Labor Pains, No Labor Pains...
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
Hi, I will be 40 wks pregnant tomorrow...I started getting labor pains 2 days ago and went to the hospital last night. They told me i was two centimeters dilated and i could go rest at home if I wanted, so I did since I could still handle the pains.
Throughout the night the pains slowed down and by morning had stopped and then my mucus plug came out. I found this strange, I still have no pains...is this normal??? This is my second pregnancy.
ANSWER
Sure, sounds totally normal to me, especially if the baby is not yet in the ideal position for delivery. I remember once having a plane to catch, and a favorite client went into labor earlier that day, even though it was not quite her due date. She had totally normal labor until 5cm, then it just stopped. I was out of the country for over two weeks, and when I returned, I asked my partner what had happened. She said that the woman had not gone into labor for another ten days, and then had delivered a 9 pound baby face up (with no stitches). Mystery solved! and a happy ending for everyone except me--I hated to miss that birth!
--Cynthia, CNM. PhD.
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Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, teaches in the College of Nursing at Seattle University and is President of the American Association of Birth Centers. She also practices midwifery at Valley Medical Center where she cares for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
Cynthia hosts a monthly "Ask the midwife" chat as well as answers questions via our expert section.
Listen to Cynthia live on Pregnancy.org Live: Before, During and After.
