Think I'm in pre-labour. How long does this bit last?

[Canilla]

Firstly I'd like to apologise for posting in AIBU for traffic. I'm exhausted and in pain and just need lots of advice/experience to help me understand and manage my expectations.

Since about 11pm last night I have been experiencing period like pains, quite intense, lasting about a minute every 10 or so minutes. A couple have been 3 mins apart, a couple 12/13 etc. Average is about 10.

I'm convinced this is the start of something. The midwife I spoke to wasn't that helpful and just told me when they're 3 minutes apart to come in. I understand this but felt rushed off the phone when I needed calming down and a bit of reassurance.

Does this sound like pre-labour? Could this go on for days? Any experience of this?

I'm 37+6 and due to be induced tomorrow. So nervous and not sure what's going on!

MIne started like that at 8am, I’ll called DH home from work by 11am and the midwife unit at midday. They told me to come in when the contractions got to 3 in 10 mins or when I couldn’t cope any more. Lots of walking, hanging over a ball and a wa bath later and at 5pm I decided I needed to go in. They assessed me about 6.30pm and I was 6cm - still wasn’t having 3 contractions in 10 minutes. DS was born about 9pm and I still hadn’t had 3 contractions in 10 minutes regularly!
It could go on for days as PPs have said, or your baby could be here by bedtime! Listen to your body and contact the midwife / labour ward again if you think things are ramping up in intensity. Although I wouldn’t be keen to go in too soon as you are almost certainly more comfortable at home.

The good news is that with any luck your cervix will be nice and favourable and the induction will work quickly, with no need for the drip.

Good luck!

Thanks for sharing that @DrWhy - DP is out today with his DC and not back until around 5 but not expecting anything to happen before then (he'll come back if it does!). In the mean time I think I'm going to try and sleep and go for a wander! Funny how unpredictable labour is.

Fingers crossed @Belleende 🙂

Getting a very slight bit of brown discharge, like the end of my period... not sure what it is!

Possibly the start of losing your plug?

Honestly it's not a bad thing you're being induced - if you're already in pre-labour then you're likely to be very favourable to the induction which should mean it works well and you hopefully won't be waiting around for too long.

Good luck! Try to rest and keep your strength up if you can.

Thank you @BertieBotts - mn is keeping me sane!

More signs. That's good!

This will be me in a few weeks. Eeeeep!

Have you got a tens machine? I found it great to start that at this stage. I didn't need any other pain relief as it worked so well. Good luck x

I started contractions like you are describing at 9pm, waters broke at 1am (so obvs bad to go in) DS arrived at 8.27am so it can happen fast even with your first. Less than 12 hours from the first signs of pre-labour

You were all right! This is taking bloody ages!! Contractions are stronger but not regular anymore. Anywhere between 10-45 minutes apart. This is so weird. What's going on?!!

Yeah it's a bugger isn't it?

It's not called slow labour for nothing.

@ThirdChildFourthPile I'm so anxious. Looks like I'll just end up being induced tomorrow and hopefully it works quickly!

bar a few hours i nearly had a 5 day labour with my first

i already went 16 days over

im assuming things have changed and they dont let you go that long any more as this was 04

@canilla how u doing

Any news OP?

Hope she is OK and baby doing good