Is there really a correlation between pre-labour and actual labour length?

[little_lady]

As the title says really. Is there a genuine correlation between how long you are in 'false' or 'pre-labour' and how long you are in established labour? Does having a longer build-up really mean a shorter birth?

I'm keen to find out from other's experiences and also if there are any statistics on it. I've heard from some other people that having a lot of BH and also cramps and back ache in the weeks beforehand will make the real thing easier / shorter.... (which would be lovely!).

 

[Lunaty]

hmm no idea! I had my waters broken at 39 weeks due to Pre-eclampsia.. and the 2 weeks following up to that I had some very strong BH's every night and was massively uncomfortable..

when the midwife checked me a week before inducing i was already fully thinned and 3 cm
and they where under hte impression a sweep woudl d the trick, however it did not.

They brought me in and broke my waters a week before due date. Having him from waters breaking lasted 7,5 hours (he was back to back and kept turning with pushing which caused me to push for over 2 hours and eventually have him helped out via Ventouse..!)

Now im not sure if the pre-eclampsia hurried my body into labor or if it was the BH's etc. but 7.5 hours with these 'complications' is not bad for a first time IMO!

This time around ive not experianced the strong BH's I had with my son, I do get them frequently but not as uncomfortable/painful as then Im still hoping my next labor will be nice and quick though haha

 

[lynnikins]

for your first baby your body has alot of preparing to do so i dont think it has much of a link tbh i had false labor every night for 10 days then started in labour it took my body ages to do anything caus i was stressed and tense and my labour was 56 hours with 2 1/2 hours pushing.
on the other hand i had barely any BH with ds2 and had just started very early labour contractions when i went in to be induced ( didnt know till they put me on the monitor )and labour was under 8 hours from the induction start to birth.

each labour is different just like each pregnancy and child are different so id try to just focus on baby coming when they and your body are ready and relax make the most of the last few weeks of not having a baby to worry about all the time, get out in the sun, take long walks etc..... rather than thinking bout labour all the time