Mild contractions

[Meid]

I'm 37 weeks pregnant and have been having stomach cramp and mild contractions.

The cramps are constant but bearable and the contractions are irratic and only last about 20 seconds, but none the less they take my breath away.

I would assume I'm experiencing a false labour or Braxton Hicks, but this has been going on for almost 48 hours.

Has this kind of thing happened to anyone else and what was the outcome?

It just doesn't seem to be developing further, but isn't going away either.

Any responses much appreciated.
m x

how often are the contractions? rather than be in any doubt, phone up your labour ward midwife and ask them what to do! sounds like a nasty prolonged pre=labour, rather than established labour. I had regular painful contractions for about 16 hours before actually being in established labour.

sorry to say a friend of mine had this kind of thing on and off for 2 or 3 weeks before she was finally induced at 38 wks. good luck with whatever it is.

I had regularly irregular (IYKWIM) painful contractions for three days before they started to do anything useful and actually went into "established labour" - sorry. Started on a Friday lunchtime and gave birth the following Weds early morning, very little sleep other than short fits and starts in all that time. They were more concerned about my lack of sleep and me seeming to go rather loopy on it than the slow labour. My contractions were 10-20 secs, between 5 and 20 mins apart and quite painful, only got organised and fell into a pattern by the Tuesday.
For my second labour I was determined to not go through such a long haul. After a morning of irregular not going anywhere type contractions, I put on my boots, grabbed a coat and went for a slow walk round our village a couple of times - movement kicked it into a regular pattern and everything progressed nicely.
I guess it would be worth working out whether you need to rest, take a paracetemol and try to relax, maybe a bath etc or whether you want to get on with it and try to take an active birth type route? Mild exercise such as walking, staying upright, using a birthing ball etc can all help if your body is ready for it. What is your mw advising as they are the best ones to help you out xx

Meid-with my ds i went into labour every full moon starting at 28 weeks-and far as i was concerned they were real contractions-having to bend over,have support and breathe through them.I went into hospital on 4 seperate occassions and was sent home each time.

After all this ds was induced 10 days late!!

Thanks for the responses here.

The cramps and mild contractions are still going on but they have decreased. Spoke to my midwife who thought that maybe the pain was caused by the head engaging. Time will tell I guess but if it does continue I'll make sure someone actually examines me.

Thanks again.

just wanted to say i feel for you. I am going thru the same thing and am 40+3. At least the end is in sight for me.

It is very fustrating feeling like this yet knowing you are not in 'actual labour'.

Hope it all settles itself out.

Hi meid
I feel for you too! I went through the same thing for 3 weeks (38-41 weeks) until baby finally appeared. My contractions were also painful, regular, lasting for more than minute, every 3-5 mins apart. Thought several times that I really was in labour, only to be sent back home again by the delivery unit: we were in 8 (?? lost count to be honoust) times with a false alarm. The explanation I got for my painful contractions was also that the baby's head was engaging, and then unengaging again: apparently I have a huge pelvis, so baba was doing some paralel parking in there (changed from left to right, front to back presentation). Was told this gave me an irritable uterus. Well, by the end of the 3 weeks that wasn't the only irritable thing.... . Ds2 is lovely and well-worth it though... Probably also all these false alarms sped up the birth process in the end: went from 3 to 10cms in just a couple of hours.
Wish you all the luck and a speedy birth!

DS 2 and 3 (DS1 was induced) did this for a fortnight before birth, ds2 never really got much more intense than that though it dragged out (but was an enjoyable experience and gentle), ds3 got more intense but then I did mainline an entire bottle of raspberry leaf capsules on way to maternity unit

it may well be a dragged out early stage, if so then in my experience that's a good thing!