# "Choosing to delay" NATURAL labor. What?



## Celticqueen (Feb 17, 2007)

So I'm really confused right now. Is this even possible?

My mom, mother in law, and friend all swear up and down that this is possible-Mom said she really wanted her mom in town when she went into labor and since she was still a day out, she was able to mentally "get rid" of her starting contractions by telling herself that she needed to wait a day.

???

Does this seem odd to anyone else here or did it happen to you too? I'm not calling them liars but doesn't the body go into labor whether you like it or not?

I asked my mother in law about this assuming she'd laugh and say no way, but then SHE said it happened to her for the same reason- she wanted her mother in town so she "got rid" of her contractions and went about her day without laboring.

I wonder if they're referring to braxton hicks as opposed to real ones? I didn't specify, I just assumed they meant early labor. I suppose you could get rid of braxton hicks if you were relaxed enough? Maybe?

-Because, if it's "real labor" contractions, I would assume there's no turning back unless you get medical intervention to stop labor like what they can do with preterm labor mamas.

Thanks for info in advace!









-Caitrin


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## Celticqueen (Feb 17, 2007)

Also I was just going to add- I realize our brains are very powerful. Heck, if we can hypnotize ourselves out of pain with hypnobirthing for example, I fully admit our minds can do a lot.

But stopping labor?

-Caitrin


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

When I was interviewing homebirth midwives, I asked all of them the same question -- what happens if I go into labor but you're already with another laboring mother? And I got basically the same answer from all of them: That they would advise me to get into a warm bath with a glass of wine and just relax. I asked if that really works to slow things down, and they all said usually it does. So maybe you can delay labor a little bit by aggressively relaxing? 24 hours seems like a long time though.


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## paquerette (Oct 16, 2004)

Well, there is certainly a phenomenon that if you're scared or stressed, your labor will slow down or stop. I've heard it explained that in wild primitive conditions, if you were out in the forest laboring and suddenly there was a wild animal there, your labor would have to shut down so you could run away and find a safe place. It's an important survival instinct.

Incidentally, this is something that often happens when a woman is harassed and annoyed by hospital staff, or even by annoying people at a homebirth.

So I think that if a woman was really super stressed about not having her mom there, it could absolutely work that way.


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

I think that if you weren't already in labor you could probably hold off real labor with your mind if you didn't feel you were ready to birth yet. But once you were in labor I don't think you could stop the contractions. You could definately inhibit your labor and slow it down.


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## Celticqueen (Feb 17, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *paquerette* 
Well, there is certainly a phenomenon that if you're scared or stressed, your labor will slow down or stop. I've heard it explained that in wild primitive conditions, if you were out in the forest laboring and suddenly there was a wild animal there, your labor would have to shut down so you could run away and find a safe place. It's an important survival instinct.

Incidentally, this is something that often happens when a woman is harassed and annoyed by hospital staff, or even by annoying people at a homebirth.

So I think that if a woman was really super stressed about not having her mom there, it could absolutely work that way.

Interesting- I never would have thought of that happening for survival reasons but that makes a lot of sense.

-Caitrin


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## phatchristy (Jul 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday* 
When I was interviewing homebirth midwives, I asked all of them the same question -- what happens if I go into labor but you're already with another laboring mother? And I got basically the same answer from all of them: That they would advise me to get into a warm bath with a glass of wine and just relax. I asked if that really works to slow things down, and they all said usually it does. So maybe you can delay labor a little bit by aggressively relaxing? 24 hours seems like a long time though.

It WORKS, I've DONE it. When I went into labor with my last the midwife I wanted to attend the birth (and the only one available that day they thought at the time) was told that she could not cancel her prenatals. So, she told me to slow things down and try to make it to at least 2 pm, where she could get out of the last two appointments easily. I didn't do the bath (I think the bath would have relaxed me to the point that it would have zoomed up LOL).

As suggested I had a small amount of alcohol. My mom was there, and DH had to sneak it into the bedroom and I slowly sipped it while lying in bed. Basically spent as many hours as I could lying on the couch. So, yep, they slowed, and basically disappeared. I knew it was real labor before because of the sharpness of the feeling I got (happened early that morning) and regularity. I was actually worried for a point for a while that I had stopped labor completely, I had gone from having contractions every few minutes to like one every 45...BUT, it seemed like when 1:45 hit I had one that seemed to be increasing. So I called and kept her updated, telling her I made it and I was just going to start acting normal and see how they picked up. Around 5 or so it was the first time it felt like work and really hurt...moaning etc. She got there and I think he was born shortly after 6. It was a beautiful water birth, he was born in the caul! It only really hurt for about an hour and a half.

