Started getting niggles in the early hours 2 days ago at 37+3. Woke in morning to find a bit of a show, and was having spectacular bowel movements (have suffered with the opposite most of pregnancy) so thinking "good, this is the beginning". Contractions were regular and painful all day, every 10 minutes, then when DC went to bed went down to every 5 minutes, getting stronger, longer and more painful. Went into hospital when they were 3 minutes apart, got checked and told I wasn't dilated at all, which was a total surprise. Back home, decided to try and get some sleep (after having remained very active all day thinking it was good for labour - and besides with DC you don't have much choice), then the next morning (yesterday) had a few irregular contractions before they fizzled out completely. So annoyed. Then went to bed after some 'adult time' with DH and lo was woken every 10 minutes in the night with painful contractions, thought at 5am it was getting a bit much so hopped on birthing ball with tens machine, then had to get DC up for school etc and they have gone back to being irregular (though still painful). I am SO frustrated. I thought second babies were meant to just fall out?!
With my first I went into labour with the same sort of contractions at 38+5, and baby was born 24 hours later, so I was expecting the same, not this utterly knackering process of stop start. I feel so unsure of things now, like I don't trust myself. I feel like I won't know when it's actually the real thing. It's crap and I was just after a bit of support really. I'm aware it could still be WEEKS given that I wasn't dilated at all when checked, and it just seems so daunting to go on like this in such discomfort.