What were your signs of premature labour?

[hannahbanananana]

I'm 31+1 and getting a little worried. For the past 2 days I've been having what started out like period pains. They weren't completely unbearable, no worse than usual menstrual cramps, unless I tried to stand up or was walking and then they got really intense. I managed to fall asleep the first night I got them, and woke up feeling a lot better, a few niggling pains (again similar to period pains) but nothing major. I thought maybe that I'd overdone it as had been on my feet for an hour or so, or maybe it was just everything stretching. Got half way through the day and they started again, but this time were really painful, was struggling to talk through the pains, and I felt so much pressure low down (baby is breech so thought this was bizzare). I was also getting a lot of tightenings, but these weren't always at the same time as the pains, and these weren't painful, just uncomfortable. Started timing the pains and they were coming every 7-10 minutes, so was getting really worried. But when I lied down in bed, they seemed to die down. I didn't sleep at all last night with back ache, it wasn't particularly painful, just an uncomfortable ache and I just couldn't get comfy. Have spent most of the day laid in bed watching films and not had a huge amount of pain until I sat up. Again the pains are getting more intense and quite close together, but die down when I lie down.. So confused! I'm not constipated and I don't have a UTI (I have my urine checked twice weekly as I have pregnancy induced hypertension). I'm going to keep an eye on it and maybe phone my midwife tomorrow, but wondered if anyone had a similar experience? I just know that if I go to triage the pains will stop and I don't fancy wasting their time.

[bluewisteria]

Errr, I would call now or go in preferably this evening.

You are not wasting their time. If it is premature labour you need steroids and to be somewhere that can look after your baby i.e. hospital with a neonatal unit.

It isn't worth not calling, even if the risk is very small it's only a phone call or visit.

Let us know what they say.

[blueobsessive]

I'd go in either tonight or latest tomorrow am and bring a small hospital survival bag ( phone charger , earplugs, eye mask, water, food, toothbrush and paste, shower gel, dehoderant, v Long book). I hope it is all completely fine. You may have a long and full wait but checking is better than worrying at home. Good luck. Hugs.

[bluewisteria]

How are you Hannah?

[Newlywed123]

I had no signs until I was 10cm. You are never wasting time, you definitely should get checked out only being 31 weeks you'll need steroids. Best of luck

[hannahbanananana]

Thanks for all your replies :) The pains died down again last night when I laid down so I left it until this morning to phone. Spoke to my midwife who said just to rest and see her as usual tomorrow, unless the pains get worse.

Sounds a bit silly, but I've been back and forth to triage with high blood pressure and already had 3 admissions, and really don't want to appear to be a drama queen. OH seems to think I'm over-reacting and keeps saying 'you'd know about it if you were in labour'. I'm still having regular pains and tightenings, but have done for 3 days now and keep thinking that surely things would have progressed by now if it was anything to be concerned about??

I never thought pregnancy would be this terrifying! Thanks again ladies! x

[Sighing]

I experienced some false labour but it did come and go (go completely) but that was in the two weeks following an earthquake before DD was born.
How aware of the baby's movements are you? Is the bump lower? (These are the sort of questions i was asked)
I'm surprised they've not bought you in for obs. It's not wasting their time, it's what they do x

[bluewisteria]

I found it a bit shocking too, you aren't being silly at all. Are you seeing your midwife today?

I think 4 days of regular pain is A LOT and warrents an examination frankly. The question you need to ask your other half is 'is it really worth the risk?' It's not as if your midwife has seen you, no one has. Go in.

Hugs.

[BexusSugarush]

Also surprised they haven't taken you in for observation, but maybe that's due to how far away from your EDD you are. Also experienced false labour at 32 weeks but it went away and haven't had it since - midwife told me it was my body preparing itself for labour, and if the 'false labour' continues then to go to the antenatal assessment unit, as extended periods of this COULD be your body prepping for premature labour.

Please hassle your midwife about this/go to the antenatal assessment unit, I promise you it is not a waste of their time and it will reassure you to be there where they can help you. Your taxes pay for free healthcare when you need it - and you need it right now so don't feel like you're wasting time. As to being a drama queen, it sounds like you're in an awful lot of pain and worried - that's not good for you or your little one so please go see someone and I really hope you find out what's wrong and feel better soon x

[Iammad]

I had this happen last year at the same gestation as you.
I did go into hospital and was monitored and had a test done.
(bit like a smear test) and then if it's neg it means your very unlikely to go into labour.
If pos then your more likely to go into labour in the next two weeks.
Mine was pos so ended up staying in on tablets to stop labour and steroid injections.
I also had an iron transfusion as iron was very low.
Baby stayed put until 38 weeks which I was induced due to pih and my iron.
Please do not ignore, next time you have pain then go in and get checked.

[Bearberry]

I would definitely get this checked ASAP. The pains sound very familiar to my premature labour, certainly worth getting checked out. You're not wasting anyone's time, I got fobbed off with 'stretching pains' and sadly things did not end well.

[bluewisteria]

Hannah can you show your OH this thread? Just so he can see people's responses?

Please get checked out, it just isn't worth not checking.

