signs labour is near

[notveryinventive]

Hi,

Ive been wondering what people think are signs that labour is near?

Im 39 weeks today with DC3. I know as its my third I should know by now, but Im probably just wishful thinking here.

I have dropped a lot over the last couple of weeks. Ive had quite a bit of discharge over the last week or so, mainly been white. Today I have had period type cramps on and off in my lower belly and back, but these havent caused me any problems and Ive been acting as normal today (infact Ive not even said anything to DH - dont want to get him excited for no reason). Thats it, no mucus show, no nesting, no diarreah (sorry cant spell it) in fact more like constipation. I constantly feel like baby is pushing down on my bones and it hurst my pelvic bones when I stand up.

Part of me beleives that I am wishfull thinking in that labour may start in the next day or two, but part of me thinks there may actually be something there.

What do we think? Thanks

[StainlessSteelCat]

I think all those signs are indications that labour is close.

However ... I am 39+5 myself also on DC3, have had all those and more for the last week and at this point I'm willing to believe anything is a sign that labour will start now :o

[FormbyDoula]

I got lots of crampy/period-type feelings before going into labour with DC3. But they were there for a good few days IIRC - every time I felt them I thought 'ooh maybe the baby is coming.' So much so that after the baby was born every time I felt an after-pain I thought 'ooh maybe the baby is coming'

I truly felt that visualising the baby moving down towards my cervix helped me go into labour. I was 39+2 when I had him.

[lollystix]

I was off on for a while week with ds3 but when he was coming he really was

[notveryinventive]

I give up now, nothing at all today. Yesterday it just felt like i was having my period all day, but today all Ive got is a headache.

Oh well she will come when she is ready. I cant do much more, I have tried various tricks. Walking, rocking on an exercise ball, pineapple, curry, sex, running up and down stairs.

Though I do have to say I do have a bit more energy today than what I have had, but on the plus side my hearburn seems to have died down a lot.

This is definately one of the worst bits, looking at every uncomfortable feeling and hoping that things are kicking off.

[findmeintheflowerbed]

OP I am feeline exactly the same as you!
I am 38+4 with DC2 and had 4 days of gradually increasing period style aches last week...then nothing...then very achey yesterday...and today NOTHING! I am also feeling lots of pressure on my bones/pelvic floor when I stand up.
So frustrating. I think I might try what FormbyDoula suggested and do some visualisation.

[notveryinventive]

I was doing the visualisation last night too, but nothing. i too have lots of pressure on my pelvic floor and bones. sometimes i cant walk cos of the pain, but it eases a little after a bit of exercise.

Anyway off to do some ironing now, so hopefully gravity will help a little (or at least give me the cramps again - funny how I actually WANT to feel period type pains). Plus ive also got my bedding drying so fingers crossed because I have washed and made my bed (or will have by bedtime) my waters will break tonight as that will be sods law.

[candr]

Notveryinventive, your post sounds exactly like me. Have had same symptoms for the last week but wore of yesterday and back a bit today. Have planned things to do like BBQ and certain big house jobs thinking sods law would intervene but no! Found myself feeling really low about it today as am just so fed up and uncomfertable now (38+1) and hate the thought I could potentially have 4 weeks more of this. Will keep fingers crossed for you and Findme

[BackwardsInHighHeels]

Room for another not so wee (read: size of a house) 37+4 and utterly fed up one?

I've been sleeping more than I've been awake, weepy and grumpy, had massive pelvic pain that means I can't walk sometimes, period type pain, bit of white discharge and nothing else, until maybe 10 tiny spots of bright red blood a couple of hours ago (sorry if TMI).

Is it just epic wishful thinking on my part, or could this be the start of something?

[skorpion]

Oh, me too! I love being pregnant, but in the last week or so I have been feeling more and more fed up. Am 38+6 with number two. My back is killing me, I have varicose veins where no lady should have varicose veins, the baby is grinding and scratching against my pelvis and can it just please come out?!

Don't remember feeling this uncomfortable with DD1, but then I didn't have a 21 month old to run after...

Do you think this downward pressure is something to go by?

Good luck everybody! Off to tweak some nipples...

[notveryinventive]

backwardsInHighHeels you have the same as me, but you also have a little bit of bleeding, my discharge is just white.

Does anyone know what the white discharge actually is? Is it something to do with your mucus plug or is it something totally unrelated.

skorpion I would love to say that the downward pressure is something to go by, but Ive had that pressure for weeks now.

Ive given up now trying. Ive been walking more (partly to try and bring labour on, partly because my car has a light thats just come on and Ive been a bit scared I break down), but nothing. In fact Im thinking my body is getting used to the little bit of extra exercise so not playing anymore like it did on sat.

My heartburn is coming back a bit but not as bad as before. I am still having some slight crampy pains in my lower back and belly, but nothing worth noting. Im just going to sit it out and wait now. Although part of me is feeling a bit sad that in a few weeks I will never feel a baby fit inside me again as this is my third and 3 is enough, plus by the time I would be ready to have another I will be in my late 30's (which is fine, but Im not sure if I want to be much older than what I am now).

