Back pain as a sign of early labour?

[littlelamb]

Is back pain generally a sign of an imminent labour? I am 37 weeks and its not the kind of ache you get just from the weight of everything iyswim? It is a constant pain not unlike the sort you get with a period, really low down and achey. I've had it since yesterday. I have been having lots of tightenings on the bump, but no pain ont he front, and the pain doesn't really worsen in my back, it is there all the time. What's making me wonder is that I saw the midwife yesterday and she sent a urine sample off as there might be an infection, but she has said this for the last month, I've had 4 samples sent off and each time it has come back clear. Could a back ache like this just be more indicitive of an infection?

I had bad backache when in labour with ds1 (back-to-back). I never felt a contraction at all. The only thing that helped was a tens machine and when the batteries ran out and dh ran to the petrol station for some more I suddenly had the urge to push! We called the midwife who examined me, declared me fully-dilated and asked if we wanted to have the baby at home or try and make it to the birthing centre! We chose the birthing centre and I was taken by ambulance on the bumpiest ride of my life, trying not to push, while dh followed in the car. ds1 actually took another hour or so to appear as my contractions weren't very strong.

Do get yourself a tens machine as they are fantastic for backache and good luck!

Well nothing happened last night. I still have backache and tightenings, but don't feel they are making any progress. Am going to try and go for a long walk today and see if that will help to either ease the pain or get things moving properly. If all else fails, I am going to spend as much time draped over a birth ball trying to get this little one to turn anterior. I had forgotten how strange it feels to be able to feel little legs and feet straining against my belly button

oh exeter a bit far away, I'm in suffolk!
Have a chicken tikka masala that will get things moving!

Nothing happening here either... (she says, hoping that'll get things moving)

Ahhhhh...some sort of closure! I stumbled across this thread last night and then MN crashed on me and I couldn't get on to find out what happened.

The reason I was so interested to see what happened was because it sounded so much like my last two labours and they were back to back. Just read on here now that yours is back to back too so that makes sense.

Just wanted to say you will know when things start up properly - there is no mistaking it. With my last two I had three days of what you are having before I went into labour properly - they didn't turn until I was well into established labour so no idea what the three days of aching and contractions etc was all about .

Also to add I have another little back to back monster here who is due on Sunday and I have had backache and contractions (some quite painful) on and off for days. It has all quietened down now and last time I saw my MW she said labour is a way off yet for this one (yay ). I think it is very common for this to happen so don't worry too much.

Hope you have your childcare sorted now (I remember your other threads).

Don't worry about looking like a fool if you phone up labour ward or mw for advice they are very used to it.

Good luck.

Well then littlelamb, jessikart and BigBadMouse, shame nothing happened last night/this morning but I will be looking out for birth announcements from all three of you in the next few days!!

best wishes to all of you

I wish a birth announcement was imminent . I still feel achey but the tightenings have eased up, and the baby is showing no sign of slowing down or getting in position. Do you think he is unlikely to turn anterior now as his head is already partly engaged? Am dreading going overdue like I did with dd- I just want him out now! I have reached the stage where nothing is comfortable, I can only waddle a short way without wanting to either pass out or sit down, and I live in eternal fear of my waters/bladder giving way in public Still, it cant be too long now, and I would like to take the opportunity to claim the first place in the line...Jessikart and Bigbadmouse can form an orderly queue behind me

Now just hang on a minute - I am the one who is furthest gone so get in line!

tbh I'd have been quite happy for my monster to stay put for a while but now I know about the cord being round his neck I would prefer to be able to see for myself that he is fine.

Apparently they can still turn anterior quite easily (if the mood takes them) even when the head is fully engaged. My MW told me this after DDs engaged at 32 and 34 weeks but were still OP.

You are relatively near me Little Lamb are you having yours at Exeter? My friend had her little girl there and was happy with them. I'm off to Barnstaple for mine, it's an hour away, along a nice bumpy, touristy road which is currently full of roadworks all the way. I deeply suspect DS1 is waiting for the bank holiday weekend, it would seem I can only give birth on Bank Holidays if the last two are anything to go by .

Good luck

Yes, Exeter. I wish I had the guts to have him at home to be honest but I had a big bleed after dd was born and if that happens again I want to be in hospital in case I need a transfusion. The hospital is only about 5 minutes away though. I am going to cook a very hot curry tonight and I have been trying the pineapple which is yummy and the clary sage, which isn't as foul smelling as I had been led to believe! How do you know the cord is round the neck? Did you have a scan? I will not allow you to pop before I do My SPD is horrendous today, I had to ride the bus one stop to take dd to and from nursery so I am hoping that sorts itself out quickly after birth.

Don't blame you for wanting to be in hospital tbh - I would in your shoes. At least it is nearby so you could stay at home for while if you wanted to. How long was your last labour - was she OP too? My MW's will happily come out to anyone who changes their mind at the last minute and prefers to stay at home. There are a lot of home births around here but I have a history of long and OP labours and have ended up being taken to hospital by ambulance after two failed homebirths so this time I plan to go in.