[Newlywed123]

I went from 0-10cm without knowing with my first. With my 2nd I was having pains (nothing major) for 3 days, I went into hospital when the pain was bad on the 3rd day to find out I was 6cm. Honestly go and get checked out. At 31 weeks it shouldn't be left.

[jmac88]

hannah I could've written your post myself too! Have been having what I'm pretty certain are BH contractions since yesterday afternoon that are pretty much every 10 mins. Dies down over night and this morning are less frequent but have so been a but worried they are signs of pre labour. Also had some dull cramping in back yesterday but that seems to have gone. I was under consultant until 20 wk scan due to septate uterus as it can cause pre term labour but they checked my cervix at 20 wk scan and said it was long and fine so discharged me. I also totally get how you feel about not wanting to call in case it's all a false alarm, but having read the above comments I think I will give mw a call shortly to stop me worrying.

[jmac88]

Forgot to say I'm 32 weeks today!

[Totallyoutoforder]

Talk to the mw. Don't be afraid to be a dramaqueen if it turns out to be false alarm. When I arrived at my clinic after 3h of contractions every 5 minutes, I was monitored and told that my contractions were not labour contractions yet. They gave me antispasmodic drug and told me to rest. An hour later, dh called the team again when contractions were every 2 minutes and baby was already showing. Luckily we did not drive home that night, 45 minutes away, dh chose to stay in the waiting room for the antispasmodic to kick in, it never happened, although he was told he could wait up to 24h for real labour contractions, bl*€>< team. Baby arrived safely and healthily, is now 3 and lively. Good luck to all and congrats on the imminent arrival.

[jmac88]

How are you doing hannah? Spoke to my midwife and she said as long as they don't get very painful then to just take some paracetamol and keep an eye. Mine haven't got any more painful so think it's just a case of intense braxton hicks.

[hannahbanananana]

Hey jmac, glad you spoke to your midwife. I was meant to see my midwife this morning but she cancelled and re-arranged an appointment for tomorrow. I mentioned on the phone that the bad period pains were still there, and she said take paracetamol and drink plenty of water.

I'm just really confused with what's going on. The tightenings are so often, but pretty sure they're BHs. The pain isn't always at the same time as the tightenings, which is what's telling me it's not the real deal, that and that they don't seem to be getting worse or more frequent. I did have a couple earlier which were quite bad and I was 100% sure they were the real thing, but then they died down again. They pains seem to be triggered by certain positions and movement.. I don't get any pain when I'm laying down, but I'm struggling to walk the smallest distances without having to stop because of the pain, has anyone heard of anything like this?

[BexusSugarush]

Alot of people I've spoken to about this (as I had the pains too, as have a few of my friends while pregnant) assume you're just having Braxton Hicks contractions and being really pathetic about them, but I have spoken to a women who had both these pains and 3 kids, and she assures me that they can be as painful as real contractions. She maintains that it's your body either preparing for labour, or actually in the first stage of labour.

[mummypig3]

Could be irritable uterus or very slow labour. I had this from about 34 weeks on and off until ds was born 40+3. My midwife didn't send me in to be checked even when my mucus plug came away in bits at 34-35 weeks. I was losing hind waters for a few days til I realised it wasn't just discharge and was told to go in. They broke my front waters and ds was born 5 hours later

[hannahbanananana]

OH seems to think I'm being a wimp too and keeps saying if you can't cope with BH then you're screwed in labour.. Helpful eh! It's not that I can't cope with the pain, it's just that I'm concerned what's causing it, that's the only reason I haven't shut up about it haha. If I had an explanation I'd just get on with it. I've found the whole experience so far, quite terrifying not knowing what to expect and having nothing to compare it to. Do people commonly have period type pain with BH around this stage?

[jmac88]

Hmm I don't think this can be compared to the real deal as it's completely different. You're clearly not being pathetic about the pain it's the uncertainty that's difficult. I feel the same. Pregnancy is so subjective! The mw said to come in if it gets "very painful" what does that mean???!!! Mine also get worse and more painful when walking hannah. I'm assuming our bodies are just preparing our uterus. Mw did say to keep an eye on discharge too.

[blueobsessive]

Op I'd suggest you ask [1) to have a fetal fibronectin test ( if positive you have a high % chance of delivery in the next fortnight. If negative the chance is v low (2) do you need steroids. If baby does come this early they usually have a better chance if you have had a few days of steroids to prepare their lungs. You sound as though you are not worried about the pain itself- it is the worry about what is going on. It's hopefully bh but hopefully a negative fibronectin test will give you confidence in that.

[hannahbanananana]

So I saw MW today who seems to think baby's head (or bum, if he's still breech) is engaging and that's what's causing the pain when I'm sat up, stood or walking, and that the tightenings are probably just BH. But who knows! How are you today jmac?

[jmac88]

Sounds like they're not too worried about either of us! Which is good!

I'm still having what I believe is BH pretty strong ones and regular still but not painful so haven't called the mw again. My ribs are in agony though!!! Bringing me to tears!!!!

[jmac88]

So the moral of the story is to always trust your body. My waters broke about 4 hours ago and currently in hospital as they think I could go into labour imminently. So that should give you an idea of what premium labour symptoms are like! Will keep you updated!