Reassurance please! Did anyone else's labour start like this?

[Mintmagnums]

I'm 4 days over my EDD and had a show last sunday morning which has kept on coming since then (lots of it). Had bleeding at the same time but after monitoring etc they said it was part of the show. I've had cramps just in my back since Sunday too - painful ones. They got worse on Monday but weren't regular. Then last night I had regular ones round the back and low bump and every other one was horrendous. I rang the hospital at 2am and they said to get some sleep and wait until each cramp was a bit longer and when i couldn't talk through them. I've actually had the ones where I can't talk through them but they were only about 20 seconds. Anyway, finally slept and woke around 5am but most of the cramps had gone. I saw the midwife today and she said this kind of thing can go on for a few days before the real thing - has anyone else had that? Some of the pains are so bad I'm almost writhing in agony and am permanently attached to my tens machine! Also hurts to sit down (feels like baby is up the wrong hole!). Sorry for long description - just would be interested to hear if anyone else has had this and how long it went on for. It's by first baby. Thanks :o)

Yes, I remember mine started a couple of days before I went into labour like you.
If you feel you need to go in and they are close enough and are regular then go in. They often try and keep you away over the phone. I was in tears because my DH rang and they told me to stay at home. He rang again and started shouting at them and when I got in I was 4cm. So just remember that. Hope it all goes well. First babies generally do take longer though but just watch for the regular ones. There is a timer you can use online. :)

Yeah, I was exactly the same with my second baby but it lased ten days after my sweep, which was done the day after my due date! I found that if I lay down and relaxed and tried to sleep, the pains often stopped, it was my moving around that kept the tightenings coming! Of course, once labour started, nothing stopped it! I also felt like the baby was really low down and could almost have 'popped' out, that's normal! Good luck and keep us posted!

www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/pregnancy/pregnancy_labour.shtml

This might help you determine. :)

www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/pregnancy/pregnancy_labour.shtml

My first labour started like this - on a Sunday night - and the baby was born on the Thursday. I tried to keep active because that's what I thought was needed to get things going, but was told afterwards that I should have rested to reserve strength. It's probably best to rest if you can - when that's impossible things will really have got going! All the best.

Yes me. I finally had my baby 11 days late and after 3+ days of 'pre-labour'.

I had a urine infection which made everything worse. I was only 1.5 cm dilated the first time I went to the hospital and not even 3 the second time, it was agony. However I went from 3 - 6 without them even realizing and after that the baby came very quickly.

Thanks for your replies, they've cheered me up! - I've been feeling stressed and tearful about it all so it's good to hear that others have had this too.