Hi, I'm currently 38+3 with my third child. My first was about 10 hours start to finish but I sort of skipped the first stage, went straight to 4 mins apart and was 3cm within a couple of hours. My second was two hours from first contraction to birth, again nothing before contraction were less than there mins apart. Was very intense and this has been my biggest fear for this birth.
However, I've no idea what's happening now. On Saturday (at 37+5), I started getting contractions around 16:30. They were about 30 mins apart, lasting two mins and were manageable but intense. Around, 19:30 they started ramping up, going to 15 mins, then 9 mins then 4 mins. At this stage they were very intense and after last time we decided to head in. Within five minutes of being put on the bed for a trace, everything stopped. They sent me walking around the hospital for two hours but nothing. My cirvix was posterior but soft so they wouldn't let me home and admitted me. Nothing at all overnight, got 2 really decent contraction about 9 the next morning fifteen mins apart but they put me back on a trace and they started again. They examined me around 3pm after lots of walking and bouncing on ball and could see no real change from the day before so they let me home. Had nothing else really that night. Next day I felt fine. So on the Monday, at 38 weeks, around 11:30am I went from feeling not a twinge to very intense contractions. They were about 15 mins apart and lasting but was more the intensity of them that was worrying me. We headed to the hospital about an hour late. When we got there they were so it was like a constant contraction from the car in. When the staff saw me they went and got a wheelchair and rushed me up. On examination I hadn't even started dilating and once again, within about fifteen mins, it all stopped. Cirvix still soft but posterior. Sent me walking again for three hours. Got a few contractions towards the end but nothing major, certainly wouldn't have headed to hospital with them if I'd been at home. They examined me again after the three hours and cirvix had moved forward but no other change. Just constantly at 1-2 cm but that's more because I've had previous babies. So they asked if I wanted to stay in, at this stage I was quite upset and frustrated and chose to go home and get a good nights sleep in my own bed. Now here I am at 38+3, has been no contractions since 38 but the pressure is getting worse and worse. Yesterday particularly was very intense and consistent. Was up a lot during the night with really frequent and high volumes of urination. I'm just confused, I don't understand what is happening or if anything is happening. I know nobody can tell me but I'd love to hear if people have had similar experiences and how they panned out. My first was delivered at 40+3 (into labour at 40+2) and my second at 40+1. I had my mucus show in hospital on Sunday morning, lots of discharge since but no more bloody mucus. Have had a lot of back pain, pressure in my bum but mostly it just feels like the baby is pushing right down on my vagina and so so low.