Just wondering if anyone has any advice: I didn't get any BH until last Monday, 4 days before EDD, then I started getting quite a lot for the whole week. Missed the due date, on Sunday night I was kept awake with very irregular but quite strong ctx - not painful but just strong. Monday I had ctx off and on through the day but not very many but then was kept awake all night again with strong ctx. Yesterday I didn't have hardly any ctx but as soon as I went to bed I started getting really bad back pain - it's not constant but builds up then fades away again to leave a dull ache - bit like ctx I suppose but all in my back. SO...3 nights with no sleep and today I've still got off and on back pain that makes me breathless when it's in full flow but then dwindles away again. It's not consistent either, I might have 4 in 15 mins and then nothing for an hour or two and some are really painful while others aren't quite so bad. They last about 20 - 30 secs when I get around to timing them...what's going on and when is this baby ever going to do something?? Help!!

phone your midwife they may admit you to hospital

I'm hoping for a homebirth so I'd rather avoid hospitals as much as possible Just after I posted this I had a bloody show but this could still mean days away couldn't it?

Sounds like your body is trying to get things going but the baby's not quite in the right position. Shouldn't be long though. Keep upright and moving, sit on your birthing ball if you've got one or kneel against it, go for a walk, anything to get baby's head right down. I've only ever felt contractions in my back with all three of my labours. With my last, I had v strong BH for days, as you describe. Finally got things going with a long walk and a curry.

Hurrah for homebirths - both by dd's were born at home and it was wonderful. Try to relax as much as you can; I think feeling relaxed and calm and mentally ready really helps too.

Pbo Do you know the position of your baby?

It sounds a bit like an OP trying to turn!

I second bluebread's advice to take up optimal positions now!

Apparently it's in a good position, just popped in to see the midwife and she said that since it's my first I should just wait it out. Easy to say, my back feels like it's going to snap when it starts seizing up...going to be a long few days til the sweep on Saturday

pbo Well that's hopeful, but personally I would er on the side of caution. It really does sound like your ctx are trying to get it to move.

If it's in a good position, then encouraging it into a good position won't do any harm, but if it's not then you could be helping things alone.

Oh, and get lots of rest now! Tis you last chance for the rest of your life

BTW take comefort in the likelihood that all the niggles now can mean a shorter active labour!

good luck!

aww poor you, just keep thinking of your new baby in your arms
good luck

Right, I'm going to hug my birth ball all evening and probably all night too and watch movies to distract me. I didn't realise the build up to labour was soooo painful...I keep having to remind myself the worst is yet to come - ha ha, all fun!!
Thanks for the advice, deffo want to avoid a back-to-back if poss! Maybe it'll be born tonight...you never know

I can take paracetamol can't I? I'm never going to sleep with back ctx like these but I don't want to jeopardise anything, might end up being a placebo but anything to get a bit of sleep

sounds very promising both my labours have been back labours and started just as you describe.

you never know with my second i had what you are describing and when i went to hospital with regular pains i was already 4 cm and had a wonderful birth experience - spent just 1.5 hours in the labour ward.

I am sure my body was doing the ground work in the background for the days running up to labour and this could be what you are experiencing now.

HTH

Thank you nuclear that's so encouraging!! I keep seeing myself in a week's time still struggling on but it's good to know that sometimes these things actually turn out to be labour. Thanks!!

Hi pbo,

Im planning my 2nd homebirth next month (3rd birth)

Its so frustrating when you are having uncomfy pains that go on for days!

I hope it all 'kicks off' properly for you tonight!

good luck

any baby yet? hopeful

I'm absolutely exhausted, didn't get online yesterday cos I spent the whole night and then the day with contractions every 3-5 mins, got all excited about the baby coming, filled up the birth pool etc... midwife came and had a feel and said I was 1cm dilated After over 24 hours of consistent, painful contractions that's all I had. That was at about 7 last night. I had a bath which slowed them down for about two hours and I was then up all night again with horrible contractions every 5 mins or so. I didn't want to wake DH cos he's not been well so I spent the night stuffing the pillow into my mouth so he wouldn't hear me whimpering. I felt utterly miserable this morning and when I finally got around to actually timing the contractions they were 2-3 mins apart but not very strong. They have since as good as stopped, just a couple grab me if I move around or try to sleep. I'm desperate to get some rest but the only position I can manage is on the birth ball and that's not conducive to restful sleep! Almost all my pain is in my back and hips when I get a contraction, hardly anything in my belly but I think I must just be a back pain person! I lost a big load of dark red gloop (sorry, TMI ) so I know things are still happening but I don't know how I'm going to manage another night with no sleep and I have no idea how long this is going to last...I'm just tired and miserable. Sorry such a long post, I just don't know what to do.

aww pbo i was so sure you would have given birth by now. Both my labours were very quick, so I can't offer any advice, just lots of vibes to your baby to hurry up!!

Best of luck and please post when you give birth. Is DH doing plenty of back rubbing for you? Its good you're using the birthing ball, keep with it

pbo 1cm only tells you how dilated you are, not how long it is going to take, or how much the rest of your body is now prepared for the birth or even how much your baby has repositioned for a smooth descent.

Feeling dispondent at this stage is the worst thing you could do. You need positive, calm and accepting thoughts as these help to release the effective hormones. Get your dp to give you a massage, eat chocolate or any yummy things. Watch a comedy!

wishing you the best of luck!

Thanks Starlight, I'm not usually this negative, I think plain lack of sleep is to blame!! DH is being very good at squeezing my arm when I have a contraction which seems to work as an excellent distraction I'll let you know what happens!!

It is hard when you are overdue, though. et DH to rub that back, if you don't know, (if i remember correctly) a hard fist in your lower back ooh its good when you need it

probably the only time I'll actually ask for a hard fist in the back!!

see! made you laugh!!

How are you, pbo?

Argh! Still here, had a second membrane sweep about two hours ago, MW said I'm 2-3 and looking promising for labour soon. I want to avoid being induced on Wed so I'm trying to encourage the little thing to make an effort. Been having strong ctx all day off and on, especially strong in the last hour or so...fingers crossed. I haven't slept for ages but hopefully the thought of meeting the baby will keep me going!

My whole labour with DD was as you describe in your OP so if in doubt, call them.

The MW kept wondering if I was in labour at all at times as I'd get some really long breaks between contraction and other contractions that were very close together and virtually painless. Only the last few mins were intense proper labour according to the MWs.

Give the MW a call

how's it going pbo?? me is thinking you could be a mummy now

hope baby is born now,pbo.