Regular waves of backache - a sign that labour is approaching

[firstpregnancy]

Has anybody had anything similar to this in the lead up to labour, or at the beginning of labour?

Since this morning I have been getting fairly regular waves of back pain that have been very gradually getting worse, lasting for about 10-20 seconds at a time every 5 - 10 minutes (not been timing them). I am fine between times (like now).

I know that my baby was lying back to back, but mw couldn't be certain at my last appointment on wednesday.

I don't think I am in 'proper' labour just yet, as I'm sure I am not in enough pain for that yet, but each time happens, I wince and cannot find a comfortable position, either sitting or standing, and am finding it harder and harder to concentrate on anything. I'm reluctant to phone the labour ward at this stage, but not really sure what to do for the best. I have taken paracetamol and am hoping this may ease things a bit. Could this be early labour, or something else?

I have also posted this in the Pregnancy section, as I wasn't sure which it came under.

I meant to put a question mark in the title - doh!

Hi I had horribble back ache all day just before I went in to labour. I don't remember it coming and going, but it was horrible and I couldn't get comnfortable all day. I also lost my appetite all day and went to bed at about 8:30 to be woken by contractions just before midnight.

Good luck.

I had this in my early labour with my back to back baby, I found the pain did move round to the front when my labour set in so if you are still the same now, I wouldn't call just yet :)

A friend of mine had backache only and no real labour pains (2nd baby) - it was only when she realised her back pain was coming in waves that she realised it was possibly labour, baby arrived about 30 minutes later!