Good luck everybody, keep us updated with signs of labour possibly coming, and I will let you know if anything exciting happens here (not that I can see it for a while yet)

[sunface]

notveryinventive i've been having white discharge for the last few days too, i'm 37+3 at the moment. Today i've also been having very strong braxton hicks and i also still have the odd burst of heartburn... This is my 3rd too..... I had forgotten how unpredictable this pregnancy malarky can be :)

[MumToSophie]

I've been having these symptoms too and last night I started getting my hopes up that she may be on her way :( I was having period type aches on and off til about 3am, I really hoped it would come to something.

Today I just feel tired and uncomfortable, I've also got that pressure down below and feel like I want to lie down all the time. I really just want this baby out now. I'm 40+2 so really hoping it wont be too much longer.

Good luck everyone, hopefully these are all signs our babies are on their way!

[nannyl]

please can i join

Im 40+3.... had a show on saturday, and have been having regular tightenings / only slightly painful ones during the day since, (by sunday even every 10 mins!) which always stops as soon as i go to sleep.
I went to aquanatl yesturday and thought that might set things off, but it seems not.

Last night i had the best nights sleep in months.... i only got up for the loo twice at 3am and 6am rather than hourly or even more often which it has been for as long as i can remember.

id like to hope my body was letting me get some quality sleep ready for the event, but am not convinced lol!

[MumToSophie]

Nannyl I was the same last night, great night sleep and only up twice too so really hope that's a sign haha. I actually feel quite good today, more energy after my great nights sleep.

This sounds so bitchy but I'm really fed up now of all the texts I keep getting "you not had that baby yet?" I feel like turning off my phone today. I know people are just interested and being nice but it's getting on my nerves. It's either family members or friends who obviously we'd tell if the baby was here or people I hardly even speak to, like I'm going to text them the minute my waters break!! Sorry, that's my little rant over, I'll blame my pregnancy hormones haha :)

[Lollyheart]

It's so frustrating isn't it.

I'm 39+ 3 with dc4, my last 2 came at 38 weeks so thought I would of had this one by now.
I can hardly walk now as my pelvis hurts when I stand up.

Not long now I guess

[TheNationalTruss]

I've had no real signs both times. With dd my waters broke at 38 weeks while eating dinner and with ds (11 days ago), my waters broke in bed. No sign it was about to happen at all.

None of the pineapple/curry/sex stuff works sadly and vast swathes of people like me will be just sitting or sleeping when things kick off.

Good luck to you all though. Give it a couple of weeks and you'll all have lovely little newborns. It's funny though isn't it? You spend the last days and week uncomfortable and impatient and then once it's done you wish you'd enjoyed the last bit more.

[notveryinventive]

Well Im still not getting excited although my facebook friends have decided its close. Ive put on my status about having my heartburn and queasyness back and now i have people telling me ooh its starting etc. I got them back yesterday and still nothing.

Although this morning I did have a fairly bad nosebleed. It was fairly bad for me anyway as I never got nosebleeds until I got PG this time and even then it was only mild, but this morning it was dripping for about 5 mins (sorry if its TMI)

Thats it so far, still having the odd period type cramps, but they dont make me say ouch or anything. Ive not told DH that cos I know he will also think DC3 is about to make an appearance, but Ive been having these for 5 days now.

I agree about the curry/pineapple etc I think that they are only likely to work if your body is really ready for labour. Mine semi feels like it is as I am getting these cramps and my tummy is hardening quite a lot more now than before, but as I have said this has been going on for a while now.

Today I joined a group on facebook that has mediums and trainee mediums on and I posted my scan picture on to see if there was any reaction. A few said round about 25th-30th Sept and a couple said Nov . Obviously Im not going to take this as fact just cos some people who are meant to be psychically advantaged have said so, but thought it could be a bit of fun.

Anyway good luck ladies hope we all have some more signs too.

[nannyl]

well my nights sleep worked i think.

Baby arrived at 2237 on Wednesday. At my planned homebirth.... was extreamly fast and only 1 midwife made it to the birth..... just! Midwife 2 arrived 10mins after she was born!
I never got in my birth pool, which OH had spent hours filling, and i went from 7cm (my 1st and only exam) to having given birth in

[yummymango]

Congratulations nannyl!!

[MumToSophie]

Congrats Nannyl :)

[findmeintheflowerbed]

Congratulations nannyl!
Lovely names too.

[Flisspaps]

Massive congratulations nannyl :)

[mumblejumble]

Congratulations!

[notveryinventive]

ooh congratulations nannyl.

The other night (Wed night/Thurs morning) I woke up at was experiencing some quite bad cramps. I knew it wasnt labour, but was hoping that it meant that I would be in labour fairly soon. After about an hour the pain died down and i managed to get back to sleep, woke up later and nothing. I saw my midwife yesterday and told her and she said I was in false labour. Ive had nothing else yet.

Im due to have a S+S later and feel really wierd. Im scared about the pain of labour and childbirth (with my first two I wasnt at all, but this time I cant help being a little nervous about the pain Im going to be in). Im also feeling excited and I am finding it very hard to sit still, Im feeling very fidgety.

Ive been trying to find out the success rate of the S+S on 2nd, 3rd etc babies, but can only see that in general there is a 50% success rate anyway. Im really hoping that there is a better success rate for me as I already have had 2 children, but we shall see.