Very Slow Labour

[flakeypaul]

Hi all,

My wife was due to give birth last sunday and has been having very mild irregular contractions since last tuesday. On thursday night they got a lot stronger (although still far apart / irregular / varying in strength) and on friday morning we went into the hospital for a stretch and sweep which has made the contractions much stronger but still fairly irregular.

The hospital have told us not to go in until the contractions are 3-4 minutes apart but with our first child they never got to be 3-4 minutes apart until they ruptured the membrane (we went in that time as a second streth and sweep revealed her cervix to be 5cm dilated and the hospital advised us to come in). It wasn't until her waters were broken that the contractions kicked in heavily and regularly.

We've tried to explain this to them but they don't seem interested. I do get the impression that they don't want us in as it's the weekend and they are short-staffed (they have practically told us this!)

We've not really had much sleep for 5 days now and I don't want her to go into full labour exhausted like she did last time (she was falling asleep between contractions) - anybody been through something similar? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

[Tuscanless Ali]

The contractions sound more like Braxton Hicks.

Give your wife an orgasm, that should start it off.

[Lois]

Best thing to do is keep moving. Go for a walk, bounce on a gym ball, walk sideways up and down stairs etc. Fresh pinapple contains the hormone that makes the contractions so that's always worth a go too! Sex is probably going to be too uncomfortable but both orgasms and seamen can move things along a little.
Other things to try and relax her, a long soak in a warm deap bath and regular paracetamol. I've know situations like this that go on for days and then all of a sudden they stop.
Did the midwife tell you what her cervix was like at the sweep?

[jessica]

All of the above.. curry, bumpy ride in the car etc. to be fair i have had five children and they come when they are ready... dont do the caster oil thing though. i never did, it sounds gross, it works coz it is poison.........