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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

I think I might be going into labour but not sure.

45 replies

lilimama · 31/12/2007 04:41

Hi, am 40+2
Story so far:

After more than a week of BH and various cramps and contractions which were not becoming regular....

2300 Major emotional crying fit (unlike me) because DP was playing a computer game all day long and it suddenly felt like too much of feeling alone.
2330 series of contractions, whilst lying in bed on left side which then tailored off after DP and I talked and sorted things out. I got up for a while at 0200 but nothing progressed so back to bed.
Awoke now at 0500 with fluid loss, not pink, clear and not mucousy like regular discharge, just thin and clear along with contractions which feel a bit like trapped wind, so might not be the real thing. feel like i need to fart or poo (!) and feeling weight above pubic bone, rectum and vagina. Went back to bed for 20 mins but more wind feeling, and more fluid loss but not a soaking or obvious gushing, can catch it with tissue.
All day (infact increasingly for four days) lower back ache (like soft tissue not bone) and extremely heavy/pressure feeling in pelvis, as if I am swinging a bunch of bananas behind my pubic bone!!

I have felt so very about to give birth for days, but it's my first so I'm clueless, though being very much in touch with my body, could be oversensitive and......

am I going insane?

No show, i.e no bloody show, no waters breaking....

does it sometimes start simply with contractions and feeling completely emotional?

does anyone

OP posts:

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Original poster

lilimama · 31/12/2007 04:42

have experience of things not being too clear?

OP posts:

HarrietTheSpy · 31/12/2007 04:45

If I were you, I would call the hospital and run through it. It certainly sounds possible. Have only been through it once - I had the gush of waters and the contractions -so no expert...I'm in the US at the moment, hence awake...hopefully you will get a more seasoned punter around soon enough...but can't hurt to give the hospital a jingle.

Original poster

lilimama · 31/12/2007 04:52

thanks harriet...

am having a home birth, but might well call the midwife soon. just sitting and watching how this goes for a few more mins. thanks for your post.

OP posts:

OverRated · 31/12/2007 04:59

I think the fluid loss may have been your waters breaking... have you called the midwife?

HarrietTheSpy · 31/12/2007 05:04

Good luck with the birth. Have hired the same IM for myself this time around...am hoping for a VBAC, not sure where yet though...

WideWebWitch · 31/12/2007 05:04

I'd call the midwife too. Or see if you can sleep. If you can you're almost certainly not in labour.

WideWebWitch · 31/12/2007 05:05

Btw, I would have emotional crying fit at that and I'm not pregnant!

Valma · 31/12/2007 07:00

Lili it does sound like early labour to me. My early ctx felt like wind and needing to do a poo is a good way to describe it!
Sounds like things are starting, waters can break before or right at the end (I had both happen, they broke first with first baby, but my second only when I was pushing!)
You might be starting to lose your waters which is why you need to call the midwife/hosp - they need to check because you could lose it slowly over a few days, which wouldn't be good for baby - but I think from what you say, it shouldn't come to that. I am guessing you will be holding your LO very soon!

Good luck sweetie x

bonkerz · 31/12/2007 07:50

how exciting!!

Original poster

lilimama · 31/12/2007 10:38

thanks for your messages. dp made me some soup and toast and we sat up for a while. went back to bed and had a few more of what felt like contractions, quite painful and after a while I fell asleep so they must have tailored off. Just got up (1130) and not feeling anything yet. Strange and now I'm wondering if I dreamt it all, except that I have the period type backache and it still feels like I need to fart or poo, but neither are forthcoming. New Year's eve here and I'm possibly situated in the busiest part of a very busy town in Europe. It's already noisy and am expecting continuous fireworks display from this eve til after midnight RIGHT ON OUR DOORSTEP, so that will either stall things further or get things going!
As I sit here I'm getting trapped wind like contractions, so maybe it's all just that. Will try going for a walk to see if that releases the windy feeling....and call midwife. No more fluid loss since getting up, so not sure about waters etc......this is all very perplexing, but I'm trying to just trust my body and go with nature's funny way.