I'm guessing that I managed to delay things for about 7-8 hours total.

I think it was three things:

1. The alcohol inhibits oxytocin receptors apparently.
2. The adrenaline associated with my determination to give birth at home with the midwife I wanted and not be asked to go into the birth center.
3. Lying on the couch, bed, resting and doing NOTHING. Watched TV.


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## wednesday (Apr 26, 2004)

Good to know, phatcristy, thanks!


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## GooeyRN (Apr 24, 2006)

I wanted to deliver on a certain day, and did. I did not give my body the "ok" to go into labor until the day before. I felt totally relaxed, went to bed, and woke up 3 hours later in labor.


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## barefootpoetry (Jul 19, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *paquerette* 
Well, there is certainly a phenomenon that if you're scared or stressed, your labor will slow down or stop. I've heard it explained that in wild primitive conditions, if you were out in the forest laboring and suddenly there was a wild animal there, your labor would have to shut down so you could run away and find a safe place. It's an important survival instinct.

Incidentally, this is something that often happens when a woman is harassed and annoyed by hospital staff, or even by annoying people at a homebirth.

So I think that if a woman was really super stressed about not having her mom there, it could absolutely work that way.









: This is very very true.


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## kalamos23 (Apr 11, 2008)

I'm not 100 positive, but a few days ago I had some pretty intense contractions - definitely different from the BH that I have been getting for forever. I was really, really tired and knew I just didn't have the energy to labor that night so I mentally just told the baby to stay put and hold off and then I went to sleep - sure enough I woke up with no contractions and almost no BH at all! Now I don't know if I was actually in prodromal labor or prelabor, but I got the contractions to stop mentally, so I believe it to some extent. I don't think that you could hold off pretty active labor (6-8 cm) mentally though, but I wouldn't be surprised.


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## HerthElde (Sep 18, 2003)

I've "controlled" when I birthed all of mine, to an extent.


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## crunchy_mama (Oct 11, 2004)

I certainly believe so- last time we had our house burn down at 39 weeks prego and my body was trying to start labor- Sunday- I told my wee one she had to wait until we could at least find a place to stay- we had been planning a homebirth. We finally got to my mom's monday evening. I had contractions throughout my sleep, when I got up they were still there but we had to meet with the insurance adjustor- I made it through the meeting able to breathe throw the contractions, but right after that I had to go back to mom's as it was time to get serious.

With Luke I also believe I was able to stall him off until I got some sleep as I had developed PUPPPs and hadn't slept in forever- however he let me get a little nap in , which saved me in the end.


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## spu (Dec 6, 2002)

I tried to delay my last birth, because my labor started kicking in pretty intensly at the end of the day. I was pretty p.o'd because I thought this time, I would have a nice night's sleep, and wake up in labor. ha. So in my efforts to delay, I took a nap, took a bath, hung out with my girls (age 5.5). I tried everything but a glass of wine, which I heard can slow things down. I even tried going in the head-down, tushie up position to get any pressure off my cervix. If it did delay anything, it was the anxiety of being in labor, as those hours spent at home were pure bliss -- in the tub, hanging out with my girls while way past their bedtime, relaxing while watching reruns on cable, and dilating nonetheless... when I did consent to being in real labor, and finally drove off to the hospital, I arrived at 10cm and +3. Delivered an 8lb 10 oz babe 35 min later.

I have read and believe that if you're scared, or not in the right 'place' physically or emotionally, labor can stall or stop all together - just as in the wild - to protect the unborn... I've heard that if your body releases adrenalin while in labor, prior to the pushing stage, it will actually be counter-productive in getting you to relax and open up your cervix. Perhaps watch an Indiana Jones movie? Or think about someone you really don't like? or talk about finances or something else to get you all riled up?


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## caedmyn (Jan 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Belle* 
But once you were in labor I don't think you could stop the contractions.

