Could I be in v early labour?

[Nursee007]

Hello, it's me again!
So, 38 weeks yesterday, severe SPD since 21 weeks, Drs gave me the go ahead from 38 weeks to try 'alternative' methods of kick starting labour.

Been drinking raspberry leaf tea over the weekend, had a session of reflexology yesterday and the practitioner said that all the right acupressure points were tender. (!)
Since late-ish last night, have had period like lower cramps almost constantly, have been up to pee pretty much every 2 hours and just feel a bit 'jittery' like something is about to happen.

Have told husband to be on amber alert just in case, and am feeling quite tearful. Is this wishful thinking or could I be in v early labour? Am a bit scared (blush)

Hi there Nursee007 I could have almost written your post! I'm 37+3 today (with DC1) and am also wondering if I'm in the very early stages so would appreciate any advice from those in the know!

Had a nesting frenzy last night - built the cot, built the nursing chair and generally set up the nursery, but then when I went to bed I had really bad lower back ache. For the first time in bed I had to request a back rub/massage from DH. I was then up more than ever for loo trips (at least 5 times) before deciding around 6am that I was never going to get comfortable and realising I had what felt like period pain cramps. Tried to relax through them for a while and ended up getting DH to run me a bath. Hopped in and that definitely helped ease my back ache and period pain cramps but they're still coming on and off. I would say they last up to 30 seconds and come every 5-10 mins or so.

I appreciate this might be something or nothing, but just wondered if anyone had ever experienced these signs and then had it all die down and nothing happen for a few weeks, or is it now likely to all happen in the coming days? Don't want to be making a fuss over nothing!

It sounds like you could be; I never had anything start up and die down but everyone's different. The first stage contractions hurt me (but not everyone finds them horrible); I don't have loads of period pains but from the few I had I'd say contractions are worse. They are like a dull ache that builds and makes you want to squirm/tense up.

I found that lower back massage helped, so if that's helping you could be labouring. Surreyhills your timings sound like early labour.

First time it usually takes a while for dilation to happen, so even if they hurt try to stay home as long as possible. From latent to full dilation I took about 16hrs; 10.5hrs established. This is average; quick labours happen but are not common. My contractions never got more frequent than about 5mins apart so ignore them if they say they should be 3 mins apart before you come in. I waited about 14hrs second time and was 8.5cm when I got there - about three more contractions after admittance and I was ready to push. Compared to 6hrs at home and only just at 3cm when I came in with my first! I panicked because the pain was like nothing I'd ever experienced and I was thinking 'but what if I am really far along?' - but actually it does hurt that much and for that long.

Nurse try not to be scared. You're really close to seeing your baby :) It does hurt but it passes. Deep breathing really does work. Do what the midwife says & best wishes!

Just to say, it's really hard to do this but try and relax because tension/nervousness/fear in your body will both make the discomfort much worse and also potentially slow things down so the whole thing will last longer.
I know this from experience with DD's birth and now I am awaiting DC2 any day, I am trying to stay super-relaxed to make everything work better and easier! Good luck both of you.

Thanks so much snowpuma and EmmaCate - am staying quite relaxed and also trying to tell myself that this probably isn't it because I'll get far too excited! Going to try and keep myself busy around the house and not pay too much attention to the pains which keep coming - basically feel like quite intense period pains and dull lower back ache. We just went out in the car and I put a towel on the seat just incase!

Nurse - how are you getting on?

stomach pains died down a bit as lay on sofa and chatted to a mate....not gone though....also took some paracetamol on advice of midwife and will have warm bath when husband gets home....can't get in bath without help due to SPD! Trying not to think about it!

Nursee007 just wondered if things had progressed for you? Not for me. Had the cramps on and off all day yesterday but had a better night's sleep last night and nothing to report as yet today! Guess they were Braxton Hicks after all...

same for me, by the evening pains had died down and also had much better nights sleep, following a long wallow in a warm bath with added lavender oil. Seeing midwife tomorrow and will demand a sweep so watch this space!

Did you get a sweep today Nursee007? I've had an uneventful day until about an hour ago when I lost my mucous plug. Hoping it might be a sign of things getting moving!

sweep yesterday...aromatherapy oils and acupressure points last night, curry this evening.....still lots of braxton hicks and niggly backache today but nothing further....friends are now suggesting castor oil....not sure I could bring myself to drink castor oil, no matter how much i want him out!

