Contractions

6 replies

Jennifer91 · 02/09/2023 07:32

40 weeks today, had midwife yesterday she said baby’s head 3/5 in pelvis. (First baby)
I started feeling tightening midnight last night, slight period cramps. Thought Braxton hicks. Couldn’t sleep period pain for a few hours. Fell asleep for an hour or so woke up with bad period cramps on and off between 3-5 mins for 40 secs tops, painful and stomach tightening, baby moving lots.
I wanted to see if I could get reassurance, is this Labour starting? Pains getting worse, having a bath to ease the pain but surely this isnt Braxton hicks? Midwife said when they last 60 secs to come in.

OP posts:

Covetthee · 02/09/2023 07:41

It does sound like early stages of Labour.

mine started off like mild period cramps and then got to a more ‘ contracting’ type of pain, mine was very quick but i know others have started like yours and it took a good day before things really got going

good luck OP! You got this 💪🏽

Original poster

Jennifer91 · 02/09/2023 12:36

Thank you.

had contractions non stop, there more 6-9 mins for 30 sec now, some more painful than others.

i think it’s going to be a long day!

OP posts:

PickledScrump · 02/09/2023 12:43

It could be, don’t be surprised if they start and stop over several days. The very early start of labour is getting baby in the right position and the cervix effacing. Your body is still working hard so don’t feel disheartened. Make sure you keep drinking and eating and rest when you can and keep upright and forward when sitting to help baby. Won’t be long now

Original poster

Jennifer91 · 02/09/2023 12:57

Oh gosh I hope it doesn’t last days.

even with painful contractions and having a bloody show today? I guess it’s different for everyone so who knows.

what specifically am I waiting for till I really need to go in? Contractions lasting a minute?

OP posts:

PickledScrump · 02/09/2023 13:09

@Jennifer91 i had a show on the Monday, several days of contractions on and off they’d get close together and then space out again, then stop all together. On the Friday they started getting a lot stronger, while I was at home they never got closer than 5 minutes apart but I was having to stop what I was doing as they were really painful, struggling to get through them level painful. That’s when I went into hospital and she was born 3.5 hours later. My midwife said the strength of the contraction was important as well as the time between and how long they last. Your labour tends to progress a lot quicker when you are at home rather than hospital. Even the pushing stage can take up to 2 hours so don’t panic too much about not getting to hospital in time. If you need advice on when to go in though you can always ring. My hospital is a 45 minute drive on a good day so I tend to wait until I absolutely have to before going in as I don’t want to be sent home

Covetthee · 02/09/2023 14:35

I think the midwives say wait until they are 2-3 mins but i know for me that would have been too late as i went from 8-10 mins to one non stop contraction and baby basically half out when i got to the unit

If they are getting longer and closer then i would say call up or go in.

hope you have someone with you?

Flip