# Irregular contractions through labour?



## MummyMagic

Just popping over from 3rd Tri, but I was just wondering if anyone has gone through labour with irregular contractions?

I went into hospital 2 weeks ago with AF type pains etc and they told me I was 2-3cm dilated and fully effaced. Since then I have had several nights of extreme contractions (I've had BH but this is much worse and I'm having to breathe through them etc), but they stop most mornings. I am worried that these pains are actually doing something, but won't be taken seriously by any midwives because they're not regular. 

I've got GBS so need to get into hospital for antibiotics and worried I won't have enough time once I actually get in (if the midwives will let me go in! :wacko:)

Thanks everyone xx


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## aliss

I went through this (GBP+ too). TBH my waters leaked for 2 days so I was induced. I did not end up with a C section (although if you are looking for honesty, my labour lasted 4 days - 26 hours active labour). 

I'm in Canada, not the UK (I suspect you are b/c you say "in hospital" and not "in the hospital" :haha:), procedures might be different there. Induction is pretty quick/common in North America.


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## crzygrl1624

i never had regular contractions i would get 3 at 5 min apart then they would go back to 10 min apart but they never stopped completely and this went on for 24 hours. i kept ringing the hospital coz i was in a lot of pain but they just brushed me off with take paracetamol and have a warm bath. they took me seriously when i was on the phone to them and i all of a sudden needed to push i ended up having my daughter at home with an emergancy midwife. my advice would be listen to your body and if you think its time then insist on going in to be checked they cant turn you away.


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## Mitsuko

My contractions were all over the place until the very end. I had to be given ocytocyn at 8 cm because it was slowing down labour...


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## moomin_troll

in early labour my contractions were all over the place and for me this lasted 13 days on and off and only got to 2cm dilated, it was very frustrating and the mws never took me seriously.

on day 13 they poped my waters and straight away the contractions became regular as clock work.

good luck, hope baby doesnt keep u waiting too long


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## twinklestar

with all of labours my contractions were never ever regular, my fist 2 children no one took me seriously untill my waters broke, with my 3rd and 4th they listened as i kept the traces from the births of the others which showed there was no regular pattern at all , all the way to delivery, id contract randomly and had short and long ones

x


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## lisa9999

Sounds like you are going through what I went through, my contractions were all over the place. I was told it was typical back to back labour.

I also kept ringing to go in but they wouldnt let me, they said that until they are 5 minutes apart you are no more than 3/4 cm dilated

I was 3/4 cm dilated on the Friday, and still the same on Sun, despite irregular contractions all the time.

TBH you'll struggle to get them to admit you, I know I did, unless you are well overdue, or there is a medical reason.


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## kitabird

Mine were very irregular going from every 2 mins at some times to every 10 mins at others. They started on the tuesday night then went away the wednesday morning, came back that evening and were getting pretty strong so we went to the hospital in the early hours of thursday morning where they found I was 4cm dilated. Friday morning I was only 5cm so I finally agreed to let them break my waters and 5 hours later baby arrived. So for me the irregular contractions were a sign that labour was progressing very slowly, but at the times when contractions had been very close together it was a bit scary thinking he could be almost here! If you're worried at any time or if the pain gets too much just ring the hospital and insist that you're coming in to be looked at.


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## LankyDoodle

Yeh, I was in latent labour for over 50 hours before my active labour of 24 hours began. My contractions were coupled throughout the active part of my labour and were not regular - I'd have 1 every minute or so and then wait 5 minutes for the next set sometimes (until 3/4 way through when they were coming every minute or so regularly), and it was horrendous, but she was born normally and without trauma to me or her, so it ended OK. :)


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## Snugglepup

I had irregular contractions for the Wed-Fri prelabour ones, which were muc stronger than the braxtons I'd had for a couple of months, and the real labour contractions were also irregular but followed the same pattern the prelabour ones did, every other contraction leading straight into another, they said it was because my daughter had turned slightly back to back. Nobody believed I was in labour either because they were so irregular, though had they bothered to hook me up to one of those printout machines that record contractions they would have seen a definite pattern! They tried to send me home from the hospital saying I wasn't in labour, I even heard one nurse tell another I was "faking it". 

Thank goodness I dug my heels in when they tried to send me home, they finally deigned to examine me internally and found I was 7cm dilated, just after they had told me to "go home, take 2 paracetamol and have a hot bath". I think you will know if this is it, trust your own instincts and insist on being checked if you believe in your heart that the time has come.


