Having weird period-like pains - help?!

[Novia]

Hi - hoping someone can help! I'm 36+3 and have woken up with quite strong pains very similar to having a period, also feel a bit queasy. I haven't had any BH (that I'm aware of) and can't really feel any sort of regular patterns to the pain that could be identified as a contraction. Baby is still moving normally and bump not overly hard. Any ideas please, is this normal?!

Hi there, it could be perfectly normal - just your body prepping you for labour, but it could be the start of the real thing. Have a nice warm relaxing bath, and keep an eye on things. Call your mw if any of these happen: bloody show, pain becoming noticeably regular or more than you can bear, reduced movement from baby, waters break.

Good luck x

And I'm overseas so it's day time here, and I'll be about for a while if you need to chat. Is this your first?

Thanks Lil, that's so kind! Yes - my first, so don't really know what's normal! Feel a bit silly as pain seems to have gradually worn off in last couple of mins. But initially was strong enough to become part of my dream and wake me up. Sure I'm just over thinking, but feels weirdly like my period is about to start!

Hi Novia, how are you feeling now? Might be worth a quick chat with the MW on the labour ward you know. They're very used to chatting odd pains through with expectant mums!

Thanks Spaghetti - seems to have eased off after being quite painful (feel a bit silly now!) Think I'm going to try and get some sleep, but will be back if it restarts!

Thanks to you both for replying - really nice to know I'm not alone.

Don't feel silly, I have four boys (youngest is 7wks old) and still had false alarms! Lol. Hope you get a good sleep, even if it is all starting, you're much better equipped to deal with it when you're well rested. Let us know how you are in the morning.

Hey Novia. Hope you're tucked up asleep now. Just to say I've been getting this for a while now (I'm 39 weeks with #2). As PP said it's your body getting ready for labour, which obviously is a good thing. I've got it now, quite strongly. It really does feel uncannily like period pains which I guess doesn't seem right when you're pregnant. Try not to think of it that way. Your uterus and cervix are just limbering up ready. Unless you get any of the signs described above it's all good.

Night.

Thanks so much for your messages guys - so wonderful to post in the night and get such swift and reassuring responses. Woke up few times with pains during the night, but not as bad as the first time and knowing it was normal made me feel much better and more relaxed.

Last week of work ahead; then she's allowed to arrive!

All three of my labours started with period like pains. Not constant pains but regularly spaced. It may be worth keeping a note of timings to see if there is any pattern and mention it next time you see the midwife.

I agree it's worth keeping an eye on the timings just to check they're not becoming regular.

MN is a good place to get middle of the night replies :). I was up feeding my 1 week old DS2 and relying on mn for a bit of company!

I had the same thing happen just yesterday. I also posted a thread.
Last night I noticed I had period like cramping low down with back ache. All day I was feeling under the weather nothing I could put my finger on really.
I tried timing the cramps and was irregular about 3 an hour lasting a few minutes each.
No mucus or blood is evident.
I just decided to go to bed and see what happened.
I didn't get woken up with any pains but today have noticed mild period cramping again.
I have been a bit constipated so I had a glycerin suppository to see if it was full bowels making me feeling crampy but I had a good clear out and still have the cramps.
These cramps are nothing like my Braxton hicks - these for me basically tightens the whole of my bump and feels like I have a stitch.

I'm only 34 weeks but as the cramps aren't regular or getting worse I am just putting it down to body preparing and trying to rest easy.

All the best.

Getting a bit tired of these now - another 3am session! Thought I'd left period pain behind for at least 9 months! So these are BH then eh? Not what I had anticipated, hope it means baby will make an appearance fairly soon!

I've also been having these pains since about 36 weeks. I'm 38+3 now and no sign of baby! Like previous posters have mentioned, its probably body preparing for the real thing! Good luck xx

I'm 37+2 and have had this for a while. It comes and goes (ie I'll have period like cramps for a few hours then nothing for a few days then have it more consistently for a day to two, etc - ie no discernible pattern). Asked mw about it last week and she said it was a good sign - body getting ready for labour. Not sure if they are Braxton Hicks though as I thought those were supposed to feel like bump tightening??

Newmum2013 and CityDweller - glad I'm not alone (misery loves company!) :)

Just hope these pains develop into proper labour at some point in the near future! It's weird that it only seems to come on at night though - unless I'm just to busy to notice during the day!

When I first started getting this it only happened when I was sitting down - so prob just that it's more noticeable while you're resting. I get it at night too - and sometimes it gets into my dreams!