Beginnings of labour? Should I feel this bulge down below?!

[ExquisiteChristmasCake]

My due date is today. Already had a ds (20mo). Woke up with chronic back ache and cramps at the top of the thighs, chilled out today with my TENS machine (having a home birth so not much else to do). The pain has subsided to be a bit dull, but I am suddenly acutely aware of a bulge in my fanjo. It feels as though there is a grapefruit pressing against it from the other side...could this be the head and is it normal to feel this? Or could it be my waters?

Ds was an easy labour (woke up 10 cms gone and literally began to push whole ordeal was over in a few hours) so I "missed" the beginnings of labour and have no idea what I should be expecting. I know not to bother my midwife to come out until I have contractions/a show (have rung to let her know I'm feeling a bit weird though).

Is it normal?

Ah glad all ok. Try to rest - you'll need your energy for later!

Thankyou for updating :)
Glad you're safely out of the bath!
Sending waking-up-with-a-baby vibes :o

Good luck for the rest of the night, excited to log on in the morning to news of your new arrival (assuming I resist the urge to stay up reading the thread until silly o'clock)

Thank goodness you're okay I think half of mumsnet have kept checking this thread!

Hope you get some rest

Best of luck, exquisite You're making me feel all broody...

yey, Good luck exquisite :)

Good luck OP!

ECC that was the longest bath ever!
I can now sleep easy, but will be cjecking iPhone whilst doing breastfeeds tonight!
Best of luck, update if/when you can xx

oooh!
exciting!

You had better not be the only one giving birth tonight though

good luck!
I'm keeping the computer open anyway, so I'll have a look when I next get out of bed.

[http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/1355112-Has-my-fridge-found-religion?pg=4 religious fridge]] just to pass the time for anyone staying up to hold Exquisite's hand

Sending more luck here too.

Hope it all goes well for you.

How lovely. A new baby by the morning.

Night, all, see you in the morning. Are we all going to be Interweb Aunties to this baba?

Bum religious fridge

Good luck!!!

Yay! I can go to bed now. Looking forward to hearing all about the Exquisite newborn in the morning :o

Dh peered between my legs with his eyes squinted shut;

"I can't see anything that looks like it shouldn't be there".

Useful.

Am rocking like a mad woman. IF the baby appears tomorrow and I am alive to tell the tale I'll get dh to update and stick up a picture. If the baby hasn't arrived and I'm still alive, I think it's safe to say my dh will be dead.

Oh thank goodness for that! Sooooo glad youbare ok and not alone. Can finish wine and the small amount of chocolate left over by greedy pregnant mnetters.......

Thank you for update.

Best of luck, my best piece of advice is to keep your facial muscles relaxed!
Honest, it helps you cope with thepain, and means you keep the rest of your body relaxed when you just want to curl up into a little ball.

I'm off to bed, so i can get enough sleep to watch baby in the morning for you,so you can get some well earned rest.

Best wishes.
JM

i've done carpark to (second floor) birth room and baby in 6 minutes.

I'm afraid i shouted at the old ladies in the lift quite fiercly.

This is why I love MN.

Good luck, hope to read about a baby tomorrow!

Crumbs Exquisite - I post and then head off to ice a Christmas cake and come back 2.5 hours later and you are 300 posts in and having a baby :o

Oooo bugger the tightening are horrid...like little fish biting me.

dh is asking if I need to breath like I am.

Thanks for all your well wishes, if all goes quiet either it's baby or sleep.

All the best Exquisite - happy delivery