Yet another "DR GOOGLE, AM I IN LABOUR??" thread - sorry!

[Bigoldsupermoon]

I'm 38+3 with my first, and I'm just wondering whether something might be kicking off. Would be interested to hear from other mothers!

I've been back-achey and cramps all week, and spent yday with some really uncomfortable radiating back pain. Regular old BH, but no big signs.

Woke at 3.55am today in some serious pain - like very strong trapped wind pain and a very tight belly. Had another tightening about 30 minutes later, and another about 20 minutes after that.

Things seemed to settle down a bit after that but was still having tightenings/back pain so went and got a hot water bottle. Now having tighenings about every 10-15 minutes, but they're not actually very painful, which is making me think that maybe this isn't early labour...?

Any thoughts appreciated! So far, I'm just planning on staying put in bed with my hot water bottle... and not-so-secret stash of chocolate Hobnobs, which are obviously a vital energy source

Have you tried having a bath? That can ease BH if it is them. Anothee idea would be get a contraction counting app. It will help keep track of them.

It could be, but that kind of stuff can go on for weeks. I found walking helped a lot in the early stages. And my TENS machine once the pains started to get more frequent.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply, Think - I haven't tried a bath because I was under the impression it could stop early labour, if that's what this is. I am keeping track of the contractions, though - the latest count looks like:

06.32
06.46
06.51
07.07
07.17
07.27

...but they're not very painful . Really wish women had evolved to have some kind of definite sign, y'know? Maybe a light on your arse that switches on when you're in labour. Or your belly turning green for go, or something!

Thanks for the luck, Very!

Hahah a green bellly would be good!

A midwife told me that if it's true labour nothing will stop it.
I was In labour for four days (induced) and for three days it felt exactly as you describe, like really painful trapped wind coming and going. It was like a bad period pain, but certainly not shouting and screaming pain -that came later!
So, it could be! Fingers crossed for you

Jump in the bath. That stopped my 'false' labours dead in their tracks (I had similar timings to you without serious pain 4 nights in 2 weeks)

There was no mistaking my true labour. Woke up with a huge contraction, went back to sleep, woke up and waters went then straight into strong contractions that I couldn't talk through. Was 6cm when I got to hospital 30mins later.

I am aware lots of labours are not like that. I was also in latent labour for about 10 days before (regular tightenings, no sleep, lost plug, baby very low etc) which is probably why it was quick when it happened

Thanks, Curls and Kitty - think I'm going to go for a walk around the block and then, if still getting tightenings, will hop in a nice warm bath - hopefully that'll edge things one way or the other! x

I've been having stuff like this on and off for a week. 39 weeks, 2nd baby. It's frustrating.

I read once you have to view going into labour as a process, something the body gears up for over the last month or so, rather than something that has a 'start' button. (Though many women won't be aware of all the gearing up.) So even the contractions where you're not in labour yet are doing something…

Good luck if it is the real thing! Every evening I get a bit too excited, sigh. DD was 40+5 and I had lots of signs from 39-40 weeks (then nothing at all for 4 days until my waters broke dramatically one night!)

Well boo! Contractions continued every 10-15 minutes until about 9am, then stopped So that's plenty of pain, no sleep, and no baby!

That's a good way to look at it, though Weebairn - I'll keep it in mind that every niggle is one niggle closer, so to speak. Good luck to you, too - fingers crossed both of our new arrivals hurry up and...well, arrive!

I am exactly the same position, had the same thing last week39+ with my second, strong BH's kept me awake 2 nights, i got all excited, but stopped completely and now I feel like i could run a marathon and I am now overdue! Grrr. Time is seriously dragging!

What's going on op? Did you have the baby yet?

I had 3 days of similar regular contractions leading up to my proper labour starting. They would get quite regular and hurt a bit but getting up (or lying down if they'd started while I was up!) would stop them. When the same happened on the third night I was pretty blasé, until I had to go to the spare room as they started getting to the point to where I had to grunt in pain and I wanted DH to sleep in case it was the real thing and I needed him rested! I got in the bath at about midnight and it did NOT stop! I second what a pp said, for me labour was a few days process of plug loss, regular contractions etc. So it sounds like you are well in it and should have a baby soon!

Yeah I'm not even interested in my cramps any more, have had them all the time for weeks and no baby. Grump. Maybe I will gestate for 2 years, like an elephant.

ok I'm not even quite at my due date yet

Oh whoops, sorry all - didn't spot that this had been updated!

Nope - no baby yet; currently in the same boat as Weebairn describes: sitting here, uncomfortable as anything and grumpily ignoring any potentially positive signs.

Had a stretch and sweep on Friday; midwife said cervix was central but still pretty closed. I've had a bit of blood/thick mucus over the last 36 hours, but nothing else! 40+2 and counting...!

Yeah was going to say I had that stuff for about a week before DS2 was induced... But I was all ready to go, he came quickly and they only needed to break my waters so think it wouldn't have been much longer! I think you will know all about it when proper labour. Contractions will be regular, and increasingly more painful.