Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

41+3 - are these just braxton hicks or am I on labour??

18 replies

CarlyKins · 19/04/2014 01:34

Hello ladies I'm 41+3 weeks and booked in to be induced on Sunday. Had a sweep yesterday midwife felt babies head and I'm 2cm, nothing has happened apart from losing plug straight after. Went for two long walks today and the past couple of hours I've had TONS of tightenings, I have had them quite a lot lately but they never hurt where as now they are quite crampy, not painful tho just very uncomfortable and a little bit sore. They are every few minutes. Think I may be in very early stages of labour, just wondering if they were real contractions starting up slowly would they tighten up the tummy like braxton hicks do or is it just a pain on its own?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Fanjango · 19/04/2014 01:48

Hi. I hope you are taking it easy now. It could be braxton hicks but may well be early labour. Time the pains. If they are regular and gradually getting closer together then it is labour. If they remain irregular they are more likely to be braxton. Given the sweep you had and that the plug is gone there is a high chance you are starting towards, if not already in, early labour. It can take a long time to establish full labour do just keep timing the pains and try to relax. Smile

Original poster
CarlyKins · 19/04/2014 01:54

Thanks very much :) I will start to time them now then, they are definitely very regular but will do it properly on timed now. Baby is pushing down so much aswell and lower back cramps. Really wanted to go into labour tonight but have just spoken to hospital ward and told me that if it does end up being tonight then I can't go there as they are too busy and have to go down the motorway to another one. Absolutely fuming! Take a deep breath I need to calm down lol. Thanks for your reply will time them and relax :) x

OP posts:
Fanjango · 19/04/2014 02:01

I've got 4 kids and my advice is trust your intuition. With my last they wanted to send me home as they said labour was not established...dd2 was born an hour later. Is this your first? Labour can be long for baby number one but only you know how you feel. Main advice....if you start holding onto things with the pains then things are progressing, it can feel surreal dealing with labour but if you start grabbing onto things then it's getting real IYSWIM. If you feel like you need to then go to the hospital. Never feel like you are wasting their time, it's a very new feeling to you and YOU MATTER! Good luck. Hopefully it won't be long now Smile

Original poster
CarlyKins · 19/04/2014 02:09

You are totally right it's best to go with your own feeling! And wow born an hour later after being told to go home?!?! Unbelievable! This is first baby yes :) so don't really know what to expect but as u say will know when it's full labour with the pains so ill do as u say and if they get stronger ect will go to be seen. Fingers crossed he does come on his own so don't have to be induced, he's a very stubborn little boy tho, good job I love him lol. Thanks so much for your advice x

OP posts:
Fanjango · 19/04/2014 02:23

I know it's not easy but try to sleep if you can. Tomorrow may be a very long day!! I said first labours can be long, and they can, but they can also be short so don't assume that you are wrong if things seem to progress quickly. My first was 7 hours from ache to birth and others gave had it much faster. I have heard of labours lasting from 1 hour to 72. Hopefully you won't get anywhere near the second GrinGrin

Original poster
CarlyKins · 19/04/2014 03:00

Yikes don't fancy the 72 hour labour haha! Can I ask what pain relief u had? Have said definitely don't want an epidural but am having second thoughts now lol. What would u recommend? I Promise will try get some sleep :)

OP posts:
trulymadlydeeply · 19/04/2014 04:01

I had a sweep with my first at the same time as you (they were about to induce me, too) and it started my labour. I had regular contractions quite quickly once it started, but dilated very slowly. Ended up with an epidural. See how you go and good luck. Hope it's the real thing for you.

hartmel · 19/04/2014 04:33

I took the epidural and didn't regret it. I got induced (with the gel type) on a Wednesday had early labour but Cervix didn't want to open so had another one on Thursday. Same thing except I started to get cramps. Then on Friday they gave me a different induction (not sure what it was called but I was like a tampoon except thin and they rapped it around my cervix) well on Saturday I got into more contraction, but as it was my first I didn't know as it felt more like if I had to go to the loo big. Sorry for tmi. At 4 pm on Saturday they brought me to the delivery room to break my water and put me on the drip. I was exhausted put my lovely DS decided against the manually water break Smile so my water broker on its own. No drip. Grin But i was exhausted because of being in labour so long and the reason for getting induced was because of gallbladder attacks.
I decided then with my DH to get epidural. At 12:10 am Sunday my DS was born.

With dc2 I will keep it as an option. I will not be against it.

Sorry it got so long.. And if I scared you I'm sorry SmileGrin

Congrats and good luck. Hopefully baby will be here soon.

Original poster
CarlyKins · 19/04/2014 22:22

Hey ladies!! I was in early labour hehehe had my baby boy today :))) x

OP posts:
PurpleWithaMysteryBun · 19/04/2014 22:27

Congratulations! Feel free to share your story Thanks

Fanjango · 20/04/2014 00:58

Many congrats CarlyKins SmileSmile. Glad it went well and not 72 hours GrinGrinGrin. Enjoy your little one Smile

hartmel · 20/04/2014 01:22

Congrats! Enjoy your little one.. Did you end up with epidural ??

Meglet · 20/04/2014 07:57

Congrats! No 72 hour labour either!

Hope you're both well.

Original poster
CarlyKins · 21/04/2014 07:17

Thanks a lot ladies :) I am so happy it's unreal he's absolutely beautiful. Well the tightenings in my tummy weren't sore at all so I went to bed, all of a sudden felt a very strong kick so I got up and started getting bad pains in my lower back, getting very intense pressure and every few minutes (he was lying back to spine, ouch) Had to record them for a few hours and went to the hospital about 6am, was 6cm dilated when got there by 3pm I was about 8cm with gas and air and diamorphine which did nothing for the pain just spaced me out, but waters hadn't gone so midwife broke them which resulted in my cervix shrinking back to 4cm. All went downhill babies heart dropped right down and so did his activity so they did a blood test on his head which showed he was very unhappy so got rushed for an emergency section. Was absolutely petrified but my boy had to come out safely. He was out within 10 minutes weighing 8lb 4 he's amazing! In a lot of pain now still in hospital but he's so worth every second of it. And now I live happily ever after with the love of my life x There is my story hehe :)) xxx

OP posts:
GeneralGrevious · 21/04/2014 07:28

congratulations and well done.

Original poster
CarlyKins · 21/04/2014 09:28

Thankyou :)

OP posts:
Atbeckandcall · 21/04/2014 09:38

Congratulations Thanks

Original poster
CarlyKins · 23/04/2014 12:09

Thanks very much :)

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page