early labour? just want reassurance

[acupofteafortwoormore]

Just looking for reassurance really - baby no 3 but was induced for other 2 so no memory/real understanding of labour building up. So all day since 7am I have had irregular tightenings, back pain/period aches but they fade away & not painful.

Over the last few hours, the tightenings are becoming mildly painful & more in my bottom - but the pain is not significant -

Is this the start of something or if it was would I be seeing a pattern to the tightenings now?

Does it always get super painful so you know ?

Last labour - was gel then recall the pains building up but waters broken & then went 4 to 10 in 20 minutes & baby born after 10 minutes of pushing so have been told to expect quick labour but presume that there is a massive painful section that is going to come & be really obvious?

Just looking for stories/reassurance really?

I have read that a real contraction will stay through movement which is what is happening over the last hour, but pain is too mild to think labour?

Hello,

I think maybe it would be worth your while to time them - just take a note of what time they happen, in case they are regular.

My second was full on every five minutes from the off, and it took about 3 hours, but my third I had some random contractions during the day, maybe every fifteen minutes for an hour or so at about lunch time, and then it faded off then got stronger and I noticed the same around 4-5pm, then by 9pm it started to kick off properly.

So it might not do what it did last time iyswim

You will know when it's happening though as it gets really painful. You know, not just BH but proper painful, stop and hold on to something sorta thing.

Are you staying at home or going somewhere to have your baby?

Oh by the way, I had my third at about 1am so it still gave me time to think, and to get somewhere suitable to have him.

OTOH my friend's third was born at home before an ambulance or midwife could get there and I think her labour was about half an hour, so, well, maybe get your things ready just in case

I had what I felt were mild pains with my second. I'd felt they were mild because my first had been a long-drawn-out two-day misery ending in epidural. I was walking around through them but felt they were eminently copeable with. I went off to hospital on the bus, and only went at all because I was 8 days over and had a monitoring appointment to go to. When we got there I was 9cm and baby was born another half-hour later.

Cautionary tale just intended to suggest you perhaps get checked out sooner rather than later - although I don't think you're as far on yet as I was when I went in.

Good luck!

Thank you both - will start to time them & see what happens - will probably all tail away know I have focused on it!

I am planning to go to birth centre which is only 10 min drive.

Thanks for stories though - enjoy reading other people's BS

So it all seems to have stopped/settled - just left with BH but no pattern - so will just see overnight/next few days.