# long prodromal = fast labor?



## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

Just curious...

In my DDC there were several mamas (myself included) who had weeks of prodromal labor and gestated to 41-43 weeks only to have "active" births that were under 5 hours or so.

I casually mentioned to dh that maybe the long prodromal phase was like winding up a spring and when it snapped it really snapped! Which got me thinking...

If you had a precipitous or nearly precipitous birth, did you have lots of prodromal labor or go "late"?

(my first babe was a 42+ week but a looong labor so obviously nothing in birth is a "sure thing"







)


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## Evergreen (Nov 6, 2002)

I didn't have prodromal labor but they were both termed "precipitous" because I only pushed twice and the urge to push came out of nowhere. They were born at 42w1d and 41w5d. They're labors were long and slow (29 and 42 hours) until that point.


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## LavenderMae (Sep 20, 2002)

I had weeks of prodromal labor with my 3rd and he was born in just under 30min and one push. But my first labor was an 1 and 1/2 (a few minutes of pushing)and I didn't have prodromal labor. With my 2nd I did have some prodromal labor but I was induced (for prolonged rupture) but I did go from 5cm to pushing in about 5 minutes.

My longest pregnancy was my 3rd at 38w 3d (my first was born at 38w and my 2nd was born just shy of 37w)


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

Well...

Phase one of my second labor was longer than with my first. I woke up with contractions around midnight, just like I did the first time, and I thought "This is it!" But they petered out to about every 20 minutes, so I went in to work, where we had a huge grant due. I proofread the grant as it came off the printer, counting contractions on a pad by my desk. Left at noon, tried to rest, things didn't get more organized until late afternoon. Called the friend who would watch DS, called the midwife, agreed to meet her at the hospital around 9pm. Dilated to 5cm and having regular contractions every 4-7 minutes, and so based on my previous labor she said I might as well stay.

(This was, exactly like #1, *on* my EDD as determined by fertility charting with temperatures. My babies are very punctual)

Hospital wanted me to have 2 rounds of IV antibiotics (had changed the protocols regarding Strep B between #1 and #2). So I sat up in bed and had them and watched TV. After the second dose the back pain was a bit worse, so I asked to get into the tub. That was around midnight and I was still at 5-6 cms.

DD was born at 2:10 am. She's officially "Precipitous second stage" on my medical records, because I went from "Gosh, those are getting more intense on my back. Maybe this is transition?" to "Whoops, the baby just fell all the way to crowning in one motion without me pushing."

So -- was the 24 hours prior to that "prodromal labor?" I don't know. I count that time as being "in labor" but then were not particularly troublesome (though the contractions were strong enough that I couldn't sleep through them, and at least every 10-15 minutes so that I couldn't get any sustained rest).


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## mommyfied (Jun 25, 2007)

No, not in my case.

DD2 was born on her due date and she was born 2.5 hours after the first contraction. I went from thinking I was in transition and wanting to get in the tub and then next thing I knew my body pushed very hard and she was crowning. I don't think I was dilated before labor started but I never found my cervix so I'm not positive.

DD1 was born a week early. My water broke so it took a few hours for labor to kick in, but active labor was about 2 hours, pushing 1 hour. I was 1 cm dilated at 6 pm and 10 cm at 10 pm.


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## Asparagus78 (Aug 14, 2009)

My labour was very precipitous in the sense that I went from very mild contractions to "holy crap I can feel the head crowning - we need to go to the hospital NOW!". I gave birth on a stretcher still fully clothed, but at least we made it to the hospital... I had been having similarly mild contractions for about 4 weeks before the actual birth. (DS was born at 39.5 weeks.)They never quite felt like BH because they were somewhat painful, and very, very, very regular. I'm having them now at 32 weeks... sometimes for 5-6 hours, every 4-5 minutes, then it stops. Weird... A friend of mine who's had 3 children had active labours under 1.5 hours each time, but preceded be weeks of mild contractions, very similar to the ones I experienced. I also credited (or blamed...) a lot of exercising for those early contractions and easy birth. With DS1, I would walk 3-4 hours a day (and ran until 6 months) - with this pregnancy, I still walk at least 2 hours a day. That's my story!


