What would you do?

mtm0109

Hey ladies!

Sorry this may be kind of long... just wondering your thoughts on this situation. Or what you would do.

I have been having contractions since wednesday night.. very random but contractions.. they have been in my back consistently and then on the front right hand side of my body as well.
Last night at work (9pm on..).. the frontal contractions subsided but the back labor continued.. consistent but not excrutiating but getting stronger as the day continues on. Had doctors appt today she said we have two options.. I can send you up to L&D right now and get you started or you can go home and try to let active labor kick in. (per doctor I'm almost at 3cm dilated, 70% effaced with a "very favorable and soft cervix".. have been for 3 weeks. LO is head down and engaged.. so we are on the right track.) I decided to go home and see what happens.

Doctor said if you get too uncomfortable or you just cant take it anymore.. come back in and we will get things started for you... now here is where I dont know if I should just wait it out and see what LO decides... it could be 1 hour it could be 7 days. I cant really sleep.. I have taken baths, used the heating pad, walked, laid on my side and my back, stood, tried yoga to try and relieve the pain but its not working (which is fine) but at what point would you say.. enough is enough I need to go in? How long would you wait?

Anyone have experience with back labor and it turning into active labor.. water breaking? more dilation?

Thanks in advance!

fyrefairie

FTM so no experience but I think I would wait it out...at least through tomorrow. it's only been a day and I wouldn't risk a Pitocin birth yet.

mtm0109

Thanks! Definitely going to wait it out until tomorrow .. but then should I keep waiting.. try to push it as far as possible.. at what point do I say... I cant take it anymore..

namara5532

What I would personally do is try to track the contractions.  If they got within 3 or 4 minutes apart and lasted 45-60 seconds, I would go ahead in.  However, if I hadn't progressed, I would ask to go home rather than let them try to induce.  I'm going to be trying for as natural a birth as possible though.

Sascha3

I have been having contractions since Monday.  Have a feeling my doctor may offer the same thing tomorrow and I don't know what I am going to say.  I will probably tell him I want to wait out the weekend but if I am still having them Monday I may change my mind.

star173

mtm0109:

Thanks! Definitely going to wait it out until tomorrow .. but then should I keep waiting.. try to push it as far as possible.. at what point do I say... I cant take it anymore..

walk, have sex, use a breast pump if you have one, eat spicy foods, climb stairs- I would do everything you could to encourage natural labor before getting pitocin...pitocin contractions suck, and if you are having back labor, try getting on all fours- the baby might be posterior.

Good luck! Oh, and if you get to the point where you can't take it- go on in...just have them start pitocin on the lowest setting and be sure to have them turn it down/off once your body takes over.

fyrefairie

only you knoe hoe much you can take...you'll know when you cannot stand it.  That said try to keep yourself distracted, relaxed etc while you wait it out. I'd proly wait through the whole weekend but I really don't want an induction

mtm0109

To keep my mind occupied I came into work tonight. Gives me something to do and keeps my mind busy for the time being.. been doing the stairs and walking. Im nervous because so many people say negative things about pitocin and being a FTM I do not know what to expect. I hear the good, the bad and the ugly. I obviously dont know how my situation will end up. Nerve racking...

eorashan

FTM here, so no experience, but if it were me, I would really try to focus on relaxing. You sound pretty stressed (totally understandable) and stress can cause labor to slow down or stop altogether. Maybe see if you can get a pre-natal massage or some acupuncture? The relaxation would be a huge benefit and they might be able to hit some pressure points to encourage labor progress. I personally really love guided meditation for relaxation as well, so you could consider that. 

See how you feel each day. If you feel like you are handling it well, stay home and let things progress naturally. You will know when you just can't take it anymore. You don't have to decide where that point is ahead of time.

Good luck and keep us posted!!! 

theladyjess

I'm a FTM too.  I absolutely do not want to be induced unless medically necessary.  I'm planning a natural birth and once you start w/ interventions or augmentations it's a slippery slope that can end in a c/s. 

I agree w/ pps.  Walk, do stairs, have sex, use nipple stim, whatever you can think of to bring on labor naturally.  You could also ask your dr to strip/sweep your membranes which will kick start labor for some women.

Just my 2 cents.  I hope your LO either turns and gets off your back or you deliver soon.

Huahine

I'd wait, for all the other reasons the Previous posters sited.  

I've also been having painful contractions since Tuesday, but I just keep holding onto this quote from a friend:  "any work your body is doing now is work it doesn't have to do later."

regarding the back pain, do you have a foot stool or exercise ball you can lean over?  If you can spend a few minutes at a time on your knees gravity may help baby rotate, which will get him off your spine and line him up for an easier delivery.

I've also been finding that when the pain is concentrated in the front, sitting on my exercise ball with my feet and knees spread is the most comfortable position for me.

Mrs.MauiBride24

I'd also wait.  I think you'll know when you "can't take it anymore."  Hang in there and I hope baby decides to come sooner than later!

JWSchwarz

It doesn't seem like you could go to work like this, and so your maternity leave time might start ticking away. I want all my time to be with the baby, so I would be tempted to get a little extra help! Not sure if this applies to your situation though.