Cervix contracting before labour begins?

[feedmecake]

I'm 35+4 (first baby) and have some mild shooting pains that feels pretty much like its my actual cervix that's stretching. It's not the same feeling as when your ligaments stretch around your public area though. It doesn't hurt particularly - the worst that happens is I pull a face. They're infrequent and there's no pattern.

I'm thinking it might just be baby headbutting me...? Either that or is this just sort of pre-pre labour? I'd convinced myself this baby would be late, but maybe not...

Only other thing to add is that I didn't get much sleep last night as my mind won't switch off and I'm seriously considering doing my tax return, which is, lets face it, just not normal behaviour and could well be a slightly perculiar form of nesting (!).

What do you reckon?

The cervix can dilate for weeks before labour starts. If you read US communities, they have internal exams from about 35 weeks and many of them walk around for weeks at 1cm or 2cm dilated and 60% effaced before they go into labour. The reason we don't do internals in the UK is precisely because they don't tell you anything about how soon you are going to start labour.

Thanks Issy, very helpful.