The potentially 5ww: weeks 37-42, niggles? Twinges? What to ignore, and what not to?

[wispaxmas]

Talk to me about the signs of latent/early labour. And not just the contractions that get closer together and more intense. I'm wondering about the niggly twinges in the latent phase. I'm nearly 38 weeks with number 1 (and don't say I'll go late just because it's number 1), and I find myself symptom spotting far worse than I ever did in the 2ww.

What I want to know is: what should be ignored entirely? What is potentially significant?

Nausea? With or without vomiting...?
Diarrhea? But is it still significant if it goes on for a month?
Back ache? If it's new at 38 weeks and not had it before, is that potentially significant?
Braxton hicks? And can BH make you bump ache all over as if you've been working out?
Painful bump in general?
Cramping at the top of your bump. Or is it just lower cramping that's significant?
Loads of vaginal discharge? Not waters or plug, but discharge. Does it increase quite a lot before labour or not?

Anyone else want to add more to the list of niggles at the end of pregnancy? Anything you've been wondering about, too? I feel like I'm going to go nuts over the next possibly 4 weeks!

I woke up with period type cramps on the day I went into labour. I'd had them a few days, and remember a friend had said the same about the few days before she did too.

The diarrhoea didn't happen until I was already having contractions, which from the word 'go' were textbook.

Other than that I don't remember any symptoms before hand. Oh, apart from nesting (cleaning a lot more thoroughly than I can usually be bothered to do) and baking. And a general feeling of not wanting to go far from home.

Sorry if that is all not very helpful!

And I agree that it's bollocks that first babies are always late. I went into labour on my due date, and know of a few people who were early with their first.

I was a week early with ds1 so I don't necessarily think you'll go over Wispa! Ds2 was a week early too.

I've been incredibly tired the last few days- more so than normal- and hope wondered if this is a sign of imminent labour.

38+3 here. Desperate for baby now!

Ps had period pains since last Sunday evening. They taper off in the daytime and reappear in the evening when I'm relaxed. Bastards.

Same stage as you Wispa, and frantically symptom spotting too. I delivered DD (first baby) on her due date. The previous couple of mornings, I'd woken with irregular contractions at about 5.30am, which faded when I got into the bath. When labour started properly, it was also at 5.30am. I was in hospital by 7.30 and 5cm dilated, and had her at 2pm.

With DS, who was 6 weeks early, I went through a very strange range of feelings that day. I woke up and felt my face looked 'funny'- puffy, or different somehow. I suddenly felt an urge to get everything done - I had to get the dishwasher fixed, buy all my stuff for hospital, wash babygros, bring DD to the park etc. I had no idea labour was imminent until my waters broke at 11pm, but looking back I must have had an instinct.

This time, my plug has already gone (4 DAYS AGO!) and lots of back ache but no sign baby's on her way yet.

38 weeks today. Can't remember much detail about run up to DD birth 4 years ago other than I had to wait as she was 11 days overdue. This time round having incrediably painful BH which at 2 a.m appear to be proper early labour contractions. And then they stop. Tiring and annoying.

Yy to more discharge, that's normal. It's all ramping up for the big push.
I promised myself I wouldn't be annoyed or analyse every twinge and yet here I am, doing exactly that. So much for my calm zen like " baby will come when it's ready" I'm necking raspberry capsules like smarties, shagging every night if energy permits and planning another curry for dinner. But, by VBAC or csection, I will have a baby by 13th June! And so shall you wispa, so enjoy the last few weeks if you can...not easy I know.

Oh my gosh, Ada, can't believe you lost your plug four days ago. Mother Nature, what a mean tease! I I thought once it had gone, it was no more than 48 hours till labour started? You can't have much longer to go, good luck!!

Thanks Isabella...I thought so too but Dr Google says it could be one to two weeks! It wasn't a bloody show, which is a sign of imminent action. I'll keep you posted

37+3 here and I am obsessing over every little niggle. I did a fair bit of walking yesterday and today I'm painting my en suite, so just trying to stay active. I haven't gone down raspberry leaf tea route or anything. Can't wait to meet my baby but knowing it could be another 4 + weeks seems a lifetime away x

Argh, it's all so frustrating, isn't it? I'd heard that plug loss can happen more than once, but if it's bloody it's supposed to mean more. But then loads of people never notice the plug loss, or it goes in labour!

Why can't this be straightforward? That's it, i'm getting out the pump for a bit!

I'm 39+5 and had a show 5 days ago too and nothing! But just seen midwife and she's told me to take evening promise oil twice a day, 2 x500mg orally first thing in the morning and then...get ready...at night when you go to bed and suddenly need yet another wee, have a wee, pierce two capsules and pop them up there!

Clary Sage oil- mix 4 drops with olive oil and rub it on your belly right to left. Pop two drops in the bath or burn it in a burner.
She told me also it doesn't have to be fully blown sex (huge relief!)
I have an inability to walk properly today too...maybe that's a sign!? Ha- as if I bet I'm in for the long haul

I'm 39+5 and had a show 5 days ago too and nothing! But just seen midwife and she's told me to take evening promise oil twice a day, 2 x500mg orally first thing in the morning and then...get ready...at night when you go to bed and suddenly need yet another wee, have a wee, pierce two capsules and pop them up there!

