Is this the start of labor?.......TMI pic included.......How did your labor start, how did you feel???

[Allmychildrenhavepaws]

Hello my lovely mumsnetters!

I'm 36&3 measuring three weeks ahead (big boy) eagerly anticipating my first much awaited dc after two consecutive miscarriages!

So I've had bh since 22 weeks, but much stronger since 32 weeks, baby dropped at 32 weeks and started to engage...fully engaged since a week ago (which I know doesn't mean much) Had a period of strong bh that were 5 mins appart and lasted about 7 hours, went to hospital as they were so regular and didn't seem to be going away, put on monitor and told 'yes they are contractions but your cervix is long and closed' Went home next day as they stopped.

So here we are a week later and the other night I was woken by what I assumed must be 'real' but mild contractions! They felt nothing like my bh, more 'period type' and pelvic/back pressure...this lasted about 5 hours and simply tailed off!

Now couple of days later, and I have the following:

Nausea, sulfur burps, heart burn which went after baby dropped but is back with a vengance, gas, bloating, calmness as opposed to being in a stinking foul mood, very lose joints (even my jaw clicks and hurts), tons of bh as per usual, niggling back/front/hip twinges,....and this morning I lost a noticeable amount of thick mucus...now I have included a pic (TMI allert, sorry) no blood at all though, so I'm questioning wether its my plug or not???!!!

Any ways, opinions/stories/experiences PLEASE!!!

Lets try and get this thread going for other FTM's trialling the internet and google searching for 'Early Labor Signs'

And thankyou very much in advance to all who post!

Ooops!
Forgot to add pic!

Hi - not sure that's a 'show'. Could be, but it's usually bloody.

Stay calm, anyway! A first labour can last a while. You'll know when it kicks off!

Good luck!

It sounds like your body is getting ready, but no need to panic just yet. It could easily still be days/weeks yet. Your plug can regrow too, so it's possible to lose some without it meaning everything is actually starting.

You'll know about it once the contractions really get going. I'm sure everyone probably feels them differently, but I found mine felt more like the entire lower part of my abdomen was tensing in a painful crushing kind of feeling. You can feel it build up and up and up, and you can pretty much tell when you're at the peak of the contraction, then it ebbs away quite swiftly.
Hopefully it won't be too much longer for you, u remember the impatience!

My show wasn't bloody and looked exactly like that! DD arrived 24 hours later... but I was term and losing your plug isn't a firm guarantee as it can come away slowly.
Try to assume you have at least tonight to get some sleep!

That's your plug, mine fell out 3 weeks before my daughter arrived!!

Get some sleep and don't worry 🙋🏽

Good luck OP, sounds like your body is getting ready and it's good that your mind is too! I didn't ever have a 'show', my labour started with waters trickling over about an hour, followed by a larger 'gush', and then regular contractions which I only felt in the front lower part of my bump. DD was born 5 hours later. I had been waiting for a show/ back pain/a feeling that she'd dropped etc and had none of those things. The day I went in to labour I felt completely normal.

Hope things go well for you, not long til newborn snuggles :) x

This sounds like my experience with my second - every night for two weeks I was woken with extremely strong contractions which seemed to become regular, just s few minutes apart. I even had the contraction timer going most nights - but it tailed off by morning every time.

It was v annoying while it was happening, BUT the payoff when DD finally arrived at 40+2 was a very fast and manageable labour. I swear it's because by body had spent two weeks warming up. I'd also been 2cm dilated since 39+1!

Compared to DS's birth - which had no warm up at all and was 24hrs of agony, ending in interventions, I certainly know what I preferred.

Oh - and good luck OP!

It might be. Make your priority getting as much sleep as you can at this stage.

I was in the latent phase of labour for 3 days and stayed awake THE WHOLE TIME thinking she was on her way (I was 2 weeks over-due at this point so had good reason) Ended up needing to be induced as I just didn't get into established labour on my own.

So please don't over analyse the feelings... Relax and sleep. When real labour kicks in there is absolutely no denying it. Although I had to be induced to achieve it so not really sure what natural contractions feel like to be fair. Still, just focus on sleep.

Thankyou everyone! Reassuring to know everything is normal etc....

