Labour or bh? Thoughts please

[Jenny123G]

Hi all this is my third pg so you'd think I'd know it all but ds1 was induced and ds2 I woke up in the night straight into second phase of labour.
Basically yesterday I was fine, last night at 1.30am I was woken up with intense cramping this went on for 3 hours on and off with no pattern but I couldn't speak or move. This has since died off although I do feel a hardening of my bump regularly. In between this I have a constant dull period pain that won't go away around the lower part of my back and round the front lower part of my bump. I also feel a little nauseous although I haven't been sick.
I'm 37 weeks today
Any similar experiences?

Hi I'm also on DD3 and am 40+2. Have been having exactly the same as you for the past few days now. With DD1 & 2 I went into labour quickly after sweeps and the contractioins were textbook regular and increasing in intensity. These ones are on and off, sometimes for hours at a time, very painful and then tail off. I've got another sweep at the hospital tomorrow and I'm hoping I'll be told that they've been doing something!!

I think we just need to wait and see! I'm going to rock on my gym ball to see if that moves things along. Goodluck!

I am 37 wks and had been having the pains you describe from Tuesday night up until Friday night, when it all stopped and I have had nothing since. Phoned Day Assesment Unit on Friday morning to check if it was normal (I have been induced with my previous pregnancies, so wasn't sure) and they said it can be the prelude to labour starting, but can also come and go for the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Very frustrating, but my understanding is it still doesn't mean proper labour is imminant.

Hope your labour kicks in properly very soon and you meet your lovely baby before the weekend is over.

I called the delivery suite just after I posted this morning, they said it definitely sounded like the early stages of labour. I've been having dull ache like period pains all day, and contractions are mild and very irregular. I'm all psyched up for it now but got a horrible feeling its false, saying that would a false labour last this long? Also baby has been more active than usual and I thought that it was more likely they went quiet jut before birth?
Thanks for your posts ladies hopefully we will exit these babies soon :) xx

Good luck! I'm 37wks with DD2 and didn't have braxton hicks at all last time but have really been suffering with them since about 3 weeks ago (even started a thread about it here because I was so worried I was going into early labour!)

From what I understand, if contractions are mild and irregular you usually aren't about to give birth too soon, but on the other hand have heard stories of contractions never becoming regular / strong and babies arriving anyway.

If in doubt, it's always best to go to the hospital or your midwife to get checked out. I did rather a lot when pregnant with DD1 as I could never feel her moving, and they were always understanding and supportive.

I really hope things move along for you. I'm getting really fed up now and would love for labour to get going already.

My fourth baby was moving around vigorously throughout my labour with her. The Day Assesment Unit told me to go straight up to them if I thought the baby wasn't moving as much as usual. It isn't true that they don't move as much at the end and you should get it checked straight away if this happens.