Getting frustrated with stop-start pre/early labour!

[BellaCB]

I'm 40+3 today, so I know I'm hardly late by anyone's standards, but this is really starting to frustrate me...

Since the weekend (38+4) I have had period pain and backache and that sense that 'something' was just 'different' about all the little twinges and niggles. Saw the mw at 38+6 and everything was fine. That night I had a few mild contractions, I just went back to sleep as they weren't that strong and come the morning they'd stopped. Yesterday (40+2) the mw did a sweep and found that I was fully effaced and 2cm dilated so she was hopeful labour would start soon.

But now its the morning, and while I still have backache and period paid (seriously, I want to get a hot water bottle on my abdomen for the cramps!) that are really starting to frustrate me as I feel constantly uncomfortable, and I've had some mild and irregular contractions.... nothing.

I know sweeps don't always work, but how long have other people gone with this 'period' pain and nothing happening?!

I'm interested to know too because I'm equally frustrated and depressed about stop and start early labour that's been torturing me for over 10 days.
It's horrific and I'm worried that when I do go into real labour I'll be so wiped out that it'll be even harder to cope with it

Vanilla - god, you poor thing, now I feel bad for complaining after just a few days! Have you had many contractions, are they just irregular?

Having lots and lots of long spells of contractions sometimes irregular and sometimes every 5 to 7 minutes! They stop after 3 to 4 hours, give me a few hours rest and then they start again, day and night! Theyre not so bad to shout but they're like a bad period so still unpleasant! I've no idea what it's done to my cervix either, at least you're 2 cm dilated, that should be encouraging! Bet it won't be long for you now x

This is a GOOD THING ladies. I had exactly these symptoms for 8 days, it was awfully. But when I went for a sweep... I was 4.5 cm dilated! And labour had not even started! It started the day after the sweep, was 2 hours start to finish, and very easy - my body had already done most of the work. So you are frustrated now, but when labour starts, you'll be glad it happened this way

Vanilla, you sound closer than me at the moment! I'm thinking the only option at the moment is to go on a loooong walk to get a pineapple-based spicy curry

abird - that's reassuring to hear! I'll cling to that theory...