Yes I have had several scans because 'nuggets' kidneys are enlarged and at the last one it was very clear the cord was round his neck. I have another scan next Thursday so we'll see how much trouble he has got into with all his wriggling. I'm not expecting to have had him by then.

I hope your SPD clears up as soon as you've had your little one - did you have it last time round? I have had PGP on and off during each pregnancy but at the moment I'm OK apart from him lying on a nerve that 'zings' all down my inner right leg!

Enjoy your hot curry. I will check for birth announcements from you tomorrow .

I had back ache at the start of labour with both DDs - fingers crossed for you!

Yes, dd was op, and was induced as overdue, and total labour was 13 hours, including 2 of pushing . My spd did clear up last time but I think my legs felt very weak for a while afterwards, which was not helped by them puttign me in stirrups to deliver even when I begged them not to because it hurt so much That is still the worst bit in my memory, so I have out in my birth plan this time that my legs are not to be forced apart. Whether they take any notice remains to be seen.
I suppose its good that they know in advance about the cord Are you still allowed a vb? Curry was nice but I fear not hot enough

Why on earth did they put you in Stirrups???? . Was that at Exeter too? I hope they listen to you this time. Do you have someone who will be there who can really put their foot down on your behalf? I should hope last time was a one off.

Many babies are born with the cord around their neck so it's not unusual but most mummies are oblivious until the baby is born or afterwards so that probably helps. It's usually not an issue but on this occassion it has been useful to know in advance as they have told me to come in ASAP so they can monitor me. Apparently they need to keep a close eye on how stressed he becomes during contractions. I'm still allowed a VB.

My last two labours have been 32 and 16 hours respectively so I should be 8 this time (not that I think nugget has read 'the book' on these matters). Hope you get something nice and quick and painless. I have had epidurals both times ...wonderful for me! They didn't take fully so I could still feel the contractions very well in places .

I had had an epidural too and I suppose because I had spent so long pushing they thought the stirrpus were a good idea. This was at the old maternity unit in Exeter. In retrospect, I really couldn't feel when to push, but with the placenta I think they must have lowered the epidural doseage as I have never felt such an urge to push in my life! That is when the panic really started with the bleeding, they were tellign me not to push but there was no way I could stop myself. Everyone keeps telling me I will have a much shorter pushing stage this time, which I certainly hope is true, but I don't know if being OP will slow it down. In theory everything has already stretched . Lovely. Got my tens machine from Boots today so am going to go and fiddle with that to check I know how it works!

I had had an epidural too and I suppose because I had spent so long pushing they thought the stirrpus were a good idea. This was at the old maternity unit in Exeter. In retrospect, I really couldn't feel when to push, but with the placenta I think they must have lowered the epidural doseage as I have never felt such an urge to push in my life! That is when the panic really started with the bleeding, they were tellign me not to push but there was no way I could stop myself. Everyone keeps telling me I will have a much shorter pushing stage this time, which I certainly hope is true, but I don't know if being OP will slow it down. In theory everything has already stretched . Lovely. Got my tens machine from Boots today so am going to go and fiddle with that to check I know how it works!

Don't think being OP will neccessarily slow the pushing stage down. I only had to push for under 10 mins with DD1 and about 3 mins with DD2 - they had turned before they came out though.

I delivered both on my side which I found really comfortable (er....well, in comparison to any other position at the time ).

Are you still getting the back pains?

Hope you like the TENS - did you have one last time? I tried one second time round but haven't got one this time (hope I don't live to regret that decision!)

I am still getting them, but nowhere near as frequently as on Tuesday night. My bump seems to have moved down again though, which I think is probably why my hips feel so rubbish today. I couldn't even climb into the bath! I had a tens with dd, but it was the hospitals one, since I was there already. After these back pains though, I decided to bite the bullet and hire one for myself, so I can use it without having to go to hospital. I do remember it being good up to a point, but it was useless as soon as I was made to lie down for monitoring. WHen I was standing up or leaning on my birth ball it was amazing. Thats another thing I am going to specify, that I don't want continuous monitoring, I just worry that they will guilt me into it by saying things like putting the baby in danger I am going to have to prep my birth partner to be able to stand up for me in those circumstances I suppose. What I do know is that I hated labouring on my back, and with so much monitoring it was really the only position that was feasable.

Everything's settled down here...apart from crazily regular BH every time I lie down so I start thinking to myself 'Is this it? Is it time?'

Jeez, it sounds ridiculous but I can't wait for the bump to drop so I can have a break! Three days a week I have to look after DS & my nephew for a few hours which wipes me out completely...and then I have to go into work. On the days I'm not looking after the boys I'm supposed to be at work all day . Can't wait until after the birth when my mum will be here and 'you can feed the baby, rest when she rests, and let someone look after you for the rest of the time'

littlelamb - I was on my back too as DS was continuously monitored, but they didn't put me in stirrups until well afterwards when the cleanup operation started! I think awareness of SPD is much better now than it was just a few years ago, so they'll try to avoid anything that could make it worse unless absolutely necessary.

That's good to know Jessikart. Hvae you got a tens machine? I got mine from Boots yesterday and figured out how it works last night and its actually really nice on the lowest setting for when your back hurts. I am just worried I will run out the batteries before the big day!