What the fuck is going on?!

[somedizzywhore1804]

Hi lovely mumsnetters

I'm starting to lose my mind a bit!!

I'm 38 weeks today. Had a bleed at 35+5 and since then things have felt like they're moving.

Last Saturday I had what I assume is the "lightening" as everything kind of dropped. Since then all bets have been off... Period pains and contactions with no regular pattern. Had a check up on Wednesday but contractions apparently not real and waters not gone.

Then at about 7.30 last night pain ramped up a gear.... Much stronger contractions every hour lasting 40ish seconds. They increased to every 20 mins and about 45-50 seconds by 8am having only slept intermittently. By
that time I decided to try the TENS machine on my back and a hot water bottle on my front as the pain was getting bad. They really helped. So much so that it all stopped

So what the fuck!?!? This is horrible. I'm so tired and confused. To add to my confusion urine is almost constantly leaking out of me (and alas, it is wee, not my waters). I'm leaking way more urine than I'm drinking fluids (because if I drank a normal amount of fluids I would just have to go and live in the bathroom). It feels like there's a very heavy pressure on my bladder and that's causing a constant stream of wee. I'm wearing Tena pants and it really isn't an exaggeration to say the flow is constant. I had my urine dipped yesterday by GP so would be surprised if it's an infection
(Especially as I'm prone and these are not my normal symptoms- if I had a UTI I'd normally have painful urination, burning needing to go frequently and not much coming out when I did.)

Anyone got any insight or advice? I'm really fed up.

TIA.

Bump

Last hopeful bump for the evening crew.

Rang community midwife and she has given me some codydramol for the pain. No further movement!

Is this your first baby? It sounds like its slow or "stop/start" labour, annoying but does tend to mean that when things get going, they move fast!
However, do ring the delivery suite if you're worried about anything or if you're soaking through pads, probably a good idea to get checked out

Agree if your soaking pads then possibly a good idea to get checked. I had the same but it was my waters....also mixed with wee !!!!!!
Hope things get going again soon.....

Thanks it is my first baby!

The midwife had a look this afternoon and seemed certain it wasn't my waters. The weeing has died down but to be fair I'm not drinking much as it was so uncomfortable. I know I need to get on that as I don't want to become dehydrated.

In the last two hours my belly as changed shape. DH just described it as "pointy like a mountain" suddenly which is about right. Anyone know what that's about?

This labour is clearly going to be like the rest of the pregnancy- fucking horrible!!!

Are you getting braxton hicks? Iirc they can make your stomach 'pointy' ...

Just another delight of pregnancy!

Hmm, I definitely think I would get a second opinion on the wee. Could be a slow leak. Could be wee... what ever it is, I hope you're holding a baby soon or preferably, get some sleep before the baby comes

Thanks ladies. Ended up going to GO late evening to check it's not a slow leak. She didn't think it was but I've got to monitor pads soaked through til the morning.

Contractions have racked up again. Seems to be a night time thing! So looks like another sleepless night here.

Hi I'm 40+1 and have been having the night time contractions that come every 10-20 minutes for the past 3 nights and then as soon as I get up they become less regular it's do frustrating! So I have sympathy with u OP I'm exhausted and worrying when labour actually starts properly I'm going to be too tired to do anything! Hope things start moving for you.

Established labour would be 3 contractions in 10 minutes, regularly.

You are in for the long haul now. Do yourself a favour and stop expecting things to start. They will start when ready and in the meantime the best thing you can do is rest.

Sounds like the week before my first two labours!

Thanks all. Pads have ben wet but pretty sure it's my bollocksed bladder.

Yes, obviously I know it's nothing like established labour it's just frustrating and completely not how I expected things to be.

Also, rightly or wrongly, I fully expected to go over so for it to be 14 days pre due date and to be in pain and this uncomfortable and not keeping food down is a bit of a shock!

This is the latent phase of Labour and can last for days or longer, your body is gearing up for Labour and it is all helping your body get ready.
With any luck once it kicks off properly it will actually be pretty quick.

Try and rest, maybe have a bath/shower. Do you have a birth ball? If so sitting and rocking on that or leaning over it on all fours.

Experiment with positions to find what is most comfortable.

Good luck :)

"....completely not how I expected things to be. "

You will probably think that same thing a lot over the coming 6 months.

Steep learning curve is an understatement. Childbirth, frankly, is natures perfect way to prepare you for this - it is unpredictable and you no longer control it.

Get lots of rest starting from now! And remember to enjoy it!

Good luck!

Try and rest as much as you can even though thats hard.
I had contractions which went from a dull ache to all over the place pain for 4 days (i timed them on an app)
I was just 37 weeks and like you fully expected to go over. I had been told that it was only real when contractions became regular and to go to hospital when they came every 3-5mins and lasted a minute.
Well mine lasted a minute but came anywhere from 2 mins apart to 20. Then all of a sudden my waters went after a bath at 9am when 37+4. Less than 2hrs later my baby had arrived!
Try and remember that this is most likely your body slowly preparing itself for the huge job its about to do. Expect the unexpected and hopefully it isnt long before you are holding your little one

How are things today OP?

Do your contractions start when you go to bed or sitting or when you're busy? Try using as many pillows as possible when you're in bed - I surround myself, tuck them under me, between my legs etc.

I had this for about 4 weeks before ds was born , inc the leaky wee- he was 10 days overdue!

When I was in actual labour I had no idea .....I thought I needed a poo (embarrassing , sorry)

Op what's happening

Good luck op