Tell me about pre-labour...

[littlelamb]

I am 36 weeks and was induced with dd, so never had to go through pre labour. dd was 2 weeks late, and I just never got the feeling that she was coming. With this one, I had what I think was a show earlier and have just not felt right all day. Things feel ominous its not a feeling I can really describe. I think my bump has dropped again, and I feel like my waters might go at any time (again, not something I experienced with dd). I have heard that pre labour can last for days if not weeks. What was your experience of it, and when did pre labour turn into real labour??

My labour was mostly backache. But I did feel odd with dd2 about 3 hours before labour started.

Felt more tired and irritable than usual, had quite bad lower backache, but that was it. Show and waters breaking didn't happen until I was about 5cm.

With DD1 my waters broke first on due date having not had a show beforehand) then about 4 hours later my contractions started. They were irregular but prolonged. I had no prior warning that my waters might be about to break - had been feeling that was about to happen for weeks before as she was very low and fully engaged by 32 weeks but I didn;t feel different in myself at all.

With DD2 I got pre labout pains - light contractions (not BH) accompanied by backache / period pain. They lasted for hours at a time sometimes and then would just go for a few hours. My waters didn't break until I was well into proper labour (again she had been fully engaged and pressing down for weeks prior to labour) and I didn't have a show. My milk had come in about a week beforehand. She was a week early. I knew she was on her way days before she arrived due the pre-labour pains

I am 38 weeks now with DS1, started to get the pre-labour pains at the same time every night. Little contractions, period like pain. Lasts a few hours then goes. Had a show over a week ago and milk came in a week ago. My bump has dropped but I still don't get the feeling that things are imminent - I have been in denial three times now then but at least I have my hospital bag packed this time round .

Both DDs were back to back so pre-labour to real labour was several days (3 or 4) then labour was 32 and 16 hours established afterwards. DS1 is not back to back.

Hope that helps and makes sense! Good luck. I wonder if your ominous feeling is because you think you had a show earlier?