Wwyd - phoning maternity ward?

[sailorcherries]

Posting for traffic ..

I'm 38 weeks and 2 days pregnant, have a pre-op assessment at the end of the week plus 38 week check and a csection scheduled a week tomorrow.

Since Saturday I've felt a slight decrease in LOs movements, he wasn't as active at all during the day and then had a spurt at night (I had been cleaning all day followed by a bath at night).

Yesterday they seemed to drop again to the point where I did feel him but no where near what I'd consider normal. I put off phoning because he did move, just not as pronounced or as often.

Last night I went to the toilet and, after wiping, noticed what can only be described as a small bogey type thing on the tissue (greenish in colour) and a little bit on my trousers (I was wearing a thong). Then last night I woke up at 1am and couldn't get back to sleep. I had terrible back ache and again LO wasn't really moving. I then had the urge to go to the bathroom asap and had a bout of diarrhoea and, when I stood up, I noticed a pinky blob in the toilet about a 1p in size. This then progressed to intermittent period type pains, albeit mild, accompanied by a tightening of my belly. They lasted less than a minute, came every 2-4 minutes and stopped altogether after an hour. They were never sore, never picked up pace or intensity. I couldn’t fall back asleep until gone 5am though.

Today I've felt LO move but again it isn't nearly as frequently or as strong. I've had backache all day and some period type cramps but nothing that can be tracked. I've had no more discharge whatsoever.

I read various posts about the ten kicks per hour vs ten kicks per day vs less than normal for you and I really don't know what to do.

I didn't go in to natural labour with my first and I cannot remember feeling anything like this (it was almost 7 years ago now). Do I phone the maternity ward or am I worrying over nothing?

Yes, take your hospital bag with you.

Sounds like the start of labour to me. That's now mine started. Turn up at the mat unit, get checked.

Just go. Now.

Yes Mine started like that but reduced movements need checking.

you're in labour. get thee to the hospital!

hope all goes well.

Definitely get going I had reduced movement with dd2 and had to be quite insistent as I was being induced first thing in the morning and due for the ctg at 4am I was sure something was wrong (felt same as when I had dd1 at 32 weeks although this was full term) and thankfully one of the midwives knew me from dd1 and birthing partner for my nephew and niece and took me seriously. Immediate induction by breaking my waters (no pessaries) at 11pm as dd2 was distressed and meconium in the waters

Please just go, don't bother waiting for them to answer the phone. Good luck.

The mucous and blob thing sounds like the cervical bung that comes out just before birth. Good luck x

Another one saying go in. If you can't get through on the phone, just pitch up. You won't be bothering anyone.

Hope you're on your way OP!

Go in. I had the same for 4 days with my second after 2 days the induced labour for the reduced movements. Ds2 slept for 3 days apart from eating half alseep he was very unresponsive I think if I had left it something bad might have happened.

Yep just go.

Sounds like a show and early labour. You need to go in and get monitored I was in a few times and the midwife told me they'd rather you come in a hundred times then you leave it and something happens.

Go in now. You are in labour I think!

Your in labour - sounds like your mucus plug has come away. Another go and and get checked

Sounds like labour to me as well. If you are scheduled for a section they will want you in asap so please head up to the hospital. Good luck

I finally managed go get through on the phone but before I did the baby picked up and has been moving non-stop since? So constant movements that can be seen/felt for over an hour (which, apart from the day or so yesterday is his normal pattern).

Spoke to the mw anyway and she said if the movements reduce again or anything else seems off then go in/phone, but just now there isn't much they can do because baby is moving so much again. I'm just to keep an eye on things.

She said the period type cramp and tightenings could be early labor or they could be braxton hicks and back pain is normal. It could stay this way for a few days.

So I'm just to see how things go. All bags etc are packed anyway.

Thank you everyone for the concern

I'm confused.

Are you having a section?

If you need a section but you're going into labour it would be a good idea to go into the unit?

Did you tell them about the green discharge? I would be concerned about infection or meconium, which can indicate a distressed baby.

The mw didn't think it sounded like established labour at all. Mainly because it was an hour between 4-5 with no change of intensity or pain and then again today it's not been consistent, sore etc. She said it could be labor starting or it could be braxton hicks but unfortunately it could go on for days until anything actually happened.

For example earlier the tightening was possibly every 5 minutes for less than a minute but half an hour later it had went to every 15 minutes.

The green discharge was one slight piece, smaller than a 5p, that was quite jelly like. Again she said unless it happened again it was possibly just a bit of my plug before any type of show. It hasn't happened again.

I'm just keeping an eye on things but, thankfully, baby has decided to wake up and is making up for the few quiet hours.

Glad you have spoken to them - did you mention the green discharge though? Don't know how it works in your area, but could you ring your midwife and see if they are doing a clinic anywhere they could squeeze you in this afternoon for a quick check and listen in to the heartbeat?

Did you definitely mention everything? Does she know you are having a c section? What will happen if you do go into labour properly will they have to do an emergency csection?
Just watch the movements because they were reduced for quite a while before you spoke on the phone. Glad you got through and she reassured you.

All three of my labours started like you've described - and they were all born 24 hours later - after apparent cessation of symptoms but no reduction in movements! If you're having a C section you don't want to be in established labour! I'd just go in if I were you and get checked over.

I'm keeping an eye on movement and if I feel worried I'll phone straight away, no debating whether it's actually reduced etc. Likewise if the pain becomes more consistent/intense then I'll phone and go in.

Mentioned the section but I'm having one purely because of an estimated big baby/previous emcs. There isn't actually a pressing reason for one, such as breech/GD/multiples and so on. I've already been told that if I go in to labour beforehand and still want a section then it'll be a planned emergency, but still more calm and relaxing than a true emergency (whatever that may entail) or I could decide to try for vbac. If I still wanted the section they would prep me once I got there and get it done asap without letting me labour for however long.