Am I in labour???

[NatalieJane]

I know it has been done 1000 times before, but if nothing else I just want something to do with myself while my body decides what it is going to do.

I felt fine all day, got to about about 5 o'clock-ish, and very suddenly started to feel sick, didn't want to eat dinner but DH made me eat some toast which perked me up a bit, have been having fairly mild but intense contractions (can you have mild and intense at the same time?!!) with a tiny bit of back pain, coming every 8-10 minutes or so. The contractions aren't painful, but just really tight, and the baby has dropped really low.

Anyone who has followed the last 5 weeks with me, this is completely different to every contraction I have had before!

I actually feel really silly posting this, in case it turns out to be nothing, but I am bored and can't concentrate on the telly, so thought it would at least take some time up.

Hi - not many people awake this early, are there? Godd that you managed to sleep. Try to eat and drink little and often if you can. Does your dp have to go to work, or could he stay home and you could have a last relaxing day as a family of 3 together? Hope it all happens soon!

Hi NJ, came across your thread, have been up most of the night as well as both me and dd are ill with some bug

Sounds like things are happening for you, I remember you from a few weeks ago worrying about your contractions at 34 weeks, so congrats that you've got so far. but you must be ready to get that baby out by now YOu sound really calm and like you're taking it al in your stride. good luck x

morning nataliejane, hope your ok this morning, i posted last night then went to bed! have you let hubby go to work

The contractions aren't really regular at all now, have had two within 7 minutes, but then not another one for a good 15 minutes.

I managed to get DH out to work, he has a few local jobs he can do (he will be able to get home within an hour tops) so he has gone to them, he will be home for lunch time-ish anyway. There really isn't any point all of us hanging around waiting for what might not even happen!

I am going to spend the morning tidying and washing, see if any of that gets things moving a bit more. I feel like I am on an anti-climax already!

don?t want to depress you, but if there is no pain and they aren?t increasing, is there any chance that they might be extremely big braxton hicks?
I know I mistook bh for labour with DD2 - despite going through full labour with DD1. They were lasting for hours and hours on end, fairly regular too but no real pain, more uncomfy due to the tightening pain, also baby moving loads and loads. The only way they got diagnosed was being hooked up to a machine.
If you are wobbly and shaky, might be worth trying to eat something if you can - perhaps plain like toast? If it is early labour and culd be drawn out, that sleep will have helped build up your strength but you will need some food inside you to keep you going
If you feel up to it, going for a shortish, not too energetic walk might help to kick start it into stronger contractions? THen again, if you aren?t uncomfy and feel ok, perhaps better to rest and take it easy. So excited for you, I am rambling!!!!
Take care and let us know how you are xx

TBH Lemontart, I haven't got a clue what it all is, there is a tiny bit of me saying, yep this is it, it is just taking a while to get going properly, the rest is saying don't be silly, something would have happened by now... I just really don't know which way it is going to swing, at the moment I feel like it could easily go either way.

All I do know is that I have had plenty of practise at BH and contractions due to the irritable uterus over the last few weeks, to the point where I couldn't talk through some of them etc. but these, even though not painfull as such, are completely different to what I've had before.

Sorry, they feel really different, and I have never had a non-stop spell like this before. Also, all of the other times I have had contractions, when I have led down on the bed they have gotten worse, so I was awake most of the night, but last night I got into bed and went to sleep and it didn't seem to effect them at all.

you still here!? x

morning......! how are you ? you'll be delighted to know i was so knackered i didn't take my make up off and am typing this , looking like alice cooper!!! could barely type my last couple of posts!!

Morning NJ Agree with lemontart re going for a walk, it will also help baby move furthur down. Another thing I was wondering lastnight was are you feeling any pressure down below.

Tell you what if these are braxton hics well you go into full blown labour I bet it will be quick a your body must be so prepared now!!

LOL @ Lulu looking like Alice cooper. I hope your still around when it's my turn Lulu.

i'm always here megandsoph...!

i hafve had a bath now and lookmore presentable!

Well we are still here, pretty much the same as this morning, I actually had a bit of a nap on the sofa, I can't believe I fell asleep with DS in the house on my own! Poor boy has been subjected to a whole mornings worth of Cartoon Network! Do you think he will ever forgive me?!!!!

I am still getting contractions, I am finding it really difficult to time them accuratly, because they aren't hurting, there isn't a definate point at which one starts and ends if you know what I mean? but they are still roughly 10 minutes apart, sometimes a bit quicker sometimes a bit slower.

I wasn't having any pressure yesterday with them at all, but today I can feel a very slight pressure, it is in my back though not my bum where I have felt it up to now with the other contractions. Also the baby had hiccups earlier, and every time he hiccuped, I could feel something (I guess shoulders?) hitting against my hip bones, on both sides, really deep inside, I have never felt them that low before.

Phew, I think that is the catch up done! Oh no, we are going to nip out when DH get's home so I will be walking about then, don't really want to do anything to bring it on while I am on my own!! LOL

Right that is the catch up done now (And PMSL at Lulu

FGS! on my way out.........sounds like my sisters labour...contractions for 2 days before established labour!! hey ho!

back later.........and you'd better have had the baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't even mind if it goes on for 2 days, as long as something happens to let me know that it is or isn't labour it can go on for as long as it likes!!

Enjoy yourself xxx

how you doing honey.......? shall i rub your feet and give you a crappy magazine to read??

NJ... don't worry about timing the contractions. As long as you can do what you are doing and can almost ignore them you'll be fine.

Besides lulumama is here!

Don't forget to walk about a bit and rotate your hips etc. Try to sit forwards (do you have a birthing ball that you can sit on?)

Will be thinking of you. I just love the labour threads!

has all gone very quiet.....

Has there ever been a 'live' birth on mn? It's all rather exciting!

Still here and waiting for something - any bloody thing - to happen!! No more regular, but felt sick again on and off through the day, and I am getting bad back ache with them, and a lot of pressure with some of them.

How much longer can this go on for?

Sounds a bit like what my Mum describes as "tedious labour". Have no idea if this is a recognised term but it does sound like something maybe starting for you but it is taking it's own sweet time.

babe........! LO is tres comfy in there, no?

i'd give up and come to terms with being pregnant for EVER!

dont mean to p!ss on the bonfire ladies, but are we sure lj is in labour?
how long is it now lj? is it getting any more intense?

Message withdrawn

Lady, I am still not sure it is labour, have just managed to get hold of my mum for the first time, she says she thinks it is probably the baby fully engaging, (he was 2/5ths engaged on Tuesday at midwife appointment) And we have been at MIL's all afternoon, she says I am looking 'pale' and has said she expects an announcemnet some time before tomorrow morning, but obviously both of these opinions are just that - opinions!

If it isn't labour, is all of this likely to be down to the irritable uterus? (My uterus has a hell of a lot to answer for!!!)