Is something happening? Bloody show? Please share your experiences with me...

[glitterjo]

ok, I'm here to ask yet another stupid set of questions.

I'm 37+5. A few days ago (I think 4) I had a bit of rather snotty discharge, not a huge amount but enough to notice. Today I have cramps that are very much like period pain - far from unbearable but painful and fairly regular (I haven't timed them or anything. though I think I will very soon just to see). I've had some paracetamol and have got my hot water bottle on my tummy and my back, which is helping but they are still there. They are making me feel a bit queasy.

The last few times I've been to the loo, there has been some blood when I wiped and a little on the pad I'm wearing. It's not much and there isn't much discharge, just a wee bit of blood.

Over the weekend I have been in the strangest mood, just like PMT, weepy and full of self-loathing, I've got spots suddenly and I feel like a teenager! Now with the cramps I couldn't feel more like I'm on my period so I feel like something is going on with my hormones, but I guess something is always going on with my hormones at this time...I've also (apologies if tmi) had to poo loads over the weekend and this morning.

Is something happening? Or am I going to be bouncing on this ball with my hot water bottle for the next few weeks?

Please tell me what happened with you when you went into labour. Especially if you had symptoms like mine and then you had a nice easy 45 minutes labour and were sipping a glass of Chardonnay by the evening.

sounds like you're in labour to me

But... it could still be a while, so carry on doing what you're doing and when the pains are really close together and/or the pain gets to the stage where you want more than paracetamol, put your birth plan into place.

Hope someone will come along soon with some experience of this - I didn't have a show with either labour till I got to the hospital so can't speak from experience.

Good luck

From what I can remember, you really do know when you've had a show! Its a substantial gelatinous (sorry TMI) lump of grey/pink mucus. It was very distinctive.
I had had a sweep 24 before though, so I was expecting it.
How exciting! Good Luck x

Phone your MW and ask! I have no idea personally, but the cramps sound like they might be labour - and anyway, if it isn't, the fact you're bleeding a bit is just cause for asking what's going on. Good luck! Have you timed your cramps?

they're pretty much constant but low key so it's tricky to time them. I can cope with them well though so I'm thinking it's nothing too serious, they are just like period pains.

I was going to call the midwife but thought I might wait until the morning - the fact that we're going for drinks with our NCT class tonight has nothing to do with that decision, obviously.

expectingno3 that was the impression I got though looking at a couple of pregnancy books it did say that you could lose it quite gradually and I have had quite a lot of discharge this week as well as that one snotty bit (urgh...).

Still some blood when I go to the loo but it's very minimal. If it gets heavier I will definitely call.

It's all feeling a bit real now so I think I just want to run away a bit!