early labour?

[salander]

just looking for some advice - first timer and reasonably clueless

i am now 40+6 and had membrane sweep 2 days ago- midwife said then i was 1-2cms and nearly fully effaced. since then have been having incrasingly regular and mildly painful cramps, every 10 minutes ish, kinda like period cramp. also had a show last night. managed to sleep ok last night and pain isn't stopping me doing things. is this early labour? or just the result of the sweep? and is it ok for this to go on and on with no signs of it imminently getting worse? any advice gratefully received.

I think it's the 'latent phase' so not established labour no but it is your body slowly getting ready and gearing up. Once labour actually starts your body will have done a lot of the hard work.

I had these pains every night for 5 nights before actually giving birth. Very normal and may come and go before you actually go into labour. The good news it's not wasted effort as you should have a relatively speedy birth! Good luck!