This isn't how things start...is it?

[whatsoever]

I'm 35 weeks. I've been knackered and uncomfortable to various degrees for weeks but today is at a whole new level.

Bump aches and I have various abdominal pains. I have period type pains that have warranted some paracetamol. My back aches however I sit and I general feel out of sorts and as if I could do with a good sob. Had Braxton Hicks a lot today despite just sitting at my desk, I am definitely not over doing it physically!

Are all these symptoms just par for the course this late in the day or could it be the start of actually getting junior out?

I dont remember feeling like that until labour started. Are you at work. Maybe you should go home and put your feet up and see how you feel then?

Could be. My waters broke first with my first baby so I felt normal (as normal as you can when 39 weeks pregnant!) but with my next 2 I just had to sit around and wait to see what happened - it's a long, boring waiting game at the very beginning.

I would try and carry on as normal and if the period type pains start getting more intense or regular then I'd make a phone call to your MW.

It sounds very similar to how I felt the day before I had DS. Felt like I just didn't know what to do with myself, couldn't get comfortable and if anyone spoke to me I cried

Please rest up and if the pain increases, I'd advise getting checked over

I'd ring your MW and explain how you're feeling.

I had the same with dc3 just before I was 36 weeks. Thought I was having a lot of BH, felt odd etc, rang MW just to say "Oh I'm sure I'm just being a PITA but this is what's going on"

An hour later I was in hospital having steroid jabs and medication to stop contractions

Luckily a few hours/jabs/medication later everything stopped and DD1 was 8 days late!

Best to get checked just to be on the safe side if I were you, good luck

Oooh, I had this at 35 weeks exactly. I didn't go in to labour, despite being sure I would.

It turned out to be baby engaging I think - am 37 weeks now and saw mw on Mon who was surprised to find baby 3/5ths engaged.

So guess it could be that - or labour (tres helpful me!)

That's pretty much how my labour started at 33 weeks. Your bit about period pains and Braxton Hicks especially rings a bell with me.

Try something - time when you get the period pain/Braxton Hicks. At first I thought it was just randomly coming and going until I timed it and realised it was coming every 20 minutes, then every 15 minutes, then every 10 minutes...If there is any pattern at all (not even getting shorter between, but like if it comes every 15 minutes or whatever), then call your MW. Technically you are not full term yet, so please call them.

I had this over the weekend, I'm also 35 weeks. It amounted to nothing in the end but that doesn't mean yours is the same by any means, perhaps give your MW a call just for some advice, you might need checking over? Hope everything is well x

Thanks all. No pattern on the BHs as yet BionicEmu but I will definitely keep an eye on things and look for any patterns/timing.

Feel a bit silly for taking the paracetamol and dulling the period-type pains as I can't really tell on timings for those at the moment.

Going to head home at bang on 5 and get into PJs and will call the MW if anything of note changes/ gets worse.

Ooo, I've been feeling similar, almost 37 weeks (with a big un apparently) Was up half of last night with BH, period pains and feeling sick and restless. Been out of sorts, moody, tearful for a few days. Baby feels low, dunno if she's engaged yet MW was too busy talking to my mum about her daughter when I went today for her to even tell me! I was convinced I was going into labour at 1am this morning (I obviously wasn't but was very tired and not thinking straight) Kind of hoping that this is the start of something.

I saw the MW yesterday for my routine appointment and I said I had been feeling like I was kicked in the groin (I had been worried it was SPD coming on late) and when she examined me she said the baby was very low, so I wonder if all this is the baby engaging? (I'm never that sure what 'engaging' actually means?)

Baby is getting itself into the ejector seat

Good luck for the next weeks!

Engaging means dropping head right into your pelvis and on top of your cervix.

TBH I am 37+1 with DC2 and have felt the way you describe for a good few weeks now!

Funnily enough last time I went into labour I had commented how surprisingly good I felt the day or two before!

And yes yes to the kicked in the groin feeling - when a baby is fully engaged it honestly feels as if you have a watermelon between your legs...!

A watermelon made of concrete...