Could this be early labour?

[roarfeckingroarr]

Does this sound like it could be early labour?

I'm 40+5 with first baby and have been having Braxton Hicks and period pain like cramps for weeks. Late last night these were getting stronger and from around 3am I've been waking up every 20 minutes or so with sharp pains around my hips and lower back that last about 20-40 seconds. They feel a bit like I'm being squeezed really tightly and are painful enough to seriously hurt but manageable with a hot water bottle, hypno breathing and some paras so far.

Could this be it? Pains are getting stronger.

No sign of waters breaking or mucus plug yet.

Sounds promising. Go for a nice walk, maybe have a bath, try and rest.

Sounds like it to me. This stage can go on for a while though. Keep trying to rest and eat and drink a bit. Good luck.

Sounds promising! My top tip is to stay as active as possible - go for a big walk (take your notes with you just in case).

Good luck! I hope everything goes smoothly

Ok thank you. I'm going to try to get some more sleep and then go for a walk. It's pretty scary, these bloody hurt.

I have three kids and every labour I have been shocked my how much it hurts. It’s making how your brain blocks it out afterwards! But try and go with it OP and don’t let fear cause you to tense up as that can slow things down. Try and think of each contraction as a fast sprint getting you towards your much wanted destination. Then in between contractions you rest and prepare for the next sprint. Like interval training. For some reason that really helped me. I even pictured the finish line coming into view and getting closer each time.

@roarfeckingroarr

Ok thank you. I'm going to try to get some more sleep and then go for a walk. It's pretty scary, these bloody hurt.

It’s ok. Breathe through them, you’ll be ok.

Have you practiced breathing exercises?

I have but the pain is making me feel sick. Will keep with them.

Fingers crossed it's all getting going for you! I'm nearly 40 weeks with my second.. I've been getting Braxton hicks combined with horrendous hip pain for weeks. I just want this baby out!
I would agree with PP have a bath if it gets too uncomfortable that always helps me. Do you have an exercise ball to bounce on? But yeah get as much rest as you can now, but when your ready to get up try and stay on the move, whether is just walking around your house or bouncing on a ball :) good luck!!! I'm very jealous Haha.

Waters don't always break until the end. And you don't always get a show, so if you feel they're getting too the point of hard to handle, probably time to go in to hospital if you're having a hospital birth.

Good luck! :)

Fingers crossed this is it, though I did have a few false alarms with these symptoms, the pains would end up tailing off

My second labour started similarly. Woke up early hours of the morning with a pain like a band being stretched across my back, by 8am they were every 10 min but still manageable enough for me to do school run. They didn’t really ramp up pain wise until around 12.30, baby was born at 3pm.

My best advice is to stay active, have you got a birthing ball, this really helped me manage the pain!

Yes don’t rely on waters or plug - i didn’t lose either until about 5 mins before I started pushing.

If you’re feeling like you need extra support or pain relief give your labour ward a call.

And don’t be scared, it is painful but you can absolutely do this. Every pain is one less before you meet your baby.

Thank you everyone. The elastic band - yes it feels like that. Back and hips and top of legs weirdly.

@roarfeckingroarr

I have but the pain is making me feel sick. Will keep with them.

With my first I remember at 1cm in the hospital crying with pain and begging for the gas and air.. I asked the midwife if it would get much worse and she laughed and said yes, a lot lot worse than this... Honestly, it didn’t. Maybe 10% worse. Some people just go from 0-100 straight away and maybe that’s you too.

I was only in pain with my first labour for two hours. With my second I was 5cm dilated with no pain. I'd suggest you get checked out. Exciting times!

Sounds like things are getting going! Good luck :)

Keep moving and get things going! Good luck x

Any updates OP? The pain at tops of legs rings a bell too. Like others have said don’t assume pain will get loads worse, as I said my pains didn’t get a lot worse, just a bit more intense. Also didn’t loose plug until about an hour before birth and midwife had to break waters to assist with delivery. I think tv gives the impression that the start of labour is a massive drama but I think it’s quite often more of a slow burn kind of thing!

Excited for you. Good luck!!

I'm in hospital. Came in 2-3cm dilated, baby heart rate low so can't have water birth or pethidine. On labour ward, in a lot of pain but trying to get through without epidural. Next exam in half hour.

Ooh! Good luck

Good luck OP! Keep us updated when you can.

Was just about to say I had this first one at 5 in the morning went to hospital at 2 in the afternoon and was 4cm dilated and then had my little girl at 4pm with only gas and air after shouting for a epidural but was to late as I was 9cm when I asked for it. But this was my second! But pains were completely different than my first! X

When the contractions are so fierce you don't know you're own name, let alone post on Mumsnet then you know you're in full labour!

Best of luck OP, how exciting!! 💐