pre-labour pains: how far in advance did they start?

[bakedpotato]

i'm due in 16 days. for the last 3 days i've been having longish bursts of what MW calls pre-labour pains: 3 hrs in the middle of the night, 5 hours yesterday afternoon. they basically feel like pretty bad abdominal stomach cramps/period pains. I never had this with my first child so wasn't expecting it. am doing the rest/paracetamol thing when they hit.
[I am hoping they may have something to do with baby (which was posterior) swivelling around and down into pelvis, as very suddenly i'm no longer suffering so badly from aching hips/heartburn.]
so wanted to ask those who had pre-labour like this how much longer they had to wait?

bump

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thanks, Socci. i'm not in any hurry, and in any case i quite fancy another week or so of energy-conservation...

anyone else?

(MW has just confirmed baby is no longer posterior and is 2/5 engaged so i'm feeling a bit high with relief. i think i have my batty reflexologist to thank -- i saw her yesterday am and a few hours later could sort of feel the baby corkscrewing around)

I vaguely remember cramping. And I have to tell you dd2 then arrived. 16 days early.

ooooh! but not giving up hope of the haircut i've been meaning to fix for next week QUITE yet
dd was 5 days early so i suppose i have form

Go for the chop NOW. I had a haircut in the morning, came back and my waters broke.

OMG Bakedpotato you could be describing my symptoms at the moment!! I'm due in 16 days time too, am having bad stomach cramps on and off and never had any of this with no 1.

I'm also planning to get my haircut next week!!
How freaky is that??

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skiingmummy, race you to the hairdressers/delivery suite. MW told me this pm it's usual to get pre-labour pains 2nd time around even if you didn't have them with no1. she said it's all good prep. possibility that when it really gets going, it won't waste time -- bam. yikes.
have booked another session with batty reflexologist for sunday just in case the lady is a miracle-worker.
something is definitely afoot. for 8.5 mths i've been right off chilli. then today i had it in both lunch and dinner. (thai takeaway -- haven't felt like eating thai since MARCH!)
i'll probably be here still in one piece in a month's time anyway

On your marks.....>

So hows u today bp? My tummy cramps have subsided this morning and I now just feel sick with chronic heartburn. Oh joy. Def gonna book the hairdressers for Mon or Tue but like you I somehow suspect I'll still be here in 2 weeks time!! I've still got 10 James Bond videos to watch so I hope so!!

Socci I'm really chuffed you remembered my tale of woe about stitches 1st time round!! I'm sooo glad I spoke to my mw team - feeling fairly happy I won't suffer in silence this time round - besides which dh is primed and ready this time round to stand up for me!! Have even finally picked names so the only things left to do are haircut and watch videos!!

Good luck with the reflexologist tomorrow bp - I'm stocking up on pineapple at the mo rather than chilli (makes my heartburn 10 times worse). Def wouldn't want to be induced this time round.
Chat soon!

still in one piece SM. but heartburn is definitely on the decline -- had a glass of OJ for breakfast. i'm just feeling really pooped. on my way upstairs to have a nap.
puff, waddle, puff

Hi bakedpotato. I had labour pains like this for about 8 or 9 days before dd3 was born. I was convinced each time that she was on her way, but the pains never grew more serious. The day before she was born I had labour pains all day, but still no baby - very frustrating! If it helps, my labour wasn't too long when she finally did arrive, but it was a pain being on the brink for so long.

thanks for that, pollyanna...

Skiingmummy, bakedpotato - do any of you have the urge to clean the fridge/oven yet? Or am I just weird

no, but i've been baking. that's the closest i got last time too. i did hoover a mud-tracked rug this afternoon though which DH says definitely counts as nesting (for me).

DH is another matter. he is in a week-long DIY frenzy and has just been scooping age-old dust and fluff deposits from the tiny gap between the carpet and the wall.

when are you due, bubble?

I'll be 35 weeks on Tuesday but as I'm expecting twins they could come any time soon! I'll be induced on the 9th Feb at 38 weeks if nothing happens. Can't wait now, I am HUGE. I haven't enjoyed this pregnancy as much as my two previous (singleton) ones, which is a shame as this will definately be my last - famous last words eh! I've told DH he's off for the two bricks treatment after this, he's not impressed.
Your DH sounds wonderful, oh for a man with the DIY thing!

From what I recall, with each successive pregnancy, the pre-labour pains came earlier and earlier, so the fact that you didn't have this with your first child but are getting it now is probably normal.

Also, my babies engaged weeks before they were born (well, No. 2, 3, and 4 did) so the fact that yours is partially engaged need not mean the baby is nearly here.

Not sure you wanted to read the above. Would you rather get it over and done with? I do remember that the last two or three weeks were the absolute worst waiting game ever! It'll soon be over.

This thread could explain what I've been feeling over the last two days then! Is it normal for them to be dotted with braxton hicks type things? Was kept awake by period type pain for most of last night and they have just started again. I'm due Wednesday and am beginning to wonder if I shouldn't just check I have everything I need in my hospital bag. Mind you, from what you all say, baby could still be a while in coming, I was only 3/5 engaged at last check. Maybe more, cruel, sleepless nights are heading my way before labour starts!

dizzymama, paracetamol, rest, baths etc... keep us posted!

interesting one lonelymum, i am torn between wanting to crack on with it and actively dreading it (not the birth necessarily, but the first few weeks/months. plus i'm really loving this leisurely bit of maternity leave).

re the engaged thing: my midwife told me that it's very common in 2nd pregnancies and beyond for the baby not to engage at all before labour begins, due to all the extra space in there. but perhaps i was reading too much into that...

Hi bp, I had about 3 days of pre-labour pains with no. 2 (didn't really have any with no. 1). They kept me awake at night so I tried to sleep whenever they died down a bit. By the time `real' labour started I was tired already but we made it in the end. Just try and get as much rest now as you can. I shall be looking out for news!

Yes I was going to say the same thing about engagement bakedpotato (that subsequent babies don't necessarily engage, or that they only partially engage - dizzymama take note!)

I remember when I had dd (third baby) I had such bad pre-labour pains that I was awake all one night. When I got up in the morning though, the pains went away. Thinking that was a sign that it wasn't real labour I carried on all day but tried to have a nap in the afternoon to make up for the sleepless night. However, the minute I lay down again, the pains started again. In the end, I went to hospital because I was so fed up with feeling pains and a bit sickish, etc and just fancied some attention. I arrived at 6 ish in the evening, thinking I would just be monitored and sent home again, only to find out I was in established labour and dd was born at 9:21 that evening. So you guys never know... I hope I see your birth announcements soon!

I am so envious BP that your heartburn is getting better - I bought a 60 pack of extra strength gaviscon yesterday which should last till tomorrow if I'm lucky.

Bubble - def no urge to clean the fridge or oven..yeuch.. but I did attack the kitchen cupboards on Thursday so does that count?

Lonelymum I'm with BP on this one - torn between wanting the birth/1st few weeks tiredness bit done with however quite enjoying the calm before the storm now.

fwiw baby wasn't engaged on Monday and mw said this was common in subsequent pgs. However 2 of my friends who are also awaiting the imminent arrivals of no 2 are both engaged!! Trying not to take this to mean my muscles are completely loose floppy and redundant however....

oh yes, today my tummy pains/backache and sicky feeling are all back for a visit!

TBH, when I read these posts, it brings it all back to me. Those last few days of pregnancy are the absolute worst, aren't they? Although I never had morning sickness, so perhaps that would be worse.