Intense braxton-hicks for 8hours... should I be worried?

[SummerOfLadybirds]

I'm 33+3.

Last night I had more braxton-hicks than usual, about 1 every 30mins from 10pm. Around 11pm they started coming every 5-10 minutes. At first they were just uncomfortable tightenings, then became really painful like bad period pains. Seemed to start in lower back and spread across bump. No other signs of preterm labour (no loss of plug, no increased discharge, no diarrhoea). Had mild crampy backache. I needed to wee every 5mins (literally) and seemed to be weeing huge volumes despite not drinking anything... but no burning or stinging that would indicate UTI.

I almost called maternity unit around 1am but decided to wait and see if they eased naturally. I had a warm bath, walked around, couldn't sleep as lying down made them worse. Packed my hospital bag in a panic in case I had to go in! But by 4am they were becoming less painful and by 5am they were definitely milder and starting to get irregular. Finally went to sleep at 7am, woke at 9am to discover they'd stopped completely. I've felt fine ever since, baby moving as usual, occasional mild tightenings but no proper braxton-hicks.

Could these contractions have been caused by baby's head engaging with my pelvis? My bump seems lower today and SPD is worse.

Is it normal to have a random night of 'false labour' pains at 33weeks? I'm scared it might happen again tonight! Should I have called maternity unit? (I'm guessing there's no point calling them now since pains have stopped!)

I think if it happens again, i would call maternity unit. My bh were much worse when I did too much physically in a day.

Personally would go see the midwife to be checked for a UTI.
I had the same symptoms at 37 weeks. Having had many many UTI's in the past I was convinced itwasn't that as the symptomsw ere slightly different.
It was though and it put me into labour so Ds was born 3 weeks early and I was quite ill as I left it so long.
May not be , but wouldn't hurt to be checked so you can get antibiotics if needed.......earlier than I did!
All the best.

I think you should speak to your midwife about this ASAP, and DEFFO ring maternity unit if they start up again.

That sounds really different to the BHs I had, and those I've seen described by anyone else. The cramps starting in your back sound much more like real contractions. And the fact they didn't stop when you rested is also worrying.

Hope all is ok and I'm overreacting!

Actually yes, I would get it checked too! I also had uti with no stinging etc that caused contractions now I think about it.

I had similar symptoms in my first pregnancy and it was my appendix! It went on for six weeks or so as every time I was checked I wasn't in labour and didn't have a UTI. It's definitely worth asking about if it continues.

The passing loads of water despite not drinking much doesn't sit right with me. My waters were trickling for some time with dc1 and it felt exactly like I needed to wee all the time, every time I sat on the loo another trickle of water would come away despite not drinking. By the time he arrived, he was very distressed and passing meconium inside me.

I would speak to the midwives and get checked out just to make sure it's nothing. You won't be thought of as silly and the midwives will not mind. They want you both to be safe.

Another one here saying get checked out. I had similar pains at 29 weeks (including period -type pains and backache) one night. They stopped. During a routine check the next day, I found out the pains had been my cervix funnelling and I gave birth 4 days later.

I'm not saying this to scare you, but just to emphasise that sometimes it's really not clear what's going on, and it's best to get checked out ASAP if anything unusual happens. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed they're just random Braxton-Hicks!

Thanks for advice everyone...

I just phoned maternity assessment unit and spoke to a midwife. She said since pains have stopped now I don't need to go in, but to call back if they get painful and regular again as it could mean cervix is opening too early

She said most of the time people come in to get checked out and are fine, but I'm really worried now in case I go into preterm labour!! I've got crampy low back pain again (though it could be SPD). Getting mild tightenings across bump approx every 30mins but she said this is nothing to worry about, only need to worry if they get painful and closer together again.

I checked my urine with a dipstick-test strip from chemist, negative for nitrites and leucocytes so I don't think it's an infection.

I've got an antenatal appointment and growth scan on Wednesday, hoping things settle down at least until then!

Another vote for keeping a watchful eye and calling the maternity unit if they become painful again or regular (I think my midwife said they wanted to know if I had more than 8 in an hour). I had over a week of what I thought were painful Brixton hicks every evening - painful enough to carch my breath. I eventually ended up with a 32-weeker after already having been sent home once by the maternity unit. All fine, plenty of time for steroid injections, no UTI, possibly set off by an irritable uterus.

Sorry just seen your update OP. Poe you get a more peaceful night this evening and bump settles down