I tried that with DD's birth. When I was in transition I told the contractions to STOP because DH and the midwife hadn't made it yet. Didn't work, DD was coming whether I was going to help or not


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## babyjelly (Jan 12, 2008)

my sister claims to have done this with her third. on a wednesday night she was having intense ctx, but her hubby was unreachable (i forget why now- said baby is now 13), and the rest of us were on a camping trip, so she had nobody to drive her to the hospital or watch her other two kids. so she says she just made up her mind that she was not in labor and told that boy that he had to stay put whether he liked it or not. ctx stopped...maybe too well, because she ended up being induced weeks later!


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## thechuzzle (Apr 7, 2008)

My mom disliked teh OB that was on call when she went into labor with my brother, so she called my midwife aunt and she was advised to send my dad down to the store to get some Vodka and take a bath, and it worked, she held off till the following day!


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## phatchristy (Jul 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wednesday* 
Good to know, phatcristy, thanks!

Yep, the alcohol DOES work, and there is scientific proof (some studies were done one women with preterm losses actually I found through google). It actually inhibits the release of oxytocin. Which now makes sense why things really slowed down and spaced out when I had that one drink.

Actually before they had synthetic labor stopping drugs they used to give women an ethanol IV to stop premature labor...interesting huh?

I believe adrenaline as well can stop labor...especially if labor is early. So many women have told me that their labor had slowed when they went to the hospital actually.


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## BrooklynDoula (Oct 23, 2002)

Adreneline can actually constrict the muscles of the cervix and stop dialation (so that we could escape unsafe conditions without labor contining). Women routinely find that their labors stalls when they enter the hospital for this reason.

I think women have a HUGE amount of control over their birth experience. I encourage all my clients to envision the birth they really want in great detail and then I have them tell me about it. At least 50% end up having the birth they described to me with every detail.

I wanted my sister-in-law to be home from Spain before my birth. She came home at 9pm and came right over. We chatted. When she left she spoke to my belly and said she was back and the baby could come out now. I told her I would call her at 4 am in labor. I woke at 3:30 to pee and realized I was in labor.


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## sweeetpea (Jun 14, 2006)

I once had a client who was in labor early in the morning. She was absolutely determined to delay her birth until her mother flew in from Germany at 10 that night. With mind power only (no baths, vodka or anything else), she talked the contractions into easing off. Had a quiet afternoon, ate a good dinner and JUMPED back into labor at 10:15 pm. Had the baby by 3 am.

The power of the mind is absolutely amazing.


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## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

Yup, I believe in that too. It's not like you can make it start or stop entirely IMO, or prevent a preemie. It's more on the scale of changing things a day or so in natural term early labor. I sped up mine mentally with DS though, because I was getting tired and didn't want to labor through the night. However, there a point where you can't control it and I was kicking myself when I realized I could no longer slow things down at will!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

If labor can be stalled from stress, I don't see why it shouldn't be possible to intentionally do a "mind over matter" situation with delaying labor- in some circumstances anyway. I doubt it will work all the time, or there wouldn't be any preterm births- sometimes the physical reality just won't respond to mental control.

I suspect this works a lot better at stalling early labor than with slowing things down once they get intense.


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## 3cuties (Mar 4, 2006)

I believe it. I think I did it 1 week ago, I had all the signs of it starting for days -- tightening and even waves I had to work through. But I was not in a mental state yet to give birth. I was panicked and scared. Literally having panic attacks at night at the idea of labor. Everything stopped. I haven't even had a BH since. But I am in a much better emotional state now. And ready when my body is.


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## gcgirl (Apr 3, 2007)

Well, my neighbor used hypnosis to give birth at a scheduled date and time. I guess it could be possible.


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## phatchristy (Jul 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sweeetpea* 
I once had a client who was in labor early in the morning. She was absolutely determined to delay her birth until her mother flew in from Germany at 10 that night. With mind power only (no baths, vodka or anything else), she talked the contractions into easing off. Had a quiet afternoon, ate a good dinner and JUMPED back into labor at 10:15 pm. Had the baby by 3 am.

The power of the mind is absolutely amazing.

With my second my mom had flown in. But, everything was unsettled. For a period of three days everyone was visiting her! So, we had people over, and were out to dinner for three nights in a row. Everyone kept on asking me when (I was already past 40 weeks at that point). I told them, as soon as all the relatives are done visiting and we're on our own I'll go into labor.

