Prodromal labor? What should I do?

motherwise · 01-19-2006, 12:48 PM

Okay, I have a client EDD 1/28/06, second baby-at her OB yesterday morning, she was 4cm 80% effaced and -3 station (second baby though). She took castor oil last night (I think total it was approxamately 2-2.5 oz total over a few hours) and was taking black cohosh, but I don't know the dosage. She lost her mucous plug and had a little bloody show last night. today she has been up since 3:30, went walking and trying to get things going. She has been having contractions but not in a very regular pattern. With her daughter, she didn't feel strong contractions or have a regular pattern untill about 9-10 cms. She doesn't want to wait too long to go in to the hospital because of her prefvious experience (whe went into her regular OB appt and was already 6cm and hadn't felt a lot of pain) but I don't know what to tell her given her hx. What do you think? Should she get checked?

tlcdoula · 01-19-2006, 12:57 PM

Honestly I would tell her to just enjoy these last few days or weeks of pregnancy and let her body do what it ineeds to when it needs to do it. Her body and baby will know when it is time.

motherwise · 01-19-2006, 01:07 PM

the problem is that right now she is feeling the same way as when she was already 6cm with her previous baby, which is basically strong, cx 1-2 minutes apart for 10-20 minutes and then 30 min. break and so on. If she is 6cm like she thinks, and she is a multip...well I just haven't seen anyone labor like her before and I don't know if all the 'rules' really apply.

loveslabor · 01-19-2006, 02:04 PM

If she has a feeling that she might be getting close, I'd go with her gut and get checked.

Why is she trying to induce/augment? Seems a little early to worry about moving things along.

heathenmamaof5 · 01-19-2006, 02:22 PM

Read my birth story for Linzey Jayne on the Birth Experiences section. It IS possible to go really fast.

What's the harm in getting checked? Or could she do it herself? Explain how 1cm is a fingertip and 10 is your fingers spread wide. Just my thoughts...

Jill

motherwise · 01-19-2006, 04:44 PM

She is wanting to speed things along mainly because her due date is the same date that you 19 year old brother dies (car accident) last year. she really doesn't want his death date to be the same as her baby's birthday. In fact she really just doesn't want to be pregnant at that time. she just wants those two things to feel as seperate as possible. She definately wouldn't do an 'induction' with pit or any 'meds' but since she feels like her body/baby is already showing signs of readiness-she would like to help it along.

She did go in and see her OB (who is wonderful!) who said she is still 4 but stretchy and the head has come down to -1 and now she is 100%. She opted to not stay in the hospital and wait for things to progress, so she left her docs office and is going to get something to eat, catch a movie and see how she does.

Thanks

heathenmamaof5 · 01-19-2006, 07:59 PM

I would really suggest she talk about her feelings. It's amazing how our mental state affects our birth experience and influences the outcome.

I'm a very spiritual person and my neice was born in the early morning of the first the anniversary of 9/11. My brother and the mother were somewhat disapointed that Miranda's birth was on the anniversary of such a horrific event. When they called to say the baby was coming I talked with them about what a wonderful day it was to be born. Think of it in the context of a soul coming to earth. Continuing the evolution of man. That kind of deep stuff. Think of how happy the brother would be to have his neice or nephew be born on the day he went to Heaven. I kinow it's a diferent way of looking at it.

OK, I went off on a tagent. My point is that our state of mind directly influences how we birth.

I hope that all made sense. My kids are totally raising cain and bugging me

Jill