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## Celesse

I had night time contractions *from 36+weeks until 40weeks*.......and didn't go into proper labour until* 42weeks. *


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## Rydia

Mine were irregualar throughout my (short) labour and I nearly didnt make it to the hospital in time b/c the midwives on the phone kept talking me out of going. You just have to go with your judgement/instincts on this and if you feel like you need to go in then go even if they arent coming regualarly--the worst that will happen is you are sent home again.


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## curlykate

My contractions started around 9 at night, and got worse around midnight. At 3 in the morning, I decided it was time to go in. They weren't regular, but they were coming closer to 3 minutes apart! We're in the next town over from the hospital, and I was worried we were going to leave it too late, so we went in figuring we'd get sent home.
They kept me until 9 in the morning, when the Dr came in, they decided to break my water because I was 3cm. If we hadn't been in the next town and had to travel, they would have sent me home.
My contractions stayed irregular, so they had to give me oxytocin to get things moving more regularly. I delivered Devin that night at 6:11.


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## MrsGlitz

I had irregular contractions on and off for 2.5 weeks before being induced at T+4. My active labour was 6.5 hours before they decided on a section due to failure to progress.


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## Heidi

My contractions were irregular. When they started they were every 5-10 minutes and then nothing for half hour or so this went on for two days and even when i had my waters broken the contraction were every 2-3 minutes and then would go 7 minutes or so. Lo was back to back so i was still in allot of pain in-between and ended up with a c-section due to fail to progress past 5cm.


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## kermie219

I had contractions that were 10-20 minutes apart starting SUnday morning....Reagan wasn't born till Wednesday! They told me there was no way I was in labour but hooked me up anyway and they were registering and then sent me home:) On wed morning though I woke up to full on labour 4-5 minutes apart and within an hour were 3 minutes apart, for the next 18 hours! Found out baby was back to back, she wasn't born till 10pm and woke up at 4am.....long bloody day!


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## biro

It is 5 days to my due date and I am in the same situation. Having irregular contractions during night for the last 2 days. Did any of you have spotting during this period of irregular contractions? Is it something to worry?


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## Mrs Doddy

My waters broke on the sat morning and the contractions were in my back and irregular for two days they were going to induce me (early baby/ waters broken- risk of infection ect) when they examined me on the Monday morning I was 4 cm and I wasn't induced but did have to go on the drip as it wasn't happening quickly as they wanted


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## punk_pig

My contractions were very irregular but never totally stopped. They sometimes went to three mins apart but by the time I reached hospital they slowed back down to 10 mins apart. 1st time examined (about 14hrs in to contractions) 1cm dilated - go home. 2nd time examined (about 36hrs in) 5cm dilated but no delivery suits available and because my contractions slowed down again they wouldn't let me go in to the delivery suite when it did become free, so no gas and air for me despite it officially being active labour as I was 5cm :growlmad:!! 
Stayed in a very uncomfortable side room for another 24hrs with contractions at 8mins apart then suddenly slowing down to 20mins apart - still 5cm (but almost 100% effaced) so "go home".
At home contractions ranged from 8 mins to 20 mins for the next 5 hours. then suddenly I fall asleep (for the first time since it all started) and when I wake I check the clock and it has been 45mins since last contraction, only then I have absolutely massive contraction with a ring of fire sensation in my cervix and pressure in my bum. I call the hospital but contractions 45min apart not taken seriously:dohh:! 
Over the next two hours they become more frequent but are still all over the place but much stronger and all with a pushing sensation in my bum. I call hospital again and they say I can come in if I want but I sound like Im "coping fine". I decide I know my body and in the 20 mins it takes to repack my bag etc. they go from all over the place but averaging 8mins apart to 3mins apart and very strong. when I reached hospital (3mins away in taxi) I was 9cm dilated and finally given gas and air!!
However in delivery suit they break my waters and my contractions ebb away again ARRGGGGHHHH. Midwife gives me a saline drip in case I'm dehydrated and this kick starts them full force. LO born about 20 mins later!!

I'd say if you have a complication then be pushy and go with your instincts and not with what the hospital say based on listening to you "cope very well" over the phone.


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## charlotteb24

My contractions with both boys never came into a regular pattern particually, hence why with both i nearly didnt make it to the hospital, was 8cm dialated on arrival with DS1 and 9cm with DS2! and with DS2 even when i was ready to give birth my contractions were around 3 mins apart which is unusual! So if you feel you need to go in insist on the phone that you do even if its just to be checked over x


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## Quackquack99

I had 10 hours of irregular contractions and then my waters broke but they never regulated. On the monitor they a contraction lasted for 8 mins then I had a 5 min break, it was all over the place. Midwife said she didn't think they would have regulated so it is possible


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## Babushka99

I had irregular contractions for 36 hours, I think it means your in for the long haul :(


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