MEGA pains in back. No idea if I'm in labour.

[SchrodingersMew]

Had some bleeding and some bloody mucus the past few days and now I am having fucking mega pains in my back. About half way up and down to the bottom.

(TMI ALERT) Also had a very, very upset tummy earlier today.

I have no idea if I am in labour or not and apologies if this OP is all over the place as I really can't think straight I'm in that much pain and this is even through Tramadol!

Someone help, please!

[mumblejumble]

Are the pains coming in waves?
I think you probably are in labour.
Do you have anyone with you? If you can't think straight, it could be very close.
Good luck!

[wideawakenurse]

How many weeks are you? Also, when did you last see your MW? Did they say anything about position of the baby?

It may well be the start of things given the upset tummy and what sounds like your show.

Are you alone? I would say run a bath and wallow in it, but only if you think you'll be able to get out of it ok.

Good Luck!

[YougreatPamplemousse]

Sounds like me the evening DD2 was born.

How far along are you?

[SchrodingersMew]

I've already had a bath. :( And walked and no help.

Coming in weird waves and feels like someone is trying to snap my spine in half.

Have phoned MAU and they have told me to phone back when they are 5 mins apart but she does think I am in labour.

I'm 37+3.

No one has said anything about the position of the baby, I think in my notes from last app it says long?

I feel like I need to go to the toilet and just stay on the bloody toilet. :(

[SchrodingersMew]

And thanks for all the good lucks. :) I think I may need it, this is awful...

[winnybella]

Sounds like labour to me

Are you having the baby at home or in hospital? Have you got someone to drive you there?

[thisisyesterday]

oooooh sounds like labour to me!

my second started like that and he was back to back, so maybe the same for you? or maybe just one of those things.

if baby is back to back you may be in for a lot of pushing (if s/he doesn't turn durring labour). try and keep upright and active, and if it feels good to labour kneeling up and leaning forward then do it! those are all things that helped me

aaaaanyway, enough of all that and a bit more of hurrah hurrah! hope it all goes well and you have a squishy little baby to snuggle soon

[YougreatPamplemousse]

The back pain does sound back to back so it cold take a while to get going properly. A bit of bouncing on the ball or just leaning over it to take the pressure off may help ease the pain.

[wheelshavefallenoffthebus]

Good luck if this is it!

[wideawakenurse]

Yep, sounds like its happening for you.

Have you got a TEN's to put on?

I know what you mean about that feeling like you want to stay on the toilet all the time. Do you have a ball? I found grinding against it helped me at that stage.

If you are really struggling then call the MW back and explain that even though the contractions are not 5 mins, you are finding the pain unbearable.

"Long" means Long lie - as in the baby is in a vertical position. Thats good!

[SchrodingersMew]

I'm having him in hospital. :) I have loads of other health problems and need to unfortunately but apparently meant to be getting the pool if I can. Fingers crossed.

I think you're right and this is going to take a while! Feels like it slows down a bit and then WHAM. I have no pains in my tummy really so it feels weird to think I'm in labour!

Thisisyesterday Hopefully I will have a squishy baby soon. :) I think it may be a long ride though. :(

[SchrodingersMew]

Wideawake I don't have a TENS, I had one for back pain for Fibro and the thing freaked me out!

I do have a ball though so should probably try that, yet again the needing to go to the toilet feeling comes and goes as well. Very strange experience!

Thanks again all! :)

[mumt1]

I no people have said it but it sounds like labour, u could do with getting checked. Bloody mucas is the show. Which is a symptom that the cervix is opening. And the errm 'spending too much time on toilet' is also a symptom of labour as your body tries to empty your bowels. Due to pushing. And backache was where my contractions where. ( Everything u described is how I was at begining of labour) although I was induced. Good luck and keep us posted, if I was you I would go to the hospital

[wideawakenurse]

Bounce and roll on that ball and if you can try and eat some snacks, go to keep your energy up at this stage.

Get the ball in front of some trashy TV!

I promise it will all be worth it in the end.

[SchrodingersMew]

Mum I have phoned them and they don't want me there until they are 5 mins apart. :( Felt like screaming down the phone "but this hurtsss!!!" but no. :(

Clary sage in a flannel is meant to be good pain relief isn't it? I have some of that.

[SchrodingersMew]

Wideawake I just scoffed some baby bells. :o Think it's all I could manage right now. I even turned down the offer of chocolate so something must be wrong!

[YougreatPamplemousse]

Clary sage is good for encouraging the contractions. A little in a warm bath is great in this stage of labour.

Do you have a contraction timer or someone who can help time them for you?

[thisisyesterday]

interestingly, with ds2 i didn't think i had progressed much as I was having really intense contractions, ut they were not regular.
sometimes they were every 2-3 minutes, then I'd have a 5-10 min gap.
some were over a minute long, others were only 30 seconds,

anyway, dp phoned midwives cos i was having a HB, and when she came out I was 8cm already!

so don't be put off if it's not all regular. if it's feeling really intense and if you are having some long contractions I would def say it's worth calling again and seeing if ytou can go in to get checked over.

is this your first?

[SchrodingersMew]

My contraction timer (DP) is away picking me up painkillers but will be back very soon. :)

I think I might try another bath and maybe a rest, I couldn't get comfy last night and barely slept.

I think the tramadol (prescribed) may be helping a little, not much but a tiny bit.

[SchrodingersMew]

Thisisyesterday That is exactly what mines are like! Some could be seconds apart, others 15 mins. That's why they don't want me in. :( I haven't even to phone back until they are every 5 mins and 1 min apart regular.

It is my first. :)

[thisisyesterday]

yeah bath and a rest is a good idea.
try walking around too so that baby can get into a nice position, or leaning over something to encourage good position. if it feels "wrong" do something else... listen to your body

[SchrodingersMew]

Weirdly although I feel awful I feel my body is screaming sleep. Maybe it's that I just want to curl up.

[thisisyesterday]

go and have a rest. if it's labour then you'll need all your energy, so if you feel you can sleep, or at least rest right now then go for it

[SchrodingersMew]

Okay, will be back to update soon. Going to try clary sage, ball and a little rest if I can manage it. Hopefully it will all speed things up.

I'm actually half tempted to try and jump DP just to speed things up.

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

I had the same as Thisisyesterday, was nearly 8cm dilated when I got to hospital. With hindsight I should have insisted on going in as had gone on for days and I was knackered. They call them labile contractions from memory.

If you feel you'd like to be seem, I'd ring them and say some of the contractions are coming very close together and you would like to be checked over. Be firm.