Is it impossible for Labour to stop?

From what I've read on forums, most mothers have said once labour begins it cannot stop.

Im currently 36 weeks pregnant and had a show on Sunday. Doctor found I was 2cm dilated (not necessarily in labour) but transferred me to a larger hospital as the one we attended (we were not at home at the time) didn't have the capacity to deal with premature babies & there was a small amount of foetal distress.

At the large regional hospital, I began having contractions with minimal pain. As the only doctor available was attending a difficult childbirth, the attending midwife gave me various tablets including pain killers & sleeping tablets and what I think she mentioned was a steroid. Needless to say I was knocked out and when I awoke the contractions had ceased.

Upon examination the next morning, the doctor advised the that the midwife was incorrect in putting me to sleep and that considering I was almost 37 weeks I should have been able to continue progressing into labour. However, as contractions had stopped I was sent home. I remained 2cm dilated.

A day and a half later, we returned to the city. The following morning (yesterday) contractions re-established with a moderate but not debilitating amount of pain. By co-incidence I had an appointment with the midwife so attended this, rather than call the hospital birthing suite. During my appointment I was re-admitted to hospital for observation. Another internal confirmed I was then 3cm dilated & I was advised I was in labour. Due to being 36 weeks it was decided I should remain in hospital rather than go home until contractions increased in intensity and frequency.

As I had not yet had my swab, medication for streptococcal was administered in 3 parts in case I was one of the 20% of carriers (I still have not received my swab result). I spent the next 4 hours vomiting & was quite dizzy and disoriented, during which time my contractions again ceased.

By this point, I was becoming rather anxious and had a panic attack. I was given diazepam to aid sleep and relaxation & fell asleep for 2 hours. Upon waking, contractions did not begin again & 2 doctors were called to give another internal observation and to perform a test to see whether my waters had broken. Waters had not broken, however I remained just over 3cm dilated. 4 hours later, my situation had not progressed & I remained 3cm dilated.

We agreed that I would be able to return home, but not have intercourse, swim or take a bath because of the dilation. I have been advised that the dilation will not diminish and therefore I should bed rest so that labour does not re-establish early (again I understand and accept the reasoning behind this).

When I mentioned, "false alarm" to the midwife this morning, she was aghast at my suggestion, saying she KNEW when someone was in labour as it couldn't be mistaken. She said the labour began but just didn't get established, but as far as I've researched in books, online and by watching DVD's once contractions are regular (which they were) and the cervix is 3cm dilated and partly effaced (which it is), labour is underway and won't stop until the arrival of the baby!

Have I really been in labour? Can labour "stop" as my doctors are advising (I remain sceptical of this but cannot think of another solution)? Should I request an examination by an independent obstetrician, despite being given the same prognosis twice on different occasions in different hospitals? Despite being EXTREMELY glad the baby has not been born premature and that next week will be considered full term if born, I am confused, frustrated & frightened of ever setting foot in a hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy in case the same happens again. I'd welcome any advice, comments or answers or hearing of similar situations to allay my fears!

As well as this, my husband has now had to take 4 days off work because doctors have been telling him I am in labour, he will struggle getting any more time off work when labour actually occurs and is jeaopardising his paternity leave for no reason.

Just to make it absolutely clear - the above events have not been exaggerated, changed or altered at all & I described them in the best objective detail I could to get an accurate answer to my question. Also, I would like to assure that the contractions were definitely contractions, I am well aware of the difference between the intensity of them & the uncomfortable braxton hicks contractions.

Labor can stop, but it doesnt really sound like you were in labor. You can have real contractions and not be in labor and braxton hicks sometimes hurt like the real thing! Also you can be dialated to 4 sometimes without being in labor, my cousin has been at 4cm for a little over a month now and will be induced next week. Contractions can happen if you are too tired, dehydrated and if you are walking too much, usually if you drink fluids and put your feet up then the contractions will stop in an hour or two. I have had contractions since 20 weeks, usually I drink a ton of water and lay on my left side for an hour or so. I learned this after having to be admitted for early labor too, only I was just having a false alarm. You should really talk to your ob and see what they think since they know you better than docs you just met, your ob can better determine what is going on and may be able to ease your mind. Good luck and congrats!
PS the steroid they gave you will help your baby's lungs mature faster in case you do deliver early, if you absolutely have to deliver now you would be ok but try to hang in there for a couple more weeks. Maybe you will have a new years baby!

You can start and stop with contractions. Baby will come when it wants to. They should have never given you all that medicine. That probably helped in stopping the contractions.

That's a really long question, but to answer the first thing, yes labour can stop.

yes labour can be stopped

Yes, early labor can stop on its own. You have been experiencing early labor which can last up to several weeks. Active labor is considered to begin when you are 4 cm dilated until you reach full dilation of 10 cm. That doesn't mean you were experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, but that you were in early labor.
It is good that your midwife stopped the contractions since you haven't reached 37 weeks.
Have you considered hiring a birth doula? They are trained and educated in labor and birth and are "a woman's servant" during times like this. That way when you are admitted to the hospital your husband could attend work and you could call when active labor has been established.
Birth blessings to you.

it is possible for labor to stall out or stop (this is why some women end up needing c-sections) however i dont think thats what happened in your case I think it was just a false alarm or you could still be having minor contractions...sometimes women are in labor for days and they dont even really know it because it comes and goes between having hard contractions and minor contractions...thats how my labor was. i was having contractions for days and then i wouldnt feel them and then i would but the contractions never really got hard enough to progress my labor so the docs induced me with cervadil so the contractions could get stronger. good luck!