3rd time, is this early labour?

[Vesiea]

My first was 5days of early labour pains, follow by 6h of actual labour. At 40+13, didn't even use gas and air.

My second ended up with water breaking at 35+6 and sepsis, emergency section.

Right now I'm 40+4, been having lots BH over the pass week and today finally feeling 'tightening' lower and hip area. As you can see I didn't get to experience labour properly the 2nd time round. I feel I have forgotten what to watch for. Could this still be BH or the early labour signs (finally)

I'm not timing it but as I am awake it can feel waves of this tightening feeling. It's not like other HB where it's either a draw down feeling or tightening in other areas if my belly. But this is nearer to my back end and a bit more like period ache (again. Not painful for me) I don't know if this is the real start as I could have good pain tolerance?

Any advice welcome. Thank you

Could you run a bath for yourself? If the contractions disappear it’s most likely just BH, but if they stay at same intensity or get worse, that could be the real thing.

are you able to talk/think when having a contraction?

I was similar to you with my 3rd - my first my waters broke before contractions, my second I had several false alarms (with all of my pregnancies I had BH the whole way through from around 12 weeks) so come my third I was struggling to remember what the real thing felt like. Had a couple of false alarms again. But the real thing I remember being so thoroughly pissed off with the world that day. And then thinking these weren’t going to be the real thing again. It was only after a number of hours and it getting worse & worse that I realised it really was time.

So how’s your mood been the last 24 hours? Is the intensity the same or getting worse? Is the pain in your lower back as well?

given you are overdue, you could call the midwife/hospital and arrange to go in - I guess you’re thinking you don’t want to disturb someone for your kids if it’s a false alarm.

good luck and either way, I hope your baby is with you soon!

My 3rd was ‘hip labour’…It came in waves so that made me Google and I found others had experienced the same.

Sure enough I was in labour and delivered 3 /4 hours later.

All the best!

With my third I had a lot of bh from about 38 weeks. He was induced at 40.1 for different reasons. The bh were just tightening no pain.

All fizzled out now. Disappointed. However some light mucus came away after my morning walk. I mood is not been great because I just want to have this baby already. I'm even avoiding seeing people because they attitude would piss me off. Swinging between hopeful to disappointments and angry.

Can only hope things gets started soon. Really fed up waiting. My first was very over due tho.