40+2, strong Braxton Hicks - have I got hours or days to go?!

[Wigeon]

Didn't get any Braxton Hicks with DD so not sure what's going on!

Been getting painless Braxton Hicks from about 39+4, am 40+2 today and been getting painful, strong Braxton Hicks for about two hours this morning now. I have to stop what I'm doing, concentrate, stand up, sway, breathe through them etc. Feels a bit like early labour with DD, but bump is going really hard and they aren't regular so I think they are BHs not actual contractions.

Does this mean there will be a baby by the end of the day, or could this be the start of an annoying pre-labour phase lasting days and days?

Any advice / experiences welcome!

Sounds like what I had in early labour with my DD. In my case it did last for a couple of days. They'd be fairly regular for a while (say every 6 min) then slow down again before picking up. Very frustrating! BUT that was with my first, so if it's your second DC I imagine it could be quite a bit faster

Good luck!

Sorry but it could be the start of an annoying labour.
I may be totally wrong but ny labour with ds I was having on and off pains, nothing really all that painful-I was just aware of it, stopped me in my tracks kind of discomfort.
Anyhow called mw who said I was 2cm, following day 4cm then a day or so later I woke up just before 5 with 'wind' ds shot out at 7.50 the horrible bit was lovely and quick so my effective body was just getting on with it's job while I was able to spend more time with dd. Mind you I do remember being v impatient about it all!
Good luck. Remember even if it does take a couple of days you WILL have a lovely present at the end x

Everyone's right, it could still go either way.

My midwife advised that if it's BH, try to ignore and carry on what you're doing (or if possible, go for a nap) and they will eventually go away. If they don't go away and get more regular/stronger/closer together, then it might well be labour.

I have had 2-3hr blocks of really quite strong BH that I had to breathe and rock through and thought that was it but no (it started 3 weeks ago...).

But Boosaphena's right, some of these sore BH might well be doing early work in preparing for labour

And in breaking news: just had a show!

Thanks for your comments everyone.

Really quite difficult to do anything other than concentrate on the feelings, sway, breathe etc, definitely not poss to have a nap. Does your bump go rock hard in real contractions? Can't remember with DD.

Starting to sound more like the real thing to be honest. Have you tried timing them to get some idea of how frequent/regular they are?

I had a show with four of my labours - baby was born within 24 hours each time.

Hope all goes well for you. Do let us know. Good luck!

Good luck. When I was 40 weeks I had loads of contractions/false alarms. Mw told me to do the bath test: if conx stop in a relaxing nice bath it is only b/h, if they go on its the real thing. Dunno if that is right.

Sounds like everything is heading in the right direction for you. I would spend the day making sure you have everything in place for the birth (bag packed etc) carb loading and resting as much as possible. Good luck

Good luck!

Does anyone know about the hard bump thing? Mine currently resembles a boiled egg!

I am now on day 2 to BH/CTx that are every 5 mins and won't go away

Er, turns out it was a baby, not BHs! Baby girl born 12:40pm - will post more later, me and her both very well.

Thank you again for your comments!

Wow!! Congratulations!

Blimey! Many congratulations on your new daughter.

Congratulations :)

Was having to prevent myself from posting about her sooner ;)

Bother. Should have been a .

But lots and lots of congratulations again

Wow. Congratulations! Thanks for taking the time to update.

Congratulations! Wonderful news

Lawrie - you must be the former NATW? Unless my mum or our MIL has discovered mumsnet all of a sudden or something (unlikely)?!

Birth story for anyone interested (cross-posted from the May antenatal thread) - you know the first bit :

Woke up about 7am on 14 May (40+2) with Braxton Hicks. BHs started feeling a bit sore ? irregular but needing me to pace up and down. Started to get more painful, so I had to sway about, breathe etc. Thought this might be the start of a long pre-labour phase. Decided 8:45am to ring my mum to take away DD. By the time she arrived (10:10am) the feelings were definitely contractions ? had put on TENS and was breathing, leaning on a window sill / chest of drawers, swaying and ?aaahing? through them, whilst pummelling the window sill / chest of drawers with my fist and counting to about 40. Once DD was dispatched, DH took over the purposeful, loud counting, which was very helpful. Contractions now coming every three minutes and lasting about 40 to 50 seconds. Had a show and then waters started breaking about 10am.

Rang community midwives to ask them to come out to us for the homebirth ? was told they were overwhelmed at the hospital and all community midwives had been recalled, so there was no one available to come out to us! Was asked to go into the hospital. Decided it wasn?t worth arguing and so set off for the midwife-led birthing unit at the hospital, arriving about 10:25am.

Found to be fully dilated shortly after arrival. Continued to use TENS, started on the gas and air, was on all fours, rocking and pummelled the bed as hard as possible with my fist, husband counting me through the contractions. Able to push after a bit. DHcounted me through each push (counting one to ten, three times each contraction), again very helpful. Pushing took about 40 minutes. Cleo Sophia born at 12:40pm weighing 7lb 15oz, very healthy. Very small graze, no stitches. Cleo feeding well. Home after four hours.

DD seems to be taking to the role of big sister well so far.

Had quite a good night's sleep, considering, now in bed snuggling and feeding!

Lovely birth story :)

And yes I was NATW. Keep serial name changing at the moment to provide more variety to life .

Glad DD1 enjoying life as a big sister so far :)

Aw, thats a lovely birth story! You were very calm and controlled and well done on being home so quickly afterward