38+4 First Pregnancy - Awful pains no idea what to look out for??

[AwwABaby]

Hi,

Ok currently 38+5 1st p/g. Saw mw 2 wks ago who said baby is head down and 3/5th's of the way engaged. Been getting very quick shooting pains very low down for about 5-6 days now the pains are getting more intense each day. No real pattern to them mainly get them on a night time but have had them through the day. Sometimes they are so bad they make me scream out.

Slight discharge nothing out of the ordinary, no sign of the mucus plug thing or waters breaking/trickling.... Sorry hope that's not TMI.

Haven't called mw as she only works a couple of days a week and you can never get hold of her anyay...

Is this the start of slow labour you think??

Any advice welcome, thank you x

I would say it doesnt sound like labour to me.

That shooting pain sounds like cervix nerve pain as baby engages - can make you jump out of your chair! 5-6 days of this doesnt add up to labour pains either.

Labour pains for me felt like intense period pains at regular intervals. I knew it was labour IYSWIM.

Different for everyone of course! Also 3/5 engaged actually means 3/5 of head out of pelvis and 2/5 in, so more out than in. ie. she can still feel 3/5.

I clearly remember the shooting pains in my fanjo. Not a pleasant experience, but I was told its baby's head moving against the cervix.
Stuff to look out for in early labour: dicky tummy, loose bm. Low back ache, or dull period cramps. General icky feeling. Baby moving more or less than usual, although if moving less, always ring your midwife/labour ward to get it checked out with or without any other symptoms. I never saw my plug first time nor had any show, I just woke up feeling like crap one morning, and by lunch time I was having regular cramps every 10 minutes or so. I was in full labour by the evening.

Ahhh I see my mw doesn't really explain things properly she is really busy. Although she did say he's quite well wedged in down there I can't move his head around very much....??

Well 3/5 is certainly perfect progress for 38+5 but isnt unusual for first time. I think DS was fully engaged at 37 weeks and ended up having him at 39+5.

When it starts, you'll know

I hope so don't want to be one of those ladies with a baby born in the loo :)