Y'know how when you are trying for a baby, you imagine every single possible pregnancy symptom 5 minutes after you OV? Can you do the same for labour?

[NatalieJane]

Can you really talk yourself into having 'labour' symptoms?

Midwife this afternoon hinted that it wouldn't be long, and then joked that she is on call tonight (I am having a home birth) so she would 'see me later', now I am sat here, feeling... funny.

Have I got a hope in hells chance of it kicking off tonight? Or am I just kidding myself?

In answer to the question... yes!

Seriously, go to bed. You'll know all right when it does happen. With my first I was convinced things were kicking off for weeks.

Get some rest and if things happen during the night it'll be a bonus

Yes! I thought it with both children literally it was 'i'm ready to go into labour now' and labour started with both 3 days early. Honestly it works.

See that is what I am on about, today was a big mile stone for me, I have been having strong regular contractions for nearly 4 weeks, but today I turned 37 weeks, the day the midwives go on call for the home birth, which I really needed to reach, also my birthing pool arrived today, which was the very last thing on the list to get, then M/W having silly comments, the baby has engaged properly and has gone from 'just in there' yesterday, to being 3/5ths in this afternoon, and if I am right, has since gotten even lower, feeling sick to the point where I can't eat, have had major amounts of discharge the last few days, I have swollen up big style over the last 24 hours, I have been irritable and moody with DH for no reason, having bad period pains in my back, and a general 'heavy' feeling in my lower bump...

God, the list just goes on and on, but, nothing seems to really be progressing.

NJ you are not alone! I'm sat here praying that each niggle is. But at the same time i know from my first pregnancy no matter what you think/do it could still go until 42 weeks and i'd spent from 36 wks thinking this is it ! it was hell, so i'd seriously advise you to try and forget and hope you have a pleasant surprise -btw that is advise that i am unable to follow myself .

Sometimes i feel the head so low - has been engaged for about 3 weeks now, that i think one little push and i'm sure it'll pop out! I'm just gonna try and relax as much as possible until i need all my energy for the birth.

LOL Hattie, it isn't fair is it !!

I am feeling better today, it was mainly the midwives comments that got me all worked up yesterday, after four weeks of these contractions I had gotten to the point where I wasn't counting and timing and wondering if this was it etc. but her comments just brought it all crashing back into the fore front of my mind.