Please keep the stories coming guys! So great to read!!! Xx

Defo a show. Good luck op. Could be ages but could be today!! in advance. Love the pic. Made me snigger to see someone else's show. The randomness of MN

It's part of the plug, but then again it regenerates, I start to lose mine like this appearance from mid 20 weeks, it then (last time) turned bloody (bloody show) by 30 weeks and he was born at 34 weeks. So a long build up lol. But everyone is different so you may be one of those holding your baby in a couple of days :D. You are definitely going in the right direction and, my contractions started to last all day eventually and very regular. Good luck :)

Had sweep today, was already 2cm! Bleeding and cramping alot more now, baby turned from po to anterior, so all systems ready to go!!!

Midwife reckons tonight/tomorrow

Wish me luck! X

Good luck op!

Paws, lovely to hear from you and so glad pregnancy is going well. Your story sounds like mine...well kind of. I've had bh since 18 weeks...ended up in hospital at 33 weeks with a preterm labour scare and again at 35 weeks. Unfortunately I'm not 38 weeks and baby still hasn't arrived. Instead I have contractions daily which range from 10 minutes apart to 4-5 minutes apart and its constant. I had a show a few weeks ago but that's about it. Good luck to you and fx bubba arrives soon.

Good luck :)

Thanks guys! reebok lovely to hear from you too! Haven't seen you on the thread in ages! But then again I'm hardly on there, as like you...ive been in and out of hospital with suspected preterm labour, had a positive feta fibronectin test at 30 weeks and was told I most likely wouldn't make it full term! So happy he's hung on till 36&6...means I'll get the water birth in the nice midwife led unit rather than the horrible cramped labour ward!
Wishing you all the best for your pregnancy...hopefully not too much longer for you now

Keep me updated hun xxx

Wow, funny reading this back with my now 16 month old running around...flip flops in sink, banana down back of radiator, the lot lol!

Amazing that despite 5 sweeps I still ended up being induced nearly 3 weeks after this old post! Some babies just don't want to come out!

Eagerly awaiting baby no.2 now...19 weeks already, how time flies...certainly won't be stressing over every little labor symptom this time round, it's true what they say, you'll know labor when it's happening!

@Allmychildrenhavepaws i was following the thread you were on when you were pregnant with your little one. So pleased to hear you're pregnant with your second! Amazing news congratulations.

amy hi! Thankyou for the congrats! Yes, little boy no.2 on the way now...sadly had two miscarriages before this pregnancy, but I also had two miscarriages before my son, too...very odd

Hope you are well x

I did before this pregnancy. I was following the pregnancy after mc thread when I was on the ttc after mc. Have two dd's after an mc with twins in my first pregnancy too. It is odd having consecutive mc's then a viable pregnancy, makes early pregnancy so much more difficult to deal with.

Thankfully all good though this time 😊

It is strange how our bodies work isn't it! Hope this pregnancy is going smoothly for you? I've had terrible ms with this bubba, didn't with my son...was hoping it meant girl this time, but early scans are saying 'another boy'. Have my 20wk scan on 13th sep. How far along are you? I'm terribly worried how I'm going to manage with a nearly 2 yr old and a newborn, going through a very messy divorce atm, trying to keep my spirits up but the reality of having no help with two children under 2 is terrifying Bit of a long story with regards to dh...feel free to pm me if you ever want to chat xx

Oh gosh that sounds awful me saying I was hoping for a girl! Don't get me wrong, I'm very greatful this pregnancy is healthy as that's the main thing, just would love to have a mother/daughter relationship too that's all

This pregnancy has been the easiest symptom wise for me. I had no ms and thought maybe boy as I had hypermesis with both my other girls but no it's another girl!
I'm 33+4 now not long left.
You'll cope, there 21 months between my older two and 7 years between my youngest and this baby. It's hard work in the beginning but totally worth it.
I will pm when I figure out my password on the internet site, no option to pm on the iPhone app that I can see.
Good luck with your scan too!
Sorry to hear you and your DH have split, it's hard to deal with that and being pregnant too

Wow, you're nearly due then...wishing you a speedy enjoyable (for use of a better word) labor. I'm sure I'll cope fine...just anxieties I guess. Take care of yourself and bump x