Lightning Crotch! Any advice?

[OuchHelp]

So I’m 40+3, had a bit of pink/yellow mucus coming out but no contractions or waters yet. I have been suffering lightning crotch badly for the past 2 nights now. It started about 11pm with baby’s movements increasing and being very active (pretty much all night until 6am). I found the pain excruciating and it had brought me to tears multiple times. Paracetamol didn’t help. I found myself going to the bathroom every 15 minutes to try and help relieve some of the pressure and I also had quite a bit of wind which was probably adding to the pain I tossed and turned until 7 in the morning and maybe managed to get 1-2 hours sleep at most, not all at once due to waking up every 20 minutes or so. It was a very hard night and tonight seems to the same story with the pain starting around 11pm. Every time I try to sit, stand up, lie down to sleep or change positions the pain starts again and I’m taking trips to the bathroom constantly. Starting to get very frustrated now and am worried that I could potentially have to go through this for another 10 days!!! Also worried that if I can’t cope now, how on earth will I cope with labour!? I phoned the midwife to let her know my symptoms and she didn’t have much to say, just said that everything sounds normal. Has anyone else suffered with lightning crotch this badly and do you have any advice on how to cope? Sorry for the long post

I would suggest you go and get checked, it sounds like your cervix may be dilating as this can cause both pain and pressure especially if baby is low and head down (which at 40w will almost certainly be the case) so it’s worth getting things checked out.

Ring your maternity triage and explain the symptoms and the changes in baby movements and they should offer for you to come in and get checked.

I phoned and they said nothing sounds concerning to them, just told me to keep taking paracetamol and perhaps see a GP for stronger painkillers. I honestly thought they would ask me to get checked… I am going to phone GP in the morning and buy a birthing ball and see how I get on tomorrow, if I go through this pain again I will definitely be phoning the unit and asking to get checked as this doesn’t seem right to me. Unless I’m just being a drama queen and have no pain threshold

Hello,
Hope you are well and settled with your baby now.
I just wondered what the outcome was for you, whether this was the start of labour etc?
I'm 40 +6, been waiting for induction since the 39+3 and have had the exact same pains nightly the past few nights. I've been sitting at 3cm since last Thursday and no further on.
This is 2nd baby for us but I was induced with 1st and had no signs prior to his arrival.

Lots of love x

Yes it turned out this was the start of labour and I was having contractions. That night I went to get checked and confirmed I was 2cm and given a membrane sweep, sent home and returned the following night where I was checked again and confirmed I was 4cm. Given gas and air while the midwife monitored me for a while and then she set up a labour room for me, which I was so glad to here. I then gave birth the next evening hope your little one is here by now! X

Aw that's wonderful news. So chuffed for you.
We're still waiting 😂 now 41+1 and was due induction at 39+3. If I don't laugh about it, I'll cry again.
Hope you're settling in to motherhood. X