40+5 and shooting pains in vagina- sign of labour? help!

[teachertrainer80]

I'm 40+5 and have had no signs of labour as yet. However, today I have been getting the odd shooting pain in vagina (not massively painful but enough to make me gasp). Could poss be related to needing to pee a lot at this late stage as could be near bladder and also could be my very active baby pressing down on bladder but just wondered if this was a sign of labour for anyone (hoping so as sick of waiting and feeling so uncomfortable...)

Head pressing down, maybe? I had this the day before I went into labour, but I don't know if it was a coincidence.

Good luck.

I had that and had a baby less than 24 hours later, I'd say start getting your stuff ready to go, it might not be long now. Also I felt very sharp pains for about 5 mins before my waters went, but I had been having noticeable contractions for a couple of hours by then.

Thanks both. First baby so not sure what sensations to look out for. Also, I have never really had period pains so have nothing to compare contractions to but quite sure I haven't had those yet (or Braxton Hicks). Just want things to get moving....

Been getting these for days, google "lightning crotch". I'm hoping it won't be long for me either (39+4)

"Lightning Crotch" sound like a dodgy heavy metal band!

Hope they don't last for days for me- am hoping it's more like hours. Just really want to go into labour as soon as possible. Can no longer find a comfortable sitting position and am getting a bit sick of the "any news?" texts...Being overdue is making me grumpy!

I'm 40 weeks today and have had this happen a few times over the last couple of weeks so for me it doesn't seem to suggest that anything is happening imminently. I'm also getting impatient and fed up of the well-meaning texts

Good luck

I'm 36 weeks and I've been getting this for about a fortnight, so it's not really meant anything here, either - for me I think it's just baby using my bladder as a pillow :(

The next person that asks "any news" or "have you dropped yet" will get the reply "fuck off"! I'm not even due yet!

Sounds like baby engaging / preparing for birth. I also had it at around 40 weeks but little one didn't arrive for another 15 days.

This may sound gross/TMI, so apologies in advance, but:

If the baby is very low for a while, as DS was, it starts to be real agony to pee - yet you need to pee a lot. If you get a big tupperware container and go on all fours over it, then the baby drops down into your tummy, away from the bladder, and it is painless to pee. It's basically a potty for labour/very late pregnancy.

Again, sorry if this is never an issue for you, but it was for me. The relief when I found that escape from it was pretty big.

Hi can anyone help? I've had a show last night and this morning and been having period like cramps and shooting pains in my vagina and increased braxton hicks for the past two days. No pattern or regularity yet. Any thoughts on when my baby will arrive 🙏🏼👶🏻