Crampiness all over at 38 weeks

[affectionincoldclimate]

Hello MNHive

I wanted to check in with the hive on the early signs of labour and your experiences.

My first baby so I am more jumpy than usual.

I'm 38 weeks, tall baby, head 3/5th engaged, big bump and I'm a little fed up already. I'm on mat leave since last week but it is not in my nature to chill while sitting on the sofa so I've been doing bits and bobs and trying to be about and about. I had a nice low risk pregnancy with the usual aches and pains but nothing too dramatic apart from my leg muscles flaring up at 25 weeks and rib pains around 30.

Yesterday I was out from the morning to the afternoon ending with some shopping on the high street where as usual "I'll just get one more thing" resulted in heavy bags I dragged home on the bus.

By the time I got home late afternoon I was suddenly a bit teary, my bump tight and crampy and my ribs (first place to hurt) burning.

I didn't feel like big dinner so I had series of snacks like fruit and a sandwich and then had a bath. Also took a couple of OTC paracetamol with low dose of codeine that have been recommended for my rib pain. I take them rarely but just felt painful all over. Baby was kicking and stretching as always so it seemed happy.

All night I had a horrible stomach ache, stabbing IBS, trapped wind crampy pain. Then my legs started cramping along the sides of my bump. It was difficult for me to roll out of bed for the inevitable several wees. Also around 4 am I had another para+codeine x 2 as the stomach cramps were killing me!

I slept in but woke up just now with period like cramps low in my bump, crampy arms and legs and sides of bump. Baby seems to be it's usual cheery self with regular kicks and tumbles.

I am seriously wondering if it's a onset of labour? Or have I just overdone it yesterday and need to rest? Any thoughts in the hive? I am meant to to be going for dinner tonight and really don't want to not go but equally don't want to turn up and suddenly have to make it to hospital from central London in panic. DP is telling me to slow down and chill but I always say I'm preggers not ill. 😆

Before you rightly tell me to call my midwife, I'll do that later if I don't feel better. She will certainly tell me to go to maternity assessment unit which I don't want to do as I've been there few times to listen to baby and if you go there too much they treat your pregnancy slightly differently (I'm rooting for possible home birth or at least water birth and don't want it kaiboshed - honest answer) so I thought I'd check in with you first.

Do call the midwife, but that sounds like early labour. For some it can be days or upto a week. But that stage is when your cervix starts to change in length and might dilate a bit too, but with first baby it can stay closed still till your in established labour. Try get an appointment with your midwife just to be checked over

Thank you funnyonion

I'll have my brekkie and give MW a call. I realise that it could be days before it happens in earnest (one forgets that it's not like in the movies 😂)

It's so hard to say, isn't it? This is my third baby and 38 weeks tomorrow, and I'm experiencing similar and I still don't know. What you describe across your bump could also be Braxton Hicks - I definitely see an increase in them when I've been more active than normal.

I've been having the period style cramps in front and back for a few weeks now and disappointingly it's not exactly the onset of labour - though of course could be! - but more like your body limbering up.

I would say keep moving around gently - waking regularly etc - as I do attribute how active I had to be when pregnant with DC2 because of having a toddler with a decent labour compared to how more sedentary I was when pregnant with DC1 because everyone kept telling me to rest.

It's so hard to say and I'm trying to make peace with the fact that these early signs can go on for ages. Good luck OP - be calm but active is my advice

I had period cramps for at least 24 hours before my waters broke, although that was at about 41 weeks.
Then labour took 12 hours.

Make sure you eat properly.

Thank you both ladies. Reassuring to read your comments. I've had a brekkie and pottered about and feeling much better.

redcrab you're right that the bump pain always occurs after increased activity. I salute you chasing toddlers around as a total novice I feel like this would be impossible but hey, aren't women amazing ❤

I'll see how I feel in the afternoon and then decide whether to head out to dinner. And if I do I'll treat myself to a cab.

I reckon it's totally ok to be active but it can't take you by surprise that there's changes in how your bump feels. And obviously, exhaustion

How are you feeling now OP?

*it can take you by surprise.

redcrab
I'm on my way to the dinner in a cab. Feeling much better and looking forward to nice food. Just had to rest and having you guys calm me down made all the difference. Mumsnet is the best.

Yea rest up a bit. Don't forget you're not working because you are too pregnant to do so, so don't try and completely fill your time with other work!

cwytch
Wise words and I do tend to forget it. Today I'm going for a pregnancy massage. That's the extent of my "work"
Thank you all