So, the last dinner with my sister and her husband (on mother's day no less) was that Sunday. They left around 9:45 or so that night, then I started early labor, by 12:30 things hurt, and she was born at 2 AM!









Labor is started by a cocktail of hormones...all which are influenced by our surroundings and moods, so why not?


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## Celticqueen (Feb 17, 2007)

Wow ladies!

I am very surprised by the responses so far...It sounds like it really IS possible and my MIL and mom weren't the only ones it happened to!

This topic is really interesting to me...

Hopefully I'll never have to try to stop labor...I can't stop other things coming out of my body half the time, I'm sure labor wouldn't be much different, unfortunately
















Oh well, I will just make sure my husband is within 10 minutes of me at all times in the last few weeks of labor









-Caitrin


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

My second labor started exactly as my first did - up to the time (middle of the night).... I fully expected it to build the same way.

But - I was working up to my last day, and we had a huge grant proposal due and getting several chapters pulled together (physically, as in notes and references and styling issues) was my main thing. I know someone else woudl ahve been able to do it but ... my contractions spaced back out and I decided to go to work.

I came home, they got a little more intense - but then they really didn't ramp up again until we'd called the friend who was going to watch DS and made sure she was readily available. Labor got more serious at that point, but then didn't kick up again until I got to the hospital, knew my favorite midwife was on that night, and the nurses filled up the tub. At that point, feeling safe and comfortable and *ready* - labor kicked in very, very, very fast.


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## avivaelona (Jun 24, 2005)

When I lost my first, I was in labor with him and the pain was bad, and they gave me Statol and instead of working to take the edge off it made me almost completely unconscious. I really really really did not want to give birth unconsciously, since the one positive thing I was holding on to was that I would get to experience birth and at least get to meet him before he was taken away, and so I fought the labor with every thing I had and somehow I stopped it. It managed to hold off for 24 hours until I was completely conscious and calm. (as calm as you can be when you are giving birth at 20 weeks anyway) Then it started again and I was able to just let go. So it was possible to hold it off under extreme fear and determination, but unfortunately deterimination wouldn't have been enough to keep him in for another 10 weeks or so. I think at some point your body will say that it has to be now, no matter how much you don't want it, but you can certainly pull it back when you first start if you really need to at least for a little while.


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## hapersmion (Jan 5, 2007)

My first baby was breech, and I was scrambling to find a place to give birth normally. Before I'd found anywhere (and I hadn't ever heard of UC), my husband and I came down with a stomach bug. I was up all night being sick, and in the morning I was having contractions three minutes apart. I didn't have anywhere to go except the hospital for a c-section, so I sat around all day being very calm and still, hoping that it wasn't real labor. Now, the contractions were never very strong and never lasted very long, and I was certainly dehydrated from being sick, so it may have just been that once I got rehydrated the contractions went away. But I stayed pregnant for another week and a half or so, until I had found a new birthplace, met the midwives once, and gotten all the new supplies I needed together. I went to my breastfeeding class (the last thing I had planned to get done) and later that night I went into labor.









I think it's definitely possible in SOME cases to put labor off. I don't think it's wise to do it on purpose unless you really need to, though.


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## Astoria (May 27, 2004)

I was nervous about having two so close together. DS2 was due over two weeks before DS1 was turning 2. Wouldn't you know I just didn't go into labor. DS1's second birthday finally came, we had a cake, we blew out the candles and put him to bed. Within an hour my contractions started like mad. Those babies were NOT going to be less than two years apart. As soon as I got my first baby through his second birthday I relaxed and finally welcomed the second, and he came. He entered the world the next day, hence the 2 year and one day apart birthdays. I did not intentionally delay my labor, but I also did not welcome it and it did not occur until I was emotionally ready.


