first child: sweep today, am i in labour?

[thinkingpositive]

Hi ladies
I had a sweep done today and now experiencing sharp rectal pressure and sharp pains. They are about 10 to 15 mins apart and last about 30 to 40 seconds.

Is this labour?

How are things now?

Sorry to say, but no one can tell you at this stage! It might be early labour, in which case they will gradually get stronger and closer together. That could happen within an hour or two, or take a day. I had 24 hours of that type of contraction with DD2.

Or they could die down completely and start again in a day or a few days.

Sorry! It all sounds like it's going in the right direction though. Try and rest as much as you can at this stage. If it takes a while to get going you don't want to have missed a night's sleep if you can help it.

Good luck!

Thank ladies. Pain has increased dramatically. Its included my bump now and is about 8mins apart. Lasting for about 1 min. This must be labour. Its sore!
Right?

Sounds like early stages of labour, best to rest now as much as you can and eat.

Midwife I saw with DD1 told me when the contractions are so bad that you can't talk through them come in. I called the labour ward when they were every 5 mins. I had contractions for over 12 hours before I got to ones which I couldn't talk through.

Call your midwife or labour ward!

Ooh any news?

aww how exciting! all these birth threads make me so broody!! now, where is DH?!!

Has anything happened? thinkingpositive, its been a while since you posted so I hope you have a snuggly newborn by now