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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

37 weeks and bricking it!!

14 replies

glitterbaby7 · 13/11/2016 23:45

Have been lurking around here for a while but finally joined in because am pooing myself! Up until now I've felt quite confident about knowing when things are about to kick off, but now I'm three weeks away from my EDD I'm not too sure. My midwife worried me by saying you can't always be sure if your waters break or not and said you get tightening across your tummy when you get BH, so have a question
is this signs of BH? Period like pains, lower back aches, minor 'tight' feeling but only tiny, and suddenly feeling like I really need a poo and then either not needing to or very little (sorry, this only started happening the last couple of days)

OP posts:

Christmasbaby16 · 15/11/2016 15:55

I'm in the same position, due 05/12. I'm still not sure how I will know it's the real deal...people keep telling me "oh trust me, you'll know" .....yes but how?
My midwife Said tightening will get more frequent and intense, increased vaginal loss, pain likely in either the thighs, bottom, back but I'm still not sure.
Husband and I have decided if I think I'm starting we will just call the ward and see what they say.
Good luck

mum2Bomg · 15/11/2016 17:26

I'm due 2 weeks today and every twinge has me on high alert - you're not alone. My midwife says you will only know if it's labour or not as if it is, you'll end up with a baby. Lol

PurpleTraitor · 15/11/2016 17:43

Well, not everyone knows, it is true. But the majority do. And I think the majority know because contractions either a) just don't stop or b) get to an intensity and pain level which really isn't like anything you've ever felt before. The aim of the game is to ignore it and carry on as normal until you really can't possibly ignore anymore and it take all of your attention just to get through it. At that point, it's most likely labour.

With my first baby I had one labour contraction, laid in bed, and knew. One! And I knew. It was nothing like I had felt before. I was holding my baby two hours later ;)

plimsolls · 15/11/2016 17:48

By the time you need to know if you're in labour, you'll know. The early pains and twinges which are mild and mistakeable for other things will gradually transform into unmistakeable labour.

My actual labour was really fast but I had about 24 hours of twinges and pains and tightenings- I didn't know if it was labour or just late pregnancy aches, the baby getting into position and so on. These pains slowly(ish) transformed into stronger, more regular pains, which then transformed into strong, regular contractions. So, at a point in that process it became obvious I was in labour. But I didn't need to know that those cramps and twinges were early labour at the time.

I'm not sure if I've explained that very well! I guess I'm saying is- when it really hurts, you're in labour!

NickyEds · 15/11/2016 17:53

Pp is right, tightenings, twinges, BHs, back ache, discomfort- all symptoms of late pregnancy. Pain is the difference between them and labour. Just keep going until you know, because in all likelihood you will know!

plimsolls · 15/11/2016 17:54

Has your midwife told you the "criteria" for going to hospital? I think in most places you do a certain amount of your "unmistakeable" labouring at home (where I am it was three strong contractions within ten minutes, for three hours ) so you'll have plenty of time to be sure you're in labour. They usually say that strong contractions are ones which you can't talk through. So, you don't have to identify the moment labour starts with a mild pain and then rush to hospital....

LifeLong13 · 15/11/2016 18:00

Mine started and stopped for 14 hours so I stayed home but then they were constant for 2 hours, more painful (couldn't walk through them) and were 4 in 5 mins. That's when I spoke to L&D and I wanted to go in.

primarynoodle · 15/11/2016 21:06

I symptom watched for aaages. Kept having (tmi) sloppy poos and losing tiny bits of mucus plug etc then expecting to go into labour but nada!

I started having 'contractions' one Saturday morning - I was having a trace and they were showing on there too but then they stopped after I'd been shopping/walking. Same thing Sunday morning - carried on doing jobs etc then they stopped. Monday morning same thing, this time they were more intense so I had a bath, tried to do jobs but getting more and more intense that I had to stop with every contraction but after the previous 2 days I just assumed they would stop again - luckily dh rang for a chat, heard me, and raced back from work to take me to hospital - dd born 2 hours later.

I never got to the 3 in 10 mins stage and my waters went as I was pushing but I still "knew" - you just will because the contractions will be so intense you can't do jobs through them! good luck!

mamatiger2016 · 15/11/2016 21:11

I had my DS 6 weeks ago...

I was also worried I wouldn't 'know' or realise when I was in labour and as such worried at every twinge but believe me, you WILL know when they are contractions and they will become much more regular than 'twinges' and the feeling is indescribable.

I had to have my waters broken for me so can't offer any help on that side but good luck!!!

RPC3110 · 15/11/2016 21:44

I didn't know what to expect either, I'm three days postpartum with first baby. Horrible delivery won't go into it, however I had months leading up with BH, thought I would get some sort of prior warning no way! Didn't feel anything before I went to bed and got up at 3am with contractions starting and boy did I know they were contractions, definitely nothing like braxton hicks. In fact it went that quick, I've forgot what contractions actually felt like. Laboured only for 6 and a half hours, three was spent at home and the other three and a half in hospital. Don't know what it feels like to have your waters break randomly because I was 9cm upon arrival at the hospital, they broke them for me and the gushed right through until he was out. Trust me you'll know when it happens but not everyone is the same so what I went through you may not. Just keep calm and go in with an open mind because you don't know what's going to happen unless you've done it before. My birth was traumatic but I'm out the other side of it now and recovering well but I never expected any of what I went through which helped me not to panic :)

RPC3110 · 15/11/2016 21:59

I also lost my mucus plug in the three days before and only had a bloody show half way through contractions. A part of me wishes it had been like obem where they go in with pain and there only at 2cm but a part of me was glad it was quick somewhat

skybluepinkish · 16/11/2016 23:06

Contractions felt like cramps initially for me but soon were painful enough I knew exactly what was happening. And then my waters broke - flooded everywhere!

Original poster

glitterbaby7 · 18/11/2016 17:33

Thanks for all the replies! Starting feeling a lot better about everything in the last couple days, just waiting impatiently now!!!

OP posts:

Blackbird82 · 18/11/2016 17:38

My contractions were on and off for a week and I was stuck at 2cm and very pissed off! However as soon as my waters broke they were thick and fast, I thought I was going to have him in the car! My active labour was very fast, was pushing within 90 mins and he arrived shortly after

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