Body gearing up at 35 weeks?

[ZebraZeebra]

35 weeks with DC2 - with my first, I was induced at 42 weeks and never experienced my body doing anything it "should" :) Induction still took 40 bloody hours. So basically I have no experience...nothing ever happened with DS until he was extracted.

Back to DC 2. For the last week I've been getting regular and intense Braxton Hicks, low level cramping and back pain that's more like period pain than sore back from carrying a baby. I'm not really thinking it's early labour - I don't even want that because I'm hoping for a HB and need to hang in for a few more weeks! But a friend told me she had similar - in the weeks leading up to her due date, it like her body was whirring away, getting ready and it was uncomfortable and annoying but just noticeable and not enough to make her think she was actually in labour.

Has anyone experienced this?

Yes same here. I was convinced at 35 weeks that I was going to drop at any moment however I'm still going at 38 weeks and hoping to hang on in there for at least another week. All the best.

I had similar starting at around 34 weeks - would wake up in the night with BH, or sometimes "proper" contractions, that would only last an hour or so. Also backpain on and off, especially at night. It all seemed to happen between 2 and 4 am. At 36 weeks it would happen pretty much every night (but nothing during the day). My waters broke at 36w 4d, in the afternoon and DS was here 3 hours later... Do you know if baby has dropped yet? That was a clue for me...

The baby dropping or engaging is meaningless. One of mine was fully engaged at 31 weeks. Born at 39. Particularly with dc2, engaging means nothing as they drop in and out.

Second time round however, your body does know what it is doing. Niggles, braxton hicks and mild contractions are far more common in subsequent pregnancies. Same reason labour is often shorter. I think your body is undoubtedly doing all sorts to prepare. Only thing I will say is that braxton hicks are worse when dehydrated so drink plenty and take it easy. How exciting!

I had all sorts of false labour for weeks before- episodes of regular BH, a show etc. hope baby hangs on and you get your Hb :)

On the other hand I had no signs whatsoever with my first. Had a sweep at 41 weeks and started contractions 12 hours later. No show and water didn't break.

Good luck.

I didn't have signs of labour before with my 1st, but did with my second. It's more common the more babies you have I think

Thanks everyone. I want so much just to go into labour naturally because I feel like it lay some old ghosts to rest...so many demons still from my first labour and so knowing my body is getting on doing its thing is very exciting, even if I still have weeks and weeks to go