Early labour

[yelyahyoung]

Hi!

I’m 35 weeks today with our first, a baby girl. So obviously I have no idea what to expect. Currently going through an obsessive nesting phase lol. Finished packing the hospital bag yesterday with car seat and blankets on top, to have my partner ask me if I thought I was doing all this prematurely lol I think NOT... you never know...

So anyway. For the past week or so I’ve been experiencing period pains on and off and lots of stranger movements from baby. She was 2/5 engaged the last time I went to the midwife (6th Jan?) although she didn’t tell me that, I just read it on my notes. I’ve been having sensations that are uncomfortable but not TOO painful right down there and also in my back, that then get worse and dull down. I also have the lightening shoots of pain going downstairs and in my bum! However I understand that part is probably not linked to labour as it just happens anyway.
Also yesterday and today, I’ve been having very loose stools (sorry tmi) and quite a lot of nausea. Yesterday I was standing in the queue when buying a couple of items for my hospital bag and I had to go find a toilet STRAIGHT AWAY, I could not wait for the 1 person that was in front of me lol Partner is fine so nothing to do with what we have eaten. AND, over the past few weeks, I have been getting stringy, jelly-like discharge when I wipe. I had it once where I got a large lump of it, but now it has just started to come out in little parts. GP said a while back that it was probably my mucus plug but not to worry unless anything else happens.

So all in all:

Stringy, jelly-like discharge and when I wipe
Diarrhoea/soft poo’s & nausea
Niggly pains in low pelvis & lower back
Period cramps

Is this all normal or is my body preparing to go into labour fairly soon? Even though I’m anxious about it all, I kind of hope it will be soon. Being pregnant is bloody awful sometimes lol!

It's your body getting ready but still could be weeks.. I don't remember with my 1st or 2nd but I've just had my 3rd and since 32 weeks I was having all that your explaining.. About 3 weeks ago I started loosing my Plug in bits had looser stools and cramps got more painfull but nothing happened untill last week at 38+3.

Hate to break it to you but I had all of these symptoms from around 34 weeks onwards...

Baby was cosy and had to be induced.

I've had exactly the same and I'm 38nweeks. I've had diahorrea for weeks and nothing! This is my third and I won't believe I'm in labour until she's half way out.

You could spend the next 7 weeks thinking ‘this could be it’ or you could always assume it’s not labour, try to distract yourself, and then when it is, it will be a real bonus.

How about writing yourself a bit list of things to do if you think it might be labour ie. put a film you haven’t gotten around to watching on there, make a cake, go for a walk, clean the bathroom, call an old friend for a chat etc. Try to make your way through the list until you can’t cope any longer. That way, you’ll know it’s the real deal.