Clary Sage oil- mix 4 drops with olive oil and rub it on your belly right to left. Pop two drops in the bath or burn it in a burner.
She told me also it doesn't have to be fully blown sex (huge relief!)
I have an inability to walk properly today too...maybe that's a sign!? Ha- as if I bet I'm in for the long haul

Can I join you in the symptom spotting? 39 weeks today and I have a lot of the niggles you describe wispa, but nothing definite. Every little twinge that I would have ignored three weeks ago suddenly has me wondering "is this it?" But it never is!

A lot of people suddenly get a mad nesting instinct just before, it ain't happening here yet. With a bump this big I come out in a sweat just at the thought of the effort of cleaning!

Another niggle to add to the list...my results in from the doctor, I have a UTI...so on antibiotics...and those cramps, back pain and painful tightenings which I was hoping was latent labour was just a poxy wee infection.

There were tears on the way home from the pharmacy, I feel like such a muppet.

So clary sage, evening primrose oil up your fanjo and using a breast pump...watching you girls trying those things with interest!!

I did read that the breast bump method can cause very strong contractions and isn't recommended although it sounds like a fecking great idea to me!

Nesting is one of those things I'm not sure I've had or not. Yesterday I had the urge to mow the lawn... My H is the one who mows the lawn, but I went to the shed and got out the lawnmower, got as far as plugging it in before telling myself I was being ridiculous.

And then at the weekend I decided to make bread from scratch? I like baking, but yeast doughs aren't usually something I do.

I'm not sure if that can really count as nesting, can it. Haha.

Definitely nesting Wispa! marks place

Oh Isabelle, that is so poxy. You poor thing.

Hop, it's now 5 days since my show too and absolutely no further action. I'm only 37 weeks too, so potentially five more to go. sobs

Sounds a bit like nesting to me wispa! I got the urge to bake cookies on Sunday. But that was just because I was greedy and really really wanted cookies

How disappointing isabelle but it is good that you are getting your UTI treated ahead of the birth. Now you know that future symptoms are likely to be the real thing.

Wondering if Sod's law will come into play today as the car is going to the garage so will have no transport if I go into labour...

Honestly, pretty much everything should be ignored entirely as a sign of impending labour (obviously, goes without saying that nothing should be ignored that you think is a sign of a problem, like reduced movement).

I have just had my third child and my earliest child (DD1) was 8 days late, so I feel I can comment on symptom spotting! Things I have from about 36 weeks onwards that meant nothing:

• upset tummy or constipation

-back ache -Braxton Hicks. Sometimes so intense I had to breathe through or lie down -general aches and pains -brief patches of more contraction-y pain

• discharge

-nesting -head very low and 3/5th engaged, plus pressure on cervix.

Honestly, the best advice I can give is to try and keep yourself busy and to try really hard not to analyse. With no.2 I was obsessed with the idea that I wouldn't go as far over as no. 1 (whereas in fact she was even later) and by the time she arrived I was in a bit of a state. I had been waiting for something to happen any minute for weeks and I was emotionally exhausted and a woman on the edge! This time round I utterly ignored my 'due date', assumed I would be late and refused to attribute anything to the 'signs'. I also refused to tell anyone my exact due date. I was in much better shape emotionally when he finally arrived, despite being by far the latest of the lot!

37+1 today & also beginning to wonder about symptoms! Started on Monday when I had a bit of diarrhoea & then some strong Braxton hicks, but came to nothing. I went all way to due date +1 with dd1 so kinda expecting the same thing really, but who knows! Last time I remember 'just knowing' it was starting, which isn't v helpful I know! However probably sound advice from previous poster on not becoming too obsessive & trying to enjoy/keep busy this last bit of time pre baby!

I've given up nesting here - did it like mad around week 36? LOTS of organising etc. Now I just can't be bothered haha maybe when the urge kicks in again I'll know I'm about to have my baby? I am keeping the house especially tidy to make it easier when he does arrive and midwives come round etc. but I'm not nesting obsessively (week 36 I was cleaning the nooks in the doors and the skirting boards etc!)

I'm 40+2 and not a niggle. I'm hoping for a spontaneous waters breaking, followed by swift contractions and a baby within hours

I'm sick and tired of symptom spotting too - and I'm 36+6 so potentially a wee while yet! Over the last couple of weeks, I've had:

Increased discharge
Severe lower back cramping
Occasional abdominal cramping
Possible Braxton Hicks
Occasional nausea
More frequent bowel motions
Electric shock pains in upper thighs and 'inside'
Loss of plug (I think) and cervical dilation
Lots of pressure on bladder/bowels/cervix - really comfortable

....which presumably means sweet FA as I haven't gone into labour. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll actually notice when labour does start!

On another note, has anyone found that their baby has become more active? Mine isn't kicking as hard (probably because she's run out of room), but she's moving a hell of a lot and often keeps me awake at night with her incessant squirming, which she never used to

I feel really sick today, like my worst morning sickness has returned. I've just laid on the bed all morning. Could that be a symptom? I suspect not, as surely the body needs food for energy.

darkside yes, my baby has been moving lots, it is quite violent at times. It makes me wonder if they can break the waters with all their wriggling.

I hope so, Penguinita - she's more than welcome to break my waters!

Penguin, my mom claims that my eldest brother kicked so hard he broke the sac. Since he was the only one of her 4 children who arrived early, where the rest of us were late, maybe it's possible?

I don't think it's true that first babies come later. What is true though that white women (I have no idea about others, sorry) have an average length of pregnancy more than 40 weeks if not induced. Both of mine arrived on the same day 40+4 and I know people who had their second late.

My advice is keep planning stuff to keep your mind off it and if baby comes b4 40 weeks see it as a pleasant surprise. It is a long few weeks ime