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?

[bundle]

oooooooh it's all gone quiet on the bakedpotato front!

[motherinferior]

She's getting her spud out of the oven !

[bundle]

with a nice knob of butter, and some grated cheese???

[motherinferior]

I think we can safely conclude....

[bubble99]

Good luck BP

[Girly]

oooh how exciting! Hope we have a birth announcement soon

[skiingmummy]

Ooooh - I'm soo gutted I didn't check this thread again earlier.

to BP!! Good luck honey! (and tell me your secret?!)

Oh this is soooo exciting!!!!

Can't believe everyone seems to be cracking on with labour except me.
Must be my turn next.... I'm eating a pineapple a day fgs!

[bubble99]

Hey SM, just you and me kid in the 'fit to pop' club now. With girly and Pidge waddling along behind. So how's it going SM, pineapple anyone?!
I've got an appt with consultant tomorrow, 36 weeks with twins and I'm desperate - really fed up now, in need of a zimmer frame.
I've been reading a book 'Double Trouble' - written by a woman who went to 40 weeks with twins. Nooooooooo waaaay! I'm going to start some serious pineappling tomorrow, twins are good (estimated) weights nearly 71b apiece and my pelvic floor can't wait for me to meet them.

[Girly]

Oi bubble less of the waddling if you please!

I am winding down from work, due to start Mat leave in a week or 2 and bump is HUGE!!!!

[skiingmummy]

Oh Bubble you made me laugh re pelvic floor!! Sorry!! I think mine ceased to exist a couple of months back! Babies 7lb each?? and heres me stressing coz I suspect skiingbaby is going to be over 8lbs.

Whats the policy with twins? Do they routinely induce you at early or is it up to you? I feel guilty now for all my moaning - I'm sure carrying twins is so much harder. I'm fed up of not being able to bend over easily to do things like tidy up DS toys or put his shoes on, but I just can't imagine what it must be like to have 2 babies in front!!

Well had 1/2 pineapple for breakfast and have decided to drag myself down to the supermarket for more. I've hardly been able to move today as the SPD and the heartburn is really bad for some reason. Not an attractive look limping/waddling around holding onto the walls for support looking for gaviscon.

Poor you Girly still being at work. I'm glad I finished early coz theres no way I could still be dragging myself into an office every day. When are you actually due?

[Girly]

Oh its not so bad skiingmummy I work from home. I have my own business which will close for a short while!

Am due on 1.3.05 so not long to go

Am with you on the bending down/waddling/heartburn bit, esp as ds is now potty trained and I have to keep taking him to the loo every 5 mins!

Also getting very hungry all the time... esp for cream cakes!

[Pidge]

'Fraid I have got a definite waddle! Took a day off from cycling today and came to work via my 3-train commute, and definitely resembled a duck when moving!

Have also long since given up on my pelvic floor.

Getting very excited about potential birth announcments here! Skiingmummy - get that pineapple down you!

[bubble99]

Just back from seeing the consultant. Twin 1 is 3/5 engaged. Some protein and glucose (+1) in my urine but BP is fine. Ankles swollen a la Nora Batty and carpal tunnel a pain. Had to sew on some name tags to DS' clothes and couldn't feel my fingers - not easy. My consultant cosiders 'term' for twins at 38 weeks and normally likes to induce at 40 weeks if all is well. I must have made a growling noise/scary face because she quickly added that she will do a sweep at 38 weeks and I can be induced at 39 weeks if I want. She doesn't envisage any problems with a vaginal delivery as I've delivered two big babies vaginally before (9lb and 8lb4oz) but I'll need to have an epidural and syntocinon on standby in case twin two lingers. All in all a good appt after last week's fiasco. So I'm a happy, waddly bubble currently chomping on pineapple
Girly, I take my hat off to you for still being at work and I'm sure you are gracefully waddling . I'm reminding myself of one of the tutu-clad dancing elephants in 'Fantasia' at the moment.
SM, poor you with the SPD - I've been lucky enough not to have experienced that but I'm told it's a killer. Can you order online and get your pineapples delivered? I'm worrrying about you going into a fast labour at the supermarket and needing to be wheeled off to hospital in a trolley.

No news from BP yet? I'm off to check the 'announcements' thread.

[Girly]

Oh my! Just got back from Waitrose where I have bought lots of comfort food which I intend stuffing my face with all afternoon. See there are some benefits of working from home!

Bubble, hope all goes well with the sweep, keep on munching that Pineapple, and go get your haircut its bound to do the trick!

Wonder how bp is doing? she must be in labour its been a while since her last post.

[bakedpotato]

had a little boy at 4.07 tues afternoon.
it went very quickly in the end, notes say active labour lasted 3 hrs stayed at home till the last possible minute (thought he was going to come out in the car). pretty scary and again, as with first labour, missed out on pain relief what ARE mobile epidurals like? have always wanted one and now i will never know -- but it was pretty efficient really and we're all fine

so girls, book those haircuts!

[bundle]

well done bakedpotato, you clever thing you! fyi: mobile epidurals are best thing since sliced bread (friend offered anaesthetist a kidney once, at a dinner party..if he ever needed one )

any further details (when you're less busy!) would be appreciated...name, weight..plus the gory bits, much love, xxxxx

[motherinferior]

BP, that's so totally lovely.

Mobile epidurals are fabulous IF they work.

[Girly]

Ahhh congratulations BP, well done!

Looking forward to the full story!

[Pidge]

Posting here too for good measure - congratulations. Such great news! Am going to get that haircut appointment lined up for my due date!!

[bubble99]

Well done BP! That is fantastic news, the window cleaning did it I reckon. Looking forward to more details when you're ready. XXXX

[skiingmummy]

Oh Bakedpotato thats fantastic news!!
Congratulations and well done on such an efficient labour!!!

Hope you and little spud are both doing ok and really looking forward to hearing all the gory details!

I'll def have a g&t this evening specially to toast you and baby spud!!

[Girly]

I had a m/w appointment today and the baby is 3-4/5 engaged! Is that good?

I thought something had happened cause bump is lower and had cramps on and off all last night.

Best get my bags packed!

[bubble99]

Hi Girly

Try posting this as a