This might well be labour!

[BexusSugarush]

Exciting! I am 39+3, had a membrane sweep yesterday morning and a bloody show this morning. At around 6:30pm I started getting extreme lower back cramps that have barely gone away. Then at both 7:20pm and 9:30pm I had episodes of about 5 minutes each of the most extreme cramps I have ever experienced, with at least one tightening in each episode. This sure feels like it could be the real thing, any opinions?

[BabyBNumberThree]

Sounds like it could be :-) try a warm bath and some paracetamol if they don't take it away then it sounds like it's happening. Good luck x

[Lj8893]

Keep mobile, encourage those tightenings! It might sound like the last thing you want to do but a walk could do you the world of good!

[Lj8893]

And good luck!

[Junosmum]

Could be!

Though all yesterday I had tightening and lower back ache, period style pains and a contraction which even woke me up. All gone by this morning :(

[BexusSugarush]

So after 6 hours of the contractions getting stronger and closer together, including an emptying of the bowels (Sorry if TMI) they stopped altogether! I got a full night's sleep! This baby cannot make up her mind!

[Lj8893]

Are you able to have another sweep?

[BexusSugarush]

I am seeing my midwife a week today (at which point I will be 40+3) and she will give me a sweep due to the fact the hospital actually considered inducing labour when I went in the other day. I am just hoping baby comes naturally before that. Still losing my plug and had a day of tightenings across my belly so fingers crossed..

[Lj8893]

Fingers crossed for you. Keep yourself really mobile, don't let those tightenings go away and before you know it, baby will be here!

[DinoSnores]

I had this for a couple of weeks before I gave birth to DC4 - who then was a very swift labour (according to the MWs, 33 mins; according to me, perhaps 2 hours)! All those tightenings are hopefully doing something!

I would get rest when you can too. If it is labour, you are going to need to have rested because it is a tiring business!

[lilac3033]

I had that with DD. Three nights of contractions from 1am to 5am, getting stronger then suddenly tailing off. It sucked but on the 4th morning I had a sweep. 11 hours of early labour (at home, bearable contractions), 5 hours of active and 2 hours pushing. I think I got away lightly for a first labour!