Are these contractions? 41w today

[SunnySideUp2020]

FTM so no idea what i am doing...

I am 41 weeks today. Had 2 sweeps last one on Thursday i was a good 2cm dilated and had a bloody show that day.
Been spotting brown stuff since.
Nothing happened until this morning i realised my belly was getting hard at times but i just thought it's the baby pushing her butt/back on my skin.
But in the last 2 hours these cramps/ tightenings have been coming every 10min or so and last around a min.
Sounds like contraction but it's very localised on the belly (front).
No lower back pain, no period pains. And apart from feeling like my heart is pumping harder during the tightening and the actual discomfort and hard belly it's not painful.

I never had braxton hicks before so not sure if these are the famous ones?

Or am i heading towards labor?

My induction is booked for Tuesday

Are they painful? Maybe try timing them and see if they are frequent. Google the 5-1-1 labour rule. If they're coming every 5 mins, lasting a minute, for 1 hour then it's more than likely labour. In the nicest way possible.. you'll know when it's the real deal! There's no questioning it. (Unless you're v lucky!) Good luck x x

@ker89

That's what i thought!!! It's not painful at all. And i am pretty sure real contractions are!
I think they are tightenings like muscle cramping but not actual contractions 😑

Also it has sort of calmed down now...

That’s pretty much how I started 7 weeks ago today after two sweeps at 41 weeks. Things ramped up and became painful in the evening and he was born at 4am. Do you have the Freya app? You could time the tightenings to keep and eye on them. Mine did come and go for a few days before things started properly on the Saturday. Good luck! X x x

Oh thanks for sharing @Muriel84
Giving me hope!
I guess it's the beginning of something. Might be a few more days though like you.

I have an app yes. They were a bit irregular, 10min then 5 then 20min between them but now have died down.

I'm 39 weeks pregnant and second time Mum I've been having what you are describing on and off for a few weeks now (sorry I feel like that's not what you want to hear 😢). I think they are braxton hicks. I never had them with my first. All of your other symptoms (bloody show and discharge) sounds promising though so fingers crossed!! I went into labour naturally on the morning of my induction with my first (2 weeks over due) there's still time!! And my first signs of labour with her were period pains.

@SunnySideUp2020 sounds more like Braxton hicks but everyones labours start differently so fingers crossed it's the real deal!! I'm 9+4 and desperate to be at your stage waiting for labour to begin lol. Have you tried anything like bouncing on ball etc ? X

Thanks @Mum497 giving me hope too!

@ker89 i do get on the ball every now and then but i don't really like it 😐😐

So tightenings were on and off last night and this morning some moderate contractions like proper lower back and belly squeezing itself etc... every 6 min for about 2 hours.
Then a big piece of mucus plug fell out (how can there be so much!!!)
And now having on and off period cramps/tightening but not regular anymore.
I do feel a bit off...

So we ll see!!!!

Good luck! X

I was induced so in hospital anyway. I had back pain nothing on my stomach and kept trying to get sleep but would wake up with the back pain again. Then it would ease. They assessed me in the morning and told me I was actually 3cm dilated and they were going to pop my waters. Within the next 2 hours I was 10cm and ready to push.

My DS was back to back, this is why I didn't feel them in my front.