Feel silly having to ask as a 2nd timer but.....

[LittleCheese]

Im 39+2 today and for about 5/6 days have had 2 hours or so of regular braxton hicks between 10pm and midnight.

Obviously this has been getting my hopes up and i've been expecting to havbe my baby pretty soon.

Tonight I started having braxton hicks/contractions around 5pm they started regular every 10-12 mins then faded off for a while and are now back regular every 6-7 mins and are more intense. I can talk through them though.

I'll get to the point now I plan on using a tens machine for this labour and have read it should be used from the very beginning or wont be effective. My question is how do I know if this is labour or not and weather to use it?

You can always take it off again if things calm down, so I would bung it on. Good luck

you will know if it is labour if the contractions do not stop if you change position etc

you can use it now if you want or try a warm bath - if the contractions stop you know they are BH ...

Don't feel silly, I was exactly the same with DD2. I actually had the tens machine on at one point and then everything stopped. My MW said that you feel BH much stronger second tim.

I found that if I moved around the tightenings would stop and that's how I knew it wasn't true contractions.

Eventually I had a show a few days later and that night waters went when I was asleep, so no doubts then.

Good luck

thanks for reply's ladies feel better now, i didnt realise i could use the tens if not in labour without it causing problems so that is reassuring.

the last couple of the nights its been going for a wee that has stoppe dthem so just been to the toilet so we will see if i have another or not and if i do i'll pop tens on

Any change LittleCheese?

Lol don't feel silly! I posted asking if I should just take 2 paracetamol and go back to be 2 2/4 hours before DS (DC2) was born

Good luck

been to the loo twice now and they are still coming every 6 minutes so different from the rest of this week. I have the tens on now and it feels nice and relaxing whilst not having contractions im quite confused by all the settings on it though lol

Sounds promising. Any arrivals?

niggle unfortunately not

contractions continued to be 6 mins till about midnight then reduced to 4 mins and we were about to call hospital at 2am when they stopped and i've had nothing since.

I feel rather miserable

Awww, that's tough. Here's hoping things get moving soon. My midwife always said the more of this sort of thing you have in advance the shorter the labour will be in the end.

I had a similar episode a few days before DS was born and ended up with a super easy 2 1/2 hour labour!

One way or another you'll meet your little one very soon

Yeah Norks, I had a lot of this and DD2 was only 4.5 hours, so it could be a good sign, frustrating though it is.

hi ladies thanks for the support. fingers crossed that the other night wasnt a complete waste of time then and i will seer the benefits when bubs finally decides to make an appearance.

im sat here bouncing on my gym ball as i type lol

Keep us posted

hi not sure if any of you ladies are still watching this thread, but sat bouncing on my gym ball with tens on contractions every 3 mins for last hour going to call hospital soon quite reluctant after suddenly stopping last week

I wasn't watching at 2am, but I am now . I'm thinking baby cheese might have arrived by now. Hope you are doing ok.

Niggle Baby Cheese Aka Eleanor Rose was born at 6.38 this morning weighing 8lb 9.5 Thanks for your support

Oh wonderful news and a lovely name (nearly as good as Baby Cheese ). Looks like you had that fast labour that we promised! Enjoy getting to know your new addition.

Well done littlecheese xxxx

Congratulations on baby cheese...xxxx

a fab little nickname should she want one haha

sounds like a great birth x