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

With my third, I had 26 days of prodromal labour- contractions 5 minutes apart, going for hours on end, started moving out of it (which was tough), stalled, then went from 4cm to holding a baby in, literally, 3 contractions. With the fouth, I was in prelabour for a few weeks, where the contractions were less regular but felt like they were "doing something." Labour with him was an hour.

This time round, I'm having no prodromal labour, no prelabour and a nice, slow, gentle painless labour. I've decided


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## frontierpsych (Jun 11, 2006)

First baby: tons of prodromal labour, 16 hours actice/pushing.

Second baby: No prodromal labour, 3 hours start to finish.

So no, this wasn't the case for me.


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

2nd baby... prodromal labor for 2-3 weeks and a 4 hour labor.

3rd baby... prodromal labor for more like 5 weeks and a 2 hour labor.

It's like getting on a roller coaster once active labor finally arrives!


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

Yep. I had prodromal labor for both my births. I'd have several hours of 5-6 minute contractions, then they'd stop. This went on for a couple weeks both times. Neither one of them was quite preciptious, but fast enough relatively.

The first was 11 hours. From start to finish the contractions were 2 minutes apart. I made steady progress until the doctor showed up at the hospital and my labor stalled once she entered the room. I spent a couple hours at 9.5cm.

For the second one, again weeks of off and on labor. Then Bam! 2 minute contractions. This one was at home so there was no doctor caused stall. Not precipitous but under four hours total labor.


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## zuzunel09 (Mar 19, 2009)

I had prodromal labor for what seemed like a month, and my labor beginning to delivery was 4.5 hours. The OB almost didn't make it because he dragged his feet thinking I'd take forever since it was my first child.


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## _betsy_ (Jun 29, 2004)

2 babies. Walked around for a month or more dilating and effacing. At due date (pretty sure on dates both times), I was 4-5 cms and 100% without ever feeling so much as a BH cx.

Once water broke (Induced with Pit and water broken with 1st at 40 weeks, 3 days), it was 1 hour and 48 minutes till babe was in arms with my first, and 1 hour 8 minutes with my second (MW missed it entirely!).


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## mwherbs (Oct 24, 2004)

my second baby was born in an hour and no prodromal labor-
#3+4 tons of prodromal labor and long labors as well--


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## seren (Jul 11, 2003)

number 3 was 2 weeks of prodomal labor, 10 hour labor. number 4 was prodomal labor from May 2, to May 29. The weekend before he was born I was in active labor for 36 hours, stopped at 5 cm. He was born after 18 hours of labor on the 29th.


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## MyFillingQuiver (Sep 7, 2009)

I certainly wasn't precipitous, but "quick". Rang true for me...#5 was 4 weeks off and on prodromal, and had amniotomy (VBA2C) a bit before noon, mild contractions began around 3 after walking....then active about 5 or so. I went from 4 to pushy in less than an hour. I felt pushy at 6 with spread out contractions. I pushed a few times and he was born at 6:14. 8 lbs 10 oz just shy of 41 weeks.









1st baby about 10 hrs start to finish-no prodromal. 2nd was a couple weeks prodromal and about 4 hr labor. 3rd c-section/transverse tight nuchal cord, 4th forced repeat major abdominal surgery.

Sorry for the whole birth story on everyone...still excited 3 months later after the VBA2C, and I'm new osting here, LOL!


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## umbrella (Jul 25, 2002)

Quote:

In my DDC there were several mamas (myself included) who had weeks of prodromal labor and gestated to 41-43 weeks only to have "active" births that were under 5 hours or so.
This was my experience with dd2. Weeks of mild contractions, contractions which were doing something, just very slowly. We induced with AROM when I was nearly 5 cm but not in hard labor yet. It took 30 minutes for it to kick in from when my water broke, and then 2.5 hours later, she was born.


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## vegemamato (Jul 4, 2007)

with my last (UC) I had 'regular' contractions/some leaking from 33 weeks until I finally birthed her at 40w5d- which took 27 hours of hard labor. I did stall in transition for 12 hours though, so maybe it would've been faster if I didn't clam up for soo long.. I have a feeling that I spent too much time in the pool


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