Could this be the start of labour? What should I do (worried :( )

[honeytea]

I am all confused. I thought when I went into labour I would just "know" it was time.

I am 39+5 due on saturday, last night before bed I had painful contractions about 4/5 times, once I was in bed they stopped and I got some sleep. I woke up 2 times for my usual middle of the night wees but after the last time my tummy started contracting again. I have been getting braxton hicks when I walk and sometimes whilst resting for the last couple of months and this feels different.

I got up just now as I was in pain lieing in bed, I went to the loo as it felt like I had poo related stomach pains. I had diarrhea and now y tummy feels a little better and the cramps have stopped.

I am not sure if this is maybe a tummy bug or the beginings of labour. The baby is angry, he hardly ever moves these days but after a couple of the contractions he moved himself from side to side and kicked lots which is unlike him.

My DP is asleep, I don't really want to wake him as he has work tomorrow. I am supposed to go for an ultrasound tomorrow morning at 8.30 (it's 3.45 here now) I would be going alone on public transport and I am worried that the cramps might return and I am also worried if i do have a tummy bug it would be very unfair to go somewhere with lots of pregnant women.

Should I cancle my scan?

erm, no, wake your DP- he's not going to be going to work tomorrow!
and you will not be able to go alone tomorrow on public transport.

will your DP be driving you to hospital? if not, you will need to book a taxi in the morning

most likely this is the beginning of labour - many women have diarrhea/vomiting as they go into labour

wait until the contractions are evenly spaced and a few minutes apart, and then phone your midwife/doctor

how exciting

No don't cancel your scan. This might be early labour it might not. Lots of women have a dodgy tummy before labour begins sort of like body clearing out before the big event.

Try to relax and get some sleep. If this is the start of labour your going to need all the sleep you can get! X

Thank you :)

The pains went away and I got some more sleep. I feel fine this morning so DP has gone to work and I guess I will go to the scan. I do hope I don't get the pains back whilst I'm on the train/bus but if I do I guess I will just have to come home again.

Thank you for the hand holding!

glad its settled down for a while

but you are most probably in the very early stages of labour so walking around might speed up the process.

surely if you are on the way to your scan, you should carry on to the hospital?

or are you not giving birth at that hospital?

Might be the very start, clearing out often happens before labour! The pains may stop when you rest, but get going again when you start moving around... Good luck

The scan is not at the hospital but I could get the train to the hospital from the city, the hospital is outside the city by 20 mins and we are also outside the city by 20 mins but on a different line (not very handy)

DP will drive me to hospital when the time comes but they say here not to come in till you have 3 contractions in 10 mins I think it is a long way off that.

Is it normal for sleep to make contractions stop?

I had 7 hours of regular painful contractions at 39+5, then nothing for a week until my waters broke! Just saying, it may not necessarily be the beginning of labour... these last weeks your body can just be getting into gear.

Yes I had contractions all day one day then 7 hours off for sleep before things really started..

Oh and good luck how exciting!!

Update from me, Contractions have not come back, I went to my scan this morning (to be told the baby is toddler sized )

I came home and slept for 2 hours, I have slight pain every once in a while but it has all settled down.

I just hope he comes soon before he gets the chance to get any bigger!

Toddler sized?! Yowza. Good luck - let us all know how you get on!

More painful contractions this evening but nothing regular, I think my body does this in the evening/night and then all day I feel fine!

The sonographer thinks the baby is around 4.3 kg now and could be 4.5 if I go overdue so he could be as big as 10 pounds, I need to talk to my midwife as he is only big on his tummy, his head and legs are normal size. I'm a little worried that he could get stuck, my midwife appointment is on friday afternoon so in a way I hope he waits till then incase they think a c-section would be safer with his big tummy.

Good luck for the next few days Op, not long til you will be welcoming your LO!

Marking place - good luck, honey, hope this makes your Christmas easier!

Honeytea, I had a scan at 34 weeks where the tummy was 95 centile but head and legs normal. Neither my obs consultant nor midwife were worried - they said he was just a bit podgy and that I was still low risk. I ended up going to 42 weeks and having a lovely home birth. He was 8lb 8 and wierdly not podgy at all - I think the scans aren't always that accurate. Like you I had been worried about it though... Just wanted to reassure you a bit. Good luck.

honey I have been woken by contractions at 2am for the last few nights (37weeks with DC2) and they always last an hour, annoy the fuck out of me, and are gone. I asked the MW to do an internal because I was so pissed off with 'am I? Aren't I?" and she told me all the 'false labour' contractions were better thought of as 'warm up labour' contractions, I was already at 2cm dilated, and to put my feet up a bit. She pointed out that I could go into labour at any point in the next 2 weeks, and there was no point trying to rush things or tire myself out. Then she suggested a nice bath and a (little) glass of wine if contractions were keeping me awake "as if it's real labour they won't stop after that, but if it's practice labour they will, and either way you'll have had a nice rest."

I love my midwife! :)

Thank you :)

Blackcurrant your midwife is fab! What good advice. it's good you are already 2cm dilated, have you had any sort of "show"?

Bryzoan that is reassuring, The sonographer didn't seem to worried about it because it was his tummy rather than a huge head. My DP keeps reminding me that they can be a kg out either way so the baby could be 3.5 KG I say yes but he could also be 5.5 kg!

I had a few more pains in the night but still nothing regular.