Help needed- is this labour?!

[Breadrollsbuns]

Help please, clueless first timer here!

I'm 40+7 today, had a show this morning, followed by a sweep (cervix still long, but after sweep was 1-2cm) followed by major bloody show.

Since the sweep, I've been having regular cramps, ranging from every 8 minutes to 20 minutes. They are painful, but don't necessarily have a crescendo as such and can sometimes be eased by me moving about. They last between 10 seconds and a minute and sometimes are just stabbing pains, sometimes longer cramps. Waters are still intact as far as I know.

I have no idea if I am in labour or not!!!! Please help!!!!

possibly but if not regular then you should probably try and get some rest otherwise it will be a very long night

good luck x

It does sound like it could be the start of things - how exciting .

Keep timing and call your MW if things continue to progress.

Thank you! I'll head off to bed as you suggest - presumably proper contractions will wake me up so Can keep track of them if they progress.

Fingers crossed... I may be back for more advice later - I wish you could just do a test to confirm whether it's real labour or not! :o

Ok, 40+8 today and I've groaned my way through the night but managed to get some sleep, intrrupted by fairly painful contractions (enough to wake me up and put me in fetal position with breathing). Lots of bloody show overnight as well. Got up at 7am and had a shower and the pains seems to have stopped now that I'm up [Confused]

Does this mean that it was all fake?? I am finding this all so upsetting , surely something must be happening?

It could be early labour, apparently that's quite commonly stop and start. Keep your chin up, hopefully this will get you more dilated so once it starts properly you won't have as many cm to dilate! Good luck!!

It's definitely not fake. Even if the contractions stop, they will have been doing something useful and preparing your body for labour. You might find that you have begun to dilate or your baby has shifted position, there are lots of things that might be happening.

Please try not to get upset or stressed (easier said than done I know) as that will slow things down too.

Good luck - stick with it, it sounds like you are doing brilliantly.

Early labour can be a bit stop/start . But as pip said it will all be doing good things.

Take a gentle walk if you can face it, keeping active will help.

Thanks everybody, your reassurances have made me feel much better. Even DH (who usually hates MN!) is encouraging me to log on as he can see how much words of wisdom from people who have been through similar are helping :)

I've been for a walk, have stopped timing the contractions and am currently bouncing on my ball. I may also try and coerce DH into providing some additional hormonal support although the thought of the bag of M&S chocolate eggs next to me is more appealing

I just wish there was a magic way of reinstalling my progress, as things seem to be going backwards :(

Keep us updated please, I do love a live labour thread .

Enjoy the peace and quiet.