OP posts:

FlllightAttendant · 31/12/2007 10:50

Lili, glad you are alright! I wonder if baby might be in a back to back position? This would explain slow progress plus backache.
Let us know how you get on sweetie!

Original poster

lilimama · 31/12/2007 11:34

thanks flightattendant.....

is backache not a feature of regular labour/pre labour too?

I've had it (increasingly) for over a week now, sort of like a period pain backache.

anyone?

OP posts:

FlllightAttendant · 31/12/2007 11:36

It could be either, it was just that you have been having irregular Ctx so far and the two things combined sounded possibly to point to that. I am no expert but hopefully Marslady, Hunker or Lulumama will be around to advise soon x (they are experts!!)

madmouse · 31/12/2007 13:20

Lilimama I was thinking back to back just as I came to Fllightattendants post. may be worth spending some time on all fours/leaning forward. Do you have a birth ball?

madmouse · 31/12/2007 13:21

Oh, i am certainly no expert either

NorthernLurker · 31/12/2007 13:25

I had a huge crying fit 8 hours before going into labour with dd3 - about how I hadn't gone into labour yet

Original poster

lilimama · 31/12/2007 13:35

thanks everyone...spoke to mw, who is preparing to come my way within 24 hours she reckons, but we'll see...I'm avoiding my own birth hype, as it feels counteractive. been bouncing on ball very regularly and doing exercises on all fours and belly dancing/gyrating morning noon and night as keen for Op foet.pos for weeks on end and esp the last few days, and don't seem to have the sort of intense backpain described with being OP, but if things intensify without being more of active labour then will start thinking that way.
seems the best thing is to stay gently active, eat all that I crave (and that's plenty) abd stay happy and calm.
will keep you posted! thanks again ladies.

OP posts:

Original poster

lilimama · 31/12/2007 17:20

seem to be having regular contractions, though still able to wander around the house. Having continuous small fluid loss which is now not so clear and seems to be a very very subtle show, i.e hardly discernable blood tinge.
am sort of in denial as I really don't want to hype everything up in case it takes a while yet, but DP is setting up the birth bath now. could still be 24 hours right? she said, having another contraction and reaching for 10 more ice cubes.

Will it be 2007 or 2008 I wonder?

OP posts:

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 31/12/2007 17:27

Oh, how exciting Lili. It sounds like things are starting for you. It may only be the start of your labour, but it means your lo is getting ready to meet you and you'll see other soon.

If you are still able to, eat, sleep, rest and pee as much as you can. You'll need all your strength for the hours/days ahead of you.

Keep us posted xx

ps birthing pools are the best thing ever. I used a TENS until it wasn't doing anything anymore, then I got in the pool. It was utter bliss.

OverRated · 31/12/2007 19:22

Should we assume that you've disappeared in order to focus on having the baby?

Looking forward to seeing the birth announcement!

Original poster

lilimama · 31/12/2007 20:40

went to bed to see if I could sleep. couldn't and got up and immediately had a bloody show. contractions about every 20 mins sometimes closer. let's see now...

OP posts:

CarGirl · 31/12/2007 20:41

so its still the 07/08 debate all though I guess more likely 2008!

NorthernLurker · 31/12/2007 20:42

You see - crying fit - good sign - all the best - I think we are looking at 0345 01/01/08! Good Luck!

Ledodgy · 31/12/2007 20:43

OOh good luck deffo sounds like somthing will happen if not this year maybe next. I too have just had a bloody show but have only got mild pains but i'm only 39+2 so could be a while yet i'm also very emotional and very very irritable but I thik that's more due to having to be sober on NYE other than anything else.

Keep us updated!

CantSleighWontSleigh · 31/12/2007 20:44

Good luck - sounds like it's close now!

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