Labour advice please first baby

[Melmam]

Hi ladies,
I'm 39 weeks and 3 days I was with the midwife on Thursday and she said the baby's head is right down today I have had a sore back not too bad now over the past hour or so I've been getting some pain low in my pelvis and my tummy goes all hard and square like then back to normal again I've just noticed that my bump has dropped alot more could this be the start of something.. Any advice is helpful as this is my first and I don't know what to expect. Thanks

Oooh exciting - sounds like you could be very early stages. Keep calm, relax, have a nice warm bath.

Sounds like what i experienced before i went to bed and woke up at 5am because my waters had broken....

Just to add I didn't start to get contractions until after my waters broke - just backache and a noticeable change in my bump being lower.

Thank you minmooch just not sure what to expect. I was thinking contractions come hard and fast straight away I hope this is the start of something as I really just want to meet our baby now.

Oh really yellowtulips I am getting pain when my tummy hoes hard but not so much sore just uncomfortable.

Each labour is different - my two were very different. But I loved both times. Even when the pain was strong I was so excited to meet my baby. I felt empowered throughout the whole process.

When it really gets going remember each contraction is bringing your baby to meet you. Try not to fight the pain. I felt I entered a different zone - it was truly amazing. If you can try and enjoy every moment .

It sounds like early labour. This can last for a few hours before active labour starts, or, for some unlucky people, a few weeks.

With my first baby I had a sensation that was basically like period pains that came and went every half hour or so during the night. The next morning, when I got up, they were every hour or so. I went out for my regular Saturday lunch with friends, and they were back to every half hour or so. I did a little bit of last minute shopping and the intensity increased, so it felt like period pains plus trapped wind. I had a nap, and the contractions got closer and closer together. By 5pm they were regularly every 5 minutes and I had to stop what I was doing to breathe through them. I remember it very clearly, I was using contractions to time my cooking at that point. By 6 pm it was proper full blown labour and by 8pm I was ready to push. It tends to be a slower than that for most people though.

Ooh, I woke up to this at 8am on Halloween!

My waters broke at 10am and my baby was born 6am on 1st November.

Hope things move along quickly for you but my advice is chill out and eat and drink while you can. Good luck!

My pains are coming every half hour to 45 minutes lasting about a minute then going away and in between i feel fine other than the pain in my back.. I hope this isn't just BH as I'm so ready for baby now and on the good side I got the weeks shopping in today . Thanks lady's really appreciate the advice..