Labour symptom spotting- wishful thinking?

[SenoraSurf]

I know it's been done to death, but reading other people's posts going back to 2009 isn't satisfying my frantic googling anymore.

Currently 36+2. Baby is measuring a week ahead (I know, not accurate but still...) and has been head down and engaged from 29 weeks. I'm only little and I'm literally all bump (think giant beach ball stuck to a cocktail stick).
My waters leaked (gushed about 100ml worth) at 31 weeks but was discharged by hospital as no infection followed and scan showed plenty of fluid.

So, could it be the real deal?

Symptoms are as follows:

• period pain aches for just over a week
• soft more frequent (3/4 times a day) bowel movements
• nausea and general sicky feeling
• masses of energy over the past week (I washed and valeted my car and stayed up till gone midnight cleaning...)
• bump dropped yesterday
• constant shooting type pain from cervix since bump dropping (like I'm trying to hold babies weight inside me when I walk but it's heavy and painful!)
• Braxton Hicks for the last few weeks but are getting painful throughout last couple of days

Anybody symptom spotting with me? I have an overwhelming feeling it's going to come early ( have had this feeling from very early on).
Hopefully this post will act as my 'catch 22' and baby will stay put but I want it out so bad.

I'm in the same boat at 36+5, bump measured exactly 36 weeks today but baby is on the large side according to growth scans. My logical brain says it's going to be a while with this being my first, and also because I think I know when I ovulated and my due date would then be 31st July, rather than 25th that they gave me based on 12 week scan. But recently another part of my brain is convinced it'll be in the next couple of weeks. This is what I've had:
-period type pains, braxton hicks getting stronger and more frequent
-yesterday/today I was constipated but other than that have had very soft poos
-nausea, and getting sick with hunger at 6am
-baby is dropping but head not fully engaged yet
-very tired because I wake up every hour or so from 4am onwards
-pain in cervix
-stabbing pains either side around waist height
-baby wriggling a lot and kicking very hard
-no waters or mucus plug gone yet

So no idea! Maybe my two instincts will balance out and she'll come right on time!

Thing is you can never predict it, you could feel like this and have baby tomorrow, or you could go until 42 weeks.

The thing that stopped me obsessing over dd coming was I read that when babies lungs are fully developed, they release something called surfectant from their lungs. This is one of the major triggers of labour. Surfectant prevents baby’s alveoli in the lungs from collapsing (which is why early babies need help to breathe, as they don’t have enough). So once I learned that I wanted dd in as long as possible!

Good luck

@Triskaidekaphilia seems like we're in the same boat then. It's so frustrating, I can't decide if this is worse than waiting for a bfp or not lol! I had a really strange sensation in my lower leg/ankles earlier too, felt like they were swelling but they weren't, so bizarre.

@MustardScreams I know right I always said I wouldn't be one of these people that posts an 'is this it?' thread but it's just so frustrating not being in control of your body. That's a lovely way of looking at it, still don't think it'll dampen my impatience though lol.

@SenoraSurf I was thinking about it being like the 2ww as well, nice bookends to the pregnancy I guess I think this is slightly less worse as I had to go through 18 of those and only one long one now

@MustardScreams I heard that as well, I certainly don't want baby coming before she's ready! Just wondering when she will be