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## RebeccaWells (Aug 11, 2004)

My 5th baby died in my 38 week of pregnancy and immediatly after the ultrasound to confirm the suspected death, I began having contractions. My parents had been notified and were on thier way but had a 10 hour drive and I was just not emotionally ready to birth my little girl. I spoke aloud to my body, telling it to stop, that I couldnt handle it yet. The contractions faded out and it was a bit over 48 hours later that I gave birth. (after my parents, one of my sisters and my MIL had all made it into town and I was as ready as I could be given the circumstances)


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## mom2mializ (Nov 3, 2006)

With my second child, I delayed the second stage until an untrusted OB left the room:

With my second, I spent most of my labor at home, and got to the hospital fully dilated and having (kinda mild) pushing ctx. The nurses scrambled to get everything set up while I continued to labor, then in walks the one OB who I absolutely could not stand and did not trust at all. My contractions stopped entirely, for quite some time. At some point, she snuck out of the room - I don't remember her leaving, but suddenly I got hit with the biggest pushing contraction ever. The nurse was encouraging me, telling me what a great job I was doing, when suddenly her jaw dropped and she ran to the door shouting for the doctor. The OB ran in the room as the second huge pushing contraction hit and caught my son with only one glove on.

This time around we're having a homebirth. Earlier in my pg I was concerned about what to do with my other two (#1 is almost 3, #2 is 20 months). I asked a couple of doula friends (who I cannot afford) as well as my mw and a couple others. They all basically said "just have the baby at night while they're in bed!" As though it was the most natural thing in the world.







I bet it will work out that way too.


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## SheepNumber97245 (Apr 20, 2007)

From what i've read in _Ina May's Guide to Childbirth_ it is absolutely possible.


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## SheepNumber97245 (Apr 20, 2007)

By the way,

a long time ago i remember hearing about a women in a concentration camp that remained pregnant for a year because she was in the camp. As soon as it was liberated she gave birth soon after. Anyone know if there's any truth to this story? I can't find anything about it.


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## gabysmom617 (Nov 26, 2005)

I think my body tried to go into labor at one point, and when I got to the hospital I wanted to birth at, I was 2cm. I really was not feeling it with the doctor that was on call, and my midwife was off that day. By the time they came back and checked me again, I had gone from 2cm back to 1cm. I was extremely frightened and I really didn't like her.

As soon as I got home, they sart up again. I waited about 2 days to get to my midwife's appointment and I was at 3cm, and ended up going when she was available.


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## mikayla's mama (May 22, 2005)

I think it's definitely possible. I didn't consciously stop my labor with #2 but I do believe that due to my first labor being a traumatic hospital birth that I subconsciously stopped my labor with #2.

My labor stalled with my second DD at 6cm, I believe from being in the hospital again. I signed out and went back the next morning and had my baby girl in my arms 20 minutes later.... hospital birth or unassited birth are the only options where I live so I opted to go for the hospital birth again because of all the complications with baby girl #1.


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## prothyraia (Feb 12, 2007)

My contractions were 3min apart and 1 1/2min long, and I was at 6cm, when I got to the hospital with my son.

Then things immediately ground to a screeching halt for the next 7 hours until we got all medical about it, because there were so many strangers around. So if that can happen, I don't see why you couldn't make use of that ability intentionally.


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## sevenkids (Dec 16, 2002)

Multips seem to be able to do this. IME, I've had clients stall their labors long enough to fly to Miami from the Bahamas, stall labour long enough for the Superbowl game to finish, long enough to drive 4 hours from visiting relatives, long enough to get the older children fed, bathed and tucked into bed, and long enough to wait for partners or family to fly in. One mom was at 8cm for 3 days because she decided she needed to finish painting the kitchen first. She finished painting, called us, waited until we arrived, said, "I'm ready now!" and had the baby 45 minutes later.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

With DD2, I had searched long and hard for a MW that was very hands off. I finally found her only she also worked full time in a hospital and did HB on the side. If I were to go to labor while she was working a 12 shift 75 miles away then it was tough luck for me. She arranged to take 2 weeks off around the time we thought maybe DD2 would be born. 2 weeks came and passed, no baby, she went back to work, with the back up MW's pieced together here and there for certain days and none for other days.

We had spent DD2's pg remodeling a house, almost everything was done with the exception of DH putting the back door on. It was middle Oct in CO, and we just had a hollow door there, it was very cold, you could feel the wind blowing through it. During the time my MW was off work and we were waiting for DD2, I had told DH that I refused to have that baby until the door was replaced, he didn't do it. The third night my MW was back to work, DH replaced the door. He finished 10pm on a Sunday night, I woke up around 3 am with contractions.







I just had to wake up DH with a "I told you so".









