"You'll *just* know when you're in labour"... Will I!?

[autumngirlxo]

I've had a UTI since last Wednesday, was in hosp Sunday night to monitor my baby and previous c-sec scar as they were worried it might rupture (I'm currently 36+6). I still have lower abdominal pain, Braxton hicks and low back pain. My UTI is clearing up according to my MW who dipped my urine yesterday, so no worries there.

Today however it all feels even worse pain wise. The low back pain feels like there's a balloon constantly inflating in my lower back, like a weird pressure, but also crampy?
My lower abdominal pain is also period pain crampy style, but gets worse in waves and I still have painful braxton hicks which take my breath away.
I'm booked for an elective c-section at 39+4.
Also, when I stand up, I have a weird pressure feeling yet also a hey crampy pain "down below". My MW did say I have pervic girdle pain, so might just be that??
Normal increased discharge, no spotting, no bleeding, no show (that I've noticed), no waters, baby is moving and hiccupping.

Could this just be usual late 3rd trimester pains, or am I maybe edging towards going into natural labour!?

I'm asking on here because everyone says "you'll know when you're in labour", but what if I don't?
I also have endometriosis, so my pain threshold is quite high, therefore I'm unsure whether the pains are as bad as potential pre-labour pains?

I will call triage if it gets worse, but in the meantime I'd appreciate some advice on here so I don't waste anyone's time.
Thank you in advance.

Bump

With my first baby I was told I wasn't in labour and was experiencing braxton hicks, but I couldn't get rid of this horrible dull ache in my back/lower stomach. I wasn't able to time any contractions or pin point when the pain would come and go as it was constant. After a couple of days every time I stood up my waters were trickling out but I was told 'I had probably just wet myself'. As a FTM I had no experience of labour but I knew I didn't feel right. After putting up with it for 3 days at home and zero sleep I called the hospital begging to be seen. Turns out I was in labour and was 3cm dilated. Baby was back to back, hence all the bank pain and my contractions never got in to a consistent pattern. I learnt from that experience if something doesn't feel right then you demand to be checked. You know your body better than anyone else.

Make the call and ask the question. I had the crampy back ache and my waters never broke.

However I did have one almighty contraction that woke me up and I knew it was different.

Every pregnancy and every birth are different.

At some point yes because you'll no longer be able to talk during contractions you'll just focus on breathing etc. But in my experience at that point I was only an hour away from delivery each time. I tend to have very long latent stages, of quite painful contractions every few hours for about four days. Doesn't become regular until very near the end.

I had irregular cramps and lower back pain for just over 24 hrs before a 38wk checkup (but could still walk about and it wasn't too painful). At the clinic they realised I was 4cm dilated already, had high BP and proteinurea so they put me on an induction drip, broke my waters, and I delivered DC1 six hours later. 38wks spot on.

With hindsight I'm glad I didn't realise I was in labour earlier on as DH had been away for work (but back in time for the clinic visit) and I might have been a little concerned!

Call them.

I would call the unit and talk it through. Plenty of women don't realise the are in labour for a long time imo because late pregnancy is so blummin uncomfortable

Honestly yes, in my experience early labour contractions were totally different to braxton hicks or general discomfort.

Ring your triage and go through the procedure with them, it sounds like you don’t know when they admit you which is time based not pain based anyway.

Thanks everyone, I'll give them a ring if only for peace of mind. I appreciate your comments ☺️

I was in (early) labour for about 24 hours before I realised I was in labour. I obviously knew I was having regular pains coming and going but they were so mild I assumed it was a false start or braxton hicks. It was only when my waters went and I lost my plug an hour later that it clicked!

Yes no maybe

My waters went TV style, they could pick up contractions but it was another 3h before I could feel them. I was getting the urge to push but I just thought I needed the loo. Thankfully I went into the midwife led unit at this point and baby was born soon after I arrived. I was fully dilated and was fully expecting to be no further on than my last exam 2h earlier. The waters breaking and the contractions were clear but there was definitely times when I didn't know I was in labour or realise I had progressed as much as I had

Def get checked. This is my experience of having my second child (first was and off the scale painful plus I have a high pain threshold).

I eventually went to hospital thinking I’d be turned away and the midwife actually told me I must be ‘in denial’ as I was already fully dilated and delivered my child 30 minutes later! Period like and back pain very much like you are describing from about 11am, stayed pretty samey till about 3-4pm, 5pm it was getting worse, thought I’d better go in just for a look see and fully expecting to be turned away. At 530 arrived at hospital, baby born at 6pm.

Good luck!

First was *induced, missed a word, sorry.