Could this be labour or just wishful thinking?

[TTC1pcos]

Me again! I’m after some stories about how people realised that they were in labour the first time. I’m a FTM and had a weird morning so wondering if it could be the start of labour:
I’m currently 41 weeks pregnant and have a sweep and induction booked for this coming week. Desperate to avoid both of these, Hubs and I did the deed last night and this morning I had what I’m assuming is a bloody show, although not very mucusy. More like normal discharge- watery with pink blood in it. I called triage but they didn’t seem
too concerned. What actually woke me this morning was an intense back pain that I’ve not felt before. This back pain has been on and off since around 6 this morning. It starts mildly, peaks into quite intense pain and then ebbs away. Kind of how I’d imagine contractions to be only this is completely in my lower back and I feel nothing in my abdomen. Oh and I had 4 loose bowel movements in the space of around an hour this morning too (to add to the joy!).

Could all of these be signs of early labour? How did you know that labour had started to for you with your first?

thanks in advance 😊

Yes they could! Although I had absolute fake outs like this for a while before things properly kicked off. Back to back labour is common enough to feel things in your back rather than abdomen

get some rest now, eat, sleep, try and conserve energy in case it is the real thing

Thanks! We can only hope! X

Yes! This is exactly how mine started at 41 weeks, dtd before bed and woke up at 2.30am with back pain that continued every so often throughout the night, Dd arrived 28 hours later. I had a full back labour, barely any pains in my abdomen so you never know. Fingers crossed for you!

Thanks @lotsofjellytotz . This makes me hopeful! So strange to think that you can have labour but not really feel it in your abdomen x

DD was back to back so I think that was a major factor in my pains, hopefully your little one will make an appearance soon

How exciting! Is baby R or LOP? (ie their spine to your spine) As others have said, that gives you back labour.
I didn’t feel a single contraction in my abdomen, only in my back… this could be it for you! The loose bowel movements are also encouraging - your body could well be having a good clear-out and/or baby’s head is coming lower onto the bowel.
Fingers crossed for you OP! 😀

@LabradorFiasco Thank you 😊 his position hasn’t been mentioned in any of my antenatal appointments so I’m not actually sure what position he is in! Things do seem to be settling down now though- back pains are still pretty irregular and no sign of abdominal contractions. Might have been a false alarm after all! X

@TTC1pcos ahhh, early labour can be very on and off. Mine (also first baby) started exactly like yours except that my waters also went before the bowel movements and back contractions started.
I wish I had spent more time resting at that stage because my labour ultimately went on for 72 hours and I feel like I wasted energy walking up and down stairs when I could have just slept when the contractions weren’t too bad (you know, like a mild back injury sort of level).
i really hope this is it for you OP. I’d put money on this being prodromal labour. If you’re still going like this at the time of your sweep appointment you may just want to give it a go, it could kick things off for you as your body is clearly getting ready for D-Day!! But fully understand if you don’t want any interventions etc.
very best wishes to you x