Early labour? 38+5

[Laureatus]

Hi, I know this probably sounds stupid, but first pregnancy as you can prob. Guess! I've had some mild back pain for a few days & today I think I lost my mucous plug (sorry if tmi but loads of clear glue-like discharge throughout the day). I've had a few kind of shooting pains over previous days and today. The passed two hours I've been having what seem like contractions - surging feeling around back & abdomen that takes my breath away and need to grab on to something - so I've been doing my hypnobirthing surge breathing just in case. It only lasts about a minute but bizarrely happens between every 5 and 15 mins.

Is this early labour? I'm only confused because after each surge passes I need to go to the toilet! I've just finished antibiotics for a kidney infection so could it be to do with that?! I just don't know what to tell my husband when he comes home. Right now Im distracting myself trying to cook dinner x

Sounds a little concerning in that the pain takes your breath away and makes you stop what you're doing, as this was a sign for me that it was labour and not braxton hicks (I've had three children.)
Urine infections can bring on earlier labour too. I would at least go and get yourself checked out.

That's exactly how my first labour started OP. However, I should say that this was on the Friday & DS1 wasn't born until the early hours of the Tuesday morning

The stage you're describing lasted all weekend until late on the Monday night. I only went into hospital when the contractions were every 5-7 minutes apart without fail.

Good luck!

And mine! Started on the Sunday and he finally arrived on the Tuesday. Good luck - please update when you've had baby, if you want of course 😊

Sounds like labour to me. I would ring the hospital and chat to them, make sure kidneys arent the issue. Keep doing hypnobirthing techniques, you'll do great. My little girl was born at 38+5 x

Sounds exactly like the start of my labour. The pains came at irregular intervals but were happening frequently and they kept me up all night. With it being my first I phoned the ward and they said I could go in if I thought it was labour. By the time I got there they slowed down at bit and weren’t getting any more intense so I realised was probably in the early early stages. After an examination midwife said my cervix was fully softened and ready, and I was 1cm dilated- but potentially I could have sat like that for a while. It was my due date anyway so she asked if I wanted a sweep since I was there anyway. Got home about 9am- the irregular pains continued. Lost my plug in the bath at about 11am. Proper contractions started about 2pm- you’ll definitely notice the difference when they become full blown labour. Went to hospital at 4.30 and DS was born at 6.40. Don’t know how long it would have been had I not had the sweep tho.

No harm in calling and asking for advice.

Thanks everyone for your reassurance & advice! To update you - it was labour! I had lost my mucus plug earlier in the day. After a few update calls to the hospital we went in at 4am, and I was 6cms. Kept going with just hypnobirthing until about midday but I was only at 8-9cms when the examinations finished me off so I went for gas & air. Contractions steadied off so they recommended the drip because baby's heart rate started rising. I went for epidural along with it and our son was born at 7.35pm yesterday, 6lb 6ozs! Still mulling over his name but nearly there!

Amazing, congratulations 😊let us know (if you want to) the name you choose. Lovely news xx

Aww lovely update. Congrats OP! Enjoy every minute. I’m due again on Tuesday and can’t wait for newborn cuddles again

Thanks! We have named him Ralph 😍 and loving the cuddles!

Ralph is lovely 😊 my FILs middle name is Ralph and I really like it, classic but feels quite contemporary. Enjoy your newborn cuddles, I'm glad all went well. My youngest (Rupert) is four months old now and it goes so quickly!

Congratulations 💙 love his name 😊