadn't turned wasn't
in position & he'd see me in a week
she arrived full pelt less than 20 hours
later.
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insurancegirl
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 5286
Posted: 05-04-04 03:59am
With mikey, I wanted him to come so bad,
so I could see his little face...3 wks b4
I was due I drank castro oil to try to
induce myself...Well, it didn't work. He
was 8 days late, and they had to induce
me. This began at 8pm on july 27, 1999,
they gave the patocine (how ever it is
spelled) then broke my water, and
everything went great until I got the
epidural (it completely stopped my
contractions) I went to sleep and woke up
with contractions again, I pushed for 3
hours, so they had to cut me (down
there)[caps]"ouch"[caps] (i wanted to kick
the dr so bad, and all he could do was say
he was sorry!)
. And out came my beautiful little boy,
july 28, 1999 8:01am. As soon as I saw
him I shed a tear of joy!
With zoe, she came 2 wks early, and boy
did the contractions hurt. I didn't know
how bad they could be, cuz with mikey I
had already had an epidural. I went to
the hospital early in the morning. Once
again, got an epidural, and the
contractions stopped. When they finally
came back, the doctor was about switch so
I was told she had to come between 530pm
and 6pm or I would have to wait for the
other doctor. She came at 5:57pm and the
doc had to run down the hall...I was told
to hold her between my legs...I was so
scared I was going to squoosh her! My
beautiful little angel, born august, 28
2000 5:57pm, not much pain, very easy
delivery.
With ghaleon, I went to the hospital on
january 15 at 3:00am with contractions, I
was sent home after being given 5 bags of
saline solution to stop the labor (no exam
of any kind) I went back into labor a few
hours later, but me and mike figured I
should just wait until my water
broke...That didn't happen. At about
3:00am, january 16 I went back to the
hospital, because when my contractions
were 10 min apart they hurt more than I
had ever felt, and as I was going toward
the bathroom I asked mike "why does this
hurt so bad?" and as soon as I sat
down...There was blood. We rushed to the
hospital and they kept telling me it was
okay. They told me I would have an
ultrasound done at 6am to see y I was
bleeding (i was 4 wks early). Well I told
the nurse I hadn't had an exam the night
before, so she did (internal) and I was 6
cm diolated. They were going to give me
patocine again, but he wasn't coming down
fast enough and was having problems, so at
8 cm diolated, I got a c-section. During
the c-section I had heart failure, and
developed pneuamonia. But my little guy
was okay, born january 16, 2002 at 8:49
am. I couldn't see him much, but he was
so adorable!
Jennifer
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SUSSYGIRL
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 May 2004 Posts: 33 Location: texas
Posted: 05-08-04 03:53am
When I was 36 weeks, I went into what I
thought was labor and after two hours of
steady contractions, my hubby (now ex) and
I traveled the 50 miles to the hospital.
I was 3 cm and no longer contracting when
we got there. I went 4 days over my due
date and was induced august 10,1999 at
6:00 am with pitocin. I kept thinking "
this is cake, these really don't hurt
heh,heh" yeah right!! The doc broke my
water at 10:00 and oh my god, ouch!!!!!
I got an epidural a few hours later b/c it
hurt so bad. Mason wouldn't drop so the
doc tied me to the bed (over my tummy)
with a sheet. He dropped within 30
minutes. The first epidural wasn't
administered correctly and quit working.
The doc gave me nobain and even though I
still felt the pain, I was buzzing like
crazy. Then the epidural man came back
and gave me the epi again. This time he
hooked the iv bag up right. ( make sure
that they hook up the bag b/c it doesn't
work right if they don't). So it is about
8:00 pm now and I am dialated half 6 and
half 10, don't ask me
I was told it would be about 4 more hours.
About 20 minutes later I felt like I had
to poop. The nurse checked me and
yeha!!!! 10. It was time to push. I
was lucky enough not to have an
episiotomy, but tore inside. My son
weighed 8lbs 140z, 21 inches long and a
9.5 apgar score. He was absolutely
beautiful with dimples and all. My mom
told me that I would forget the pain the
second I saw him. I didn't believe her,
but she was right. I forgot all of the
hours of pain ( 14 to be exact) when he
was put in my arms and began to nurse. I
fell in love and sang him happy birthday.
I wish you a quick, smooth labor and
delivery. If you need to talk, i'm here
five days a week..
Shane
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Crystal Chanda Leir
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 51 Location: Australia
Posted: 05-08-04 05:55am
Gosh I guess I can't anticipate anything
really. Everyone has completely different
labor experiences and complications. I
think I may have lost a part of the mucus
plug yesterday, i'm really not sure. It
kind of looked like a piece of clear
jelly. Has anyone else lost their mucus
plug before their labor started ? What
did it look like and how long after that
did labor start ? Because i'm still
having braxton hicks today but still no
strong labor pains.
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SUSSYGIRL
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 May 2004 Posts: 33 Location: texas
Posted: 05-08-04 06:33am
I never lost my mucus plug. I didn't
even have bloody show until I was dialated
to a 6. Have you gone to lamaze classes
yet? I encourage them. I really didn't
use what I learned when it got hairy, but
the information made the experience so
much easier to grasp. I believe that the
more educated you are about delivery, the
better you can cope and the less stress on
you and your baby. I
have to say that the wierdest part of the
whole thing was that, after mason was
born, I missed him being inside of me. I
cried at first because I felt empty, then
I just looked over at him lying there so
innocent in his little glass crib and
thanked god for him. You'll do fine.
Shane
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TheGoodGirl69
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 34 Location: New York
Posted: 05-20-04 10:06am
Well you dont have to lose your mucous
plug all at once. I started to lose mine
at 32 weeks, and like you, it looked like
clear jelly. Now im 37 and a half weeks
and i've been losing it little by little.
So...Gl!
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insurancegirl
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 5286
Posted: 05-20-04 22:56pm
I only saw my mucus plug with my 1st. It
was all in tact, with a tinge of blood in
it. Talk about gross!
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Schizophreniahealth
This page was last updated on June 11, 2008
I was told it would be about 4 more hours.
About 20 minutes later I felt like I had
to poop. The nurse checked me and
yeha!!!! 10. It was time to push. I
was lucky enough not to have an
episiotomy, but tore inside. My son
weighed 8lbs 140z, 21 inches long and a
9.5 apgar score. He was absolutely
beautiful with dimples and all. My mom
told me that I would forget the pain the
second I saw him. I didn't believe her,
but she was right. I forgot all of the
hours of pain ( 14 to be exact) when he
was put in my arms and began to nurse. I
fell in love and sang him happy birthday.
I wish you a quick, smooth labor and
delivery. If you need to talk, i'm here
five days a week..
I
have to say that the wierdest part of the
whole thing was that, after mason was
born, I missed him being inside of me. I
cried at first because I felt empty, then
I just looked over at him lying there so
innocent in his little glass crib and
thanked god for him. You'll do fine.
