Backache: Early labour for how long before the real thing?

[missingmymarbles]

Is this the start of something? Should I be worried about this, or is it just my body gearing up for the next few weeks?

I am only 34+4 today but have been having low down backache on and off for a few days, well, probably a week actually, but getting worse each time it comes on; last night it woke me up. It feels much like the backache period pains I get the day before period starts. I also have occasional pressure low down in the front, and sometimes shooting pains down my fanjo, especially when walking. No show and no leaking.

DC1 was emcs earlier than this so I have no experience of labour or even this stage of pregnancy?

All I can say is period type pains meant I was going into labour, both times. Also the shooting pains sounds like a bit of SPD where your ligaments are getting a little too stretchy. For this, I needed to just move carefully and not make sudden movements with my hips and pelvis. It's probably not unusual to have these sorts of sensations as you describe in your stage of pregnancy but you could call your midwife for a chat to discuss them. Have a great birth when it comes x

The last few weeks of pregnancy are uncomfortable and achey. It might be something or it might not. It is most likely a good sign that baby is getting into position to come out though so the end is nigh... If you need to take paracetamol then do, and try to relax! Have a nice warm bath before bed and look after yourself - agree with Caroline though, call mw if you are worried but I think it's probably just your body gearing up a notch.

Honestly, you will know labour when it starts because the pain won't have any question in it (everyone says this, and having given birth two days ago I was totally unsure as was achey with period pains and backache for a few weeks before - DD1 was born at 32 weeks so I was a first time full termer!) I think if you have to ask yourself "is this it?" then it probably isn't.

Good luck when the time comes!

Hey missingmymarbles, perhaps we can buddy up because I could have written this post myself! I saw the midwife last week and she says baby is ROP (back-to-back) which is why I get back pain with contractions. I rang the hospital twice yesterday as so unsure as to whether I was beginning early labour. I did labour with my DS for three long days before EMCS so I think i know the signs, but it's not that easy. I am very keen to go in to hospital at the right time as I am planning to have a c-section. Along with the back pains/ period pains, I have been vomiting (I did with contractions with DS) and had some diarrhea. The hospital advice was to rest up, drink lots (abit futile with the vomiting but am drinking 2 litres per day, even though throwing it up again), and that may quieten things down. I am 35 weeks and have been reassured baby is a very big size (maybe also causing the vomiting, because of my stomach being so squished) so not to worry if s/he is born early. But obviously I would prefer the baby to reach term, 37 weeks at least. My DS came at 38 weeks.

Keep us posted, let us know how you're getting on!

Hi missing! I could have written your OP, been having weird back twinges, lots of pressure, some period type pain, and sudden vomiting where I've not been nauseous or sick for quite a while. I'm 34+4 today.

I don't remember feeling like this with DS1, he came by EMCS at 39+6, 3 days after my 1st proper contraction.

Dunno what to think with this one, shall we be mystified together?

Hi Yank!

Feels like my groin is separating sometimes!! But not so much aching today.

Hello rest of the July thread

I'm not having the backaches but tick to everything else - the pressure, occasional cramping, shooting fanjo pains. I think with so many of us experiencing it at the same time it must just be a normal stage where we all are - between 34-36 weeks.

I have told myself the same as a previous poster said, if you have to ask "is this it? Is this something important?" then it probably isn't. I always tell myself now to wait a couple of hours and see what happens and then I'll know. It really puts me at ease, I almost forget about it and of course it has all ended up going away and being nothing.

We will know when something's kicking off! We will!!

Oh meant to also say, remember at this age our babies' weight growth is exponential whereas before it was much slower. So they are stretching us out way more and faster than we have been before, and nestling deeper into the pelvis which I'm sure is what causes all the vag pains!

Definitely to the exponential growth, and massive stretching, Fish! I also give do the wait and see thing, before posting, never mind darkening the door of the midwife - -one of these days I'll get caught out !!!

My concern is, that I know quite a few people who have had back labours and were quite surprised that it was labour, particularly if they had bad period pains or back period pains. I can tick both of those boxes, and my mother was one of those people; she reckons that particularly with my brother she laboured totally in her back and it wasn't 'painful' at the front until he was crowning!! It may be rose-tinted specs as she sometimes comes out with some right stuff

Just popping my head in...

I'm only 23 weeks pregnant, when I was in labour last time it was all in my back. I woke with backache in early morning, enough for me to accidentally wake my other half so he gave it a rub and we went back to sleep. The rub seemed to help then it came back again a short while later. Tried to sleep, couldn't so had a bath.

I noticed the backache getting a bit worse and after it went each time it came back again. The pattern of it was how I realised it was labour. I was 37 weeks so not too early but of course, being my first I wasn't quite expecting it just then.

I do think you know, maybe not right away but when you're in labour the coming and going of the pain is a giveaway.

Good luck with it all.