Am not sure if this is labour pains?

[weeblueberry]

This is my first and I'm 40+3. My waters went at about ten to midnight last night so called triage. They said I could either go in and get checked then or wait til morning. I wasn't having any pain so opted to go in then in the hopes I could get the checks done and come home for a long sleep.

It's now 4am and obviously that hasn't happened lol. When I got home I started having really intermittent pains. Nothing major but definitely there iykwim. The pr

Ugh damn iPhone...

The problem is they're not very distinct? The pain seems to linger for a bit before dying down and am achy in between pains. Is this normal? Does it sound as though they're contractions? They're like quite strong period cramps but are further back than those normally are.

I'm also going to use a tens machine in early labour so not sure when I should pop that on. Don't want it to become ineffective because I used it so soon lol.

Last question, when should I start timing them? I've only been having them a couple of hours now and they seem so irregular timing them might not tell me anything?

Might be early labour, where is the pain? once they are regular, you probably want to think about heading back to hospital. Any chance you could get some sleep with a couple of paracetamol or ate they too strong/frequent for that? good luck

on the TENS, use that as early as poss. So I would use it now if I was you. it works best if it has a long time to build up in your system.

Thanks wellieboots. Am fairly certain they're contractions now. It's just difficult because I'm having quite strong pains intermingled with lighter ones? Think that's confusing me. I took two paracetamol at 2am to try and get some sleep but am wide awake. Although I'm pretty sure that's more excitement than pain if that doesn't sound too weird!!

oh, and yes, they sound like early contractions to me. I started timing mine when I felt like they were getting more regular. holding your hand...

Thank you so much for responding at this ungodly hour

do you have the TENS on yet? that should help a bit. if you can't sleep (understandable...) could you distract yourself with a DVD or something? I really feel for you, I was similar in that my waters started going late at night, but I knew it would be the last uninterrupted night's sleep for a while, so I deliberately didn't call the hospital and went to bed! you're bringing back memories for me

Yes that sounds like contractions to me! And exactly the right time to start the tens- the opposite of what you thought! Start tens early on & it is marvellous. When it's not really working any more then you know it's time to call the labour ward.

I was surprised by the early contractions feeling like period cramps, then gradually they got stronger & stronger. No one told me that's what they would feel like!

Good luck!

Thanks again both. Think I managed to get about an hour of rest but had a particularly strong one which woke me up again grr. Ill try and let my DP get another hour or so and will get him up and we'll try the tens (I've no idea how to use it . Am just breathing through them at the moment. Just took a look at myself in the mirror and look seriously rough lol.

Will call the ward this morning though because when I went in with broken waters but no contractions they said to let them know if labour started. Obviously will be trying to stay at home as long as possible particularly because they're on divert to another hospital an hour away at the moment.

Get that tens on so you can get used to it and how it will work best for you before it really gets going.

I loved my tens. It went up to 15 intensity and I only ever made it to 12 before pushing so don't worry about 'running it out'.

Good luck!

I love TENS, I had no other pain relief, all happened too quick. hope you are getting some relief from it. Still thinking of you.

My contractions seem to have stopped? Haven't had one since about 8am. Not really sure what to do with myself now...?

sometimes that can happen. I would keep in touch with the hospital as, even if things have slowed down, they like to keep an eye on you once waters have broken and will only let you go a certain amount of time before inducing you. For me it was 24 hours, other places sometimes let you go 3 or 5 days, but you should ask them.

Thanks again wellieboots (my child birthing angel lol). I was supposed to go back in at 6pm if no contractions so ill call them late afternoon if the long walk doesn do the job

Checking in - hope no news good news and you're snuggling with a sleepy little one! Thinking of you

Hi wellieboots. You were correct and I'm now sitting in the ward with my new daughter. Last nights (and the night before) clearly were contractions as I was already 4cm when I arrived for induction!! Was induced via drip at about 10.30 and had her at 1630. Midwife was shocked to see her head as we'd just had the doctor in discussing me possibly having an epidural!! Then the midwife looked down and said 'actually weeblueberry I can see her head!!' and she was out in two pushes. I'd said to the midwife about twenty mins before that I'd been pushing with my exhales and she said 'yes sometimes it can feel like that'

The body knows. Thanks again for your support everyone.

Congratulations Wee!!!!

yay, well done you been thinking of you, mine is a girl too, they rock huge congratulations!