Then I had the problem of my MW being at work. She was to get off at 8am, but had at least a 1.5h drive to my house, and my contractions were 3 minutes apart. DH was starting to freak out that she won't make it. I finally agreed to call the back up MW, and my mom to come help with DD1. As soon as I put the phone down from making the calls, my contractions came crashing to halt and didn't pick up again until my MW walked into my house. DD2 was born about 1.5h after my MW got there.


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## 98741 (May 17, 2006)

Just another example for you. With my son's birth I started some contractions, regular and strong but not intense yet and had some bloody show so I called the midwife to give her the heads up that it would probably kick into high sometime that day. Well she told me she was sick (stomach stuff not just a cold) and to try relax and not encourage it. So I mentally told it to hold off. I had contractions all day but they became more like braxton hicks and the bloody show tapered off. He was born *5 days* later!! I do believe it can happen, certainly not always, but it can!

I also agree with women shutting down when they get to the hospital. I've seen this in my doula work. If a woman is advanced enough it doesn't seen to happen nearly as much but for a woman in earlier labor it's not uncommon for her labor to slow or stall for a while.


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

You also see this in other mammals... rabbits for example can (and do) hold off birth (or even pregnancy) when stressed. And a vet friend has lots of stories about horses and sheep "stalling" a birth till they are alone or until a specific companion (animal or human) arrives.

Our bodies and minds are amazing things!


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## spu (Dec 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mom2mializ* 
They all basically said "just have the baby at night while they're in bed!"

you know - there might be some truth to this as well - I was so concerned about what to do with my 3 kiddos when I went into labor with #4. The girls are in 1/2 day kindergarten, and DS was only 15m old, so how would they get to the bus? or how would they get home? What if my parents or a neighbor were not around at the time we needed to go or to pick up the girls from the bus stop?

and, lo and behold, I went into labor in the afternoon, left for the hospital while everyone was asleep, and delivered!


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## fuzzypeach (Oct 28, 2004)

I think I had something along these lines happen with my dd - I gave birth two hours before my CNM left town! She told me at my last appointment a few days prior that I could be induced before she left, or I could chance going into labor while she was gone and be attended by whichever Dr. was on call with the hospital. I hated the idea of having some OB I'd never met catch the baby, but I wanted to go into labor when my body & the baby were ready for it, so I opted to wait. I started having contractions at about 4pm and my daughter was born at 4:35am with my CNM in attendance - and my CNM's plane left at 6am!


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## loraxc (Aug 14, 2003)

I even posted on MDC asking if I could do this because my DD was really sick, my grandmother was dying, we'd just been exposed to influenza, and I wasn't done wrapping up at work...and I was 40 weeks and having tons of contrax. I went into labor after the first (last!) day I spent at home alone, relaxed, when my DD was better, I was done with work, and my grandmother was stable.

I believe in it. Absolutely.


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## clemrose (Dec 20, 2006)

My very dear friend lost her daughter exactly a week before my daughter was born I was 13 days post dates). I felt my first contractions at the end of dinner following the services for my friend's daughter. I don't think it was accidental timing, I think my body, more than my mind even, knew I needed to be at that service.


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## Daniel's Kitty (Nov 18, 2006)

My mom waited two days for me to be born, she wanted her sister to be out of state before she went into labor (her brain damaged sister showed up for a visit and she really didn't want to deal with that in labor) she drank a glass of wine that morning and then babysat for my cousin all day.

I was really worried with number 2 that my husband would miss it since he was working a few hours away and wouldn't always answer the phone. I went into labor on his day off and the baby was born that afternoon. My labor wasn't too bad until he got back from dropping off ds1 and the mw got here, I was holding a baby a few hour later.


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## Kidzaplenty (Jun 17, 2006)

Yep, it works.

I actually picked the birthday for my last son at 41 wks. And I only missed the chosen time by about 45 minutes!


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## turnquia (May 26, 2008)

I think it is possible. My midwife was out of town the whole week before my due date (she won an all inclusive trip to Aruba.. who could blame her







) She got home at midnight on the 11th.. I went into labor at 1am on the 11th







Poor thing was soo tired but I waited. I told myself at like 20 weeks when we found out about her trip that there is no way I'd go into labor that week she was gone. Despite weeks of PTL and bedrest no baby until 39w6d. (I was contracting consistently the whole time she was gone, had bloody show and was 3cm and 90% effaced with baby at +1 station that whole week) And baby kept cooking!


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