How long before fully engaged and backache turns into labour? 2nd baby

[kayjayel]

I know there are loads of threads on this, but I think I need to hear some anecdotes of people having lots of early signs with second baby and still having a few weeks. Otherwise I'm going to wake every day for the next 21 days being disappointed!

I'm 38 wks, baby is fully engaged, had period cramps and backache since Tuesday (have eased off today) and slightly dodgy tummy yesterday, and I got my hopes up that the baby was on its way. Oh, and I feel slightly sick in that first trimester way again. And had an absolutely ridiculous nesting and insomnia night on Tuesday, resulting in 3 hours sleep and very clean cupboards.

I didn't get any of these infuriating 'signs' with my first, and was 5 days over.

So with second babies - how long was it from fully engaged to labour starting? And did anyone have lots of these signs like backache for days/weeks before labour?

I need a reality check!

Ello.. with my third baby, I was fully engaged and having contractions...

for weeks !!

They came and went and came and went for about a month towards the end, DD2 was then a week late lol

With my second child, my waters broke at 37 weeks, and it started about 5 hours after that...

I think it's always going to be a bit different I'm afraid!

I had those signs for a couple of weeks(think baby was engaged around week 36).

So it could be a while....or labour could be imminent! There's no way of knowing.

Hope it's not too much longer!

Thank you - thats what I need to hear to bring myself back to normal, rather than being on red alert! I know that after the first week of sleep deprivation and sore nips I'll be begging for a bit more of this resting time!

I'm having those symptoms now - 12 days in a row (I'm 39 weeks today) of continuous, strong Braxton-Hicks plus I've had 20 hours of real false labour last week which I thought was the real thing, and then it disappeared... And my first came two weeks early - so I'm very frustrated!

Come hang out on the June antenatal board with us - we're a friendly bunch.

Oh that sounds really annoying for you, especially if you were early with number 1. All my signs pretty much gone now, so I think I'll just try to get on with life a bit more. I've had peeks at the June ante-natal but can't keep up with the pace! These posts are really helping me to keep myself in check a bit, so thank you!