39+ weeks and strong braxton hicks going on for DAYS

[FoodieMum3]

Just that really.

This is no 3 so I thought labour would just 'start'.

They're not at all painful (I wish), just so tight and intense. I hope they're doing something, anything

No other symptoms of anything happening

Any thoughts?

Be prepared, all the people I know who have had a pre-labour like that with number 3 laboured really quickly when it finally got going for real.

Oh really AnotherStitch? I'm not sure I would like that to happen.

I am expecting no. 3 and my mw has told me that third labours often start like this for days, and then go like the clappers. Good luck.

Glad I asked now. I'm all set to go so.
I'd love to rock up to delivery and be told I'm 9cm dilated LOL

Best of luck to you Kantha

I had the same endless weeks of bh with no 3, but no speedy delivery. Actually quite glad about that - dc2 was about 20 minutes of active labour and was only born in hospital because I refused to go home after being told I was only 2cm dilated 90 minutes earlier - I was petrified of ending up with an unplanned home birth with no 3.

This is number 2 for me but I've been having increasingly strong bh for the last 3 weeks now.
Have felt them for months but these last 3 weeks they've ramped up and are painful to the point of stopping me in my tracks.
Got a sweep tomorrow so hoping she'll say they've actually been doing something apart from driving me mad

I had a similar sort of thing with dd (my 3rd labour but 2nd dc). Had such strong Braxton Hicks for days, and was 3cm dilated for almost two weeks. One night the BH's were just how you described - they didn't hurt but were so tight and intense. I was awake most of the night with them and then when I got up I noticed a bit of 'something' down there which turned out to be my waters.
My first contraction was around 1.30pm and dd was born at 6.32pm. Not that quick compared to some but it was pretty furious when it got going. I think all the BH's prepared me pretty well for labour as dd was out in 5 pushes
Good luck, and enjoy your newborn snuggles!

Thanks all.

They've really intensified this evening and I've a little backache now too so fingers crossed. I just couldn't describe them as painful though, it's just unbelievable tightness - bump is going rock hard and holding that way for maybe 20 seconds and relaxes again.

With my other 2 labours I always just knew because I had a bloody show and then contractions, this is very different.

I have googled and it could still be days though

Thanks Foodiemum. I have a month or two still to go, so hopefully it's not too imminent.

I hope your bubba doesn't keep you waiting too much longer. It all sounds promising though.

Ooh, that's really interesting. I'm nearly 38 weeks with DC3 and I've had a lot of BH and backache the last few days and a sort of funny 'about to do a fanny fart' feeling. But both mine were 40+1 and about 15 hour first stages. So hoping for an earlyish baby seems pointless.

Second stage with DS was six minutes though, so hoping for a quickie again!