40+4 and all I've got to show is a constant back ache, loads of bh (mainly in the evening) nausea and TMI alert, very very loose bowels (along with the stinkiest farts in the world) :(
Come on LO!!!

Wouldn't do castor oil bleurgh. With my first I went for a long walk which got things going, sex, curries, fresh pineapple, evening primrose oil pessaries, clary sage oil used diluted for massage are all natural ways that have been suggested to me.

I am the opposite and want baby to stay in a little while longer despite being 38+5 as my house is in building chaos with no fully functional kitchen and bathroom until mid next week, so I am avoiding all of the above! :)

I read on another site that castor oil is not recommended. Apparently, it makes you poo. A lot. I read it can also make it more likely that the baby will poo in the womb resulting in meconium.

I think that it's because it creates convulsions. I would want to put my body or DS's through that.

O definately not castor oil, no. I've had a terrible upset tummy this morning and the idea of someone willingly putting themself through that I feel very odd today. Only 36 weeks today, but with that and just an odd sensation down low, I don't want to venture too far from home. Which is going to get very dull if I go to 41+ like both times before.

Fairly restless night, up x 4 to pee, then wide awake from 5.30am till 7.30am. Dropped back off to sleep for another hour, then at 8.30 awake very suddenly, rushed to loo and exploded....a lot....which was fun. Then discovered I had also lost my show! Odd pains in top and bottom of stomach, which have now died down a bit, but have had a shower, washed hair and shaved all appropriate bits just in case. Might try and get a bit more sleep now! Hoping this means this a happening!

Fairly restless night, up x 4 to pee, then wide awake from 5.30am till 7.30am. Dropped back off to sleep for another hour, then at 8.30 awake very suddenly, rushed to loo and exploded....a lot....which was fun. Then discovered I had also lost my show! Odd pains in top and bottom of stomach, which have now died down a bit, but have had a shower, washed hair and shaved all appropriate bits just in case. Might try and get a bit more sleep now! Hoping this means this a happening!

Good luck Nursee007, I'll be rooting for you

Ooh sounds promising, good luck Nursee007

Just thought I should update you that after my day of light cramps and backache on tues 14th then no symptoms at all and lots of energy on weds 15th, I gave birth on the evening of weds 15th! All came very quickly and out of nowhere. Spotted my mucous plug had gone at 5pm but thought nothing of it. Then at 6.50pm my waters broke pretty spectacularly at home. Contractions kicked in within ten mins so headed to the hospital arriving about 8pm. Our little boy was born in the pool at 9.50pm after a very quick labour with gas and air to help with the pain.

surreyhillsmumtobe sounds like a wonderful birth, feeling mighty envious :)
Congratulations!

Congratulations! That sounds like a very quick and good birth. I'm hoping for the same with this one :) My dodgy tummy seems to have been just that and at midwife check today baby is back to back, not breech or transverse as it has been the last few weeks. Both my other dc were back to back so I can deal with that. But my braxton hicks are getting longer and more frequent, so I've been advised to make sure I'm hydrated, which is good advice tbh as I know I don't drink nearly enough. I've picked up some spatone as well to try and stop me looking so deathly pale and feeling so tired. But midwife assured me that the chances are I'll get to the magic 37 weeks (and considering my track record, probably a month beyond that...) and be allowed in the pool.

hiya im 31 plus 3 and experiancing a lot of braxton hicks they can be regular every 5 mins for a couple of hours then irregular again also lower back ache on and off loss off appatit feeling sick and odd sharp pains only now and then im stomach and today had loosebowels. could this be prem labour or is it normal i have 2 other children but had none of this with them

Congratulations surreyhillsmumtobe glad you had such a lovely water birth, come on over to the post-natal Feb thread, I haven't popped yet but due any day, loads of Feb babies already on there.

Any update Nurse007?

tms4891 have you called labour ward yet? They may want you to go in to start steroids if the contractions are regular like that for a few hours at a time, it could be prem labour.

no today they seemed to have eased up to what they have been just felt a little off insted today and had loose bowl once

Glad they eased up, would phone in though if it happens again, my SIL had a similar thing from 28 weeks and then went into full labour and had my DN at 30 weeks, so best to be cautious.