Prodromal labor again... No not me this time, not possible yet! But I have met two other women this week who have also suffered from this and my sympathy goes out to all of you who are suffering from it. Hang in there it will end and you will be your normal self again! Honest, I can testify to that as can my family. We are four weeks postpartum here and doing much better thanks for asking!

For those of you in the thick of it - try to sleep, take the sleeping pill without guilt if you need to (I, who barely am willing to take a tylenol when pregnant, had to take it for over three weeks daily!), consider the "therapeutic rest" if it is offered to you (my midwives decided it probably wouldn't help in my case), and go easy on yourself. You are not crazy, you are not alone and you will get better. Hopefully your active labor will go as quickly as mine did (3 hours from the first contraction to holding my baby) and you can move into it soon.

The other thing that really helped me was when I was told the baby was posterior then I had something I could do to help. We lived on a birth ball and hands and knees for over a week. Prodromal labor can often be caused by a posterior baby. The contractions are happening but they are not fully productive because the baby is not in the right position and things can start and then stall again. Talk to your midwife and see if this could be your situation or just be sure to spend twenty minutes a day on your hands and knees (do this three times a day) and sit on a birth ball instead of a soft couch. Read about my experience here. Remember I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, this is my experience only and based on my midwife, research and things I found helpful.

The other most useful thing I can say is try hard to distract yourself from the contractions. Try to find something you can do that can take your mind off them. When you are in need of going to the hospital or calling your midwife you will know. So try to relax and not think about it. Believe me I know you are saying "Yeah right whatever" I felt the same way and only out of sheer desperation and frustration with all the starts and stops I had was I able to try this and I found it did help some when I could maintain it for an hour or so. But they always came back again and it was harder to do than it is to say to do it. But it was helpful if you are the kind of person who excels at mind over matter (I am not) so I felt I should share it.

Hang in there and know that others have been there before you and can sympathize with you. The baby will come when s/he is ready even if that is way after you are ready. If all else fails and you have your midwife's blessing you could consider the castor oil induction - it worked for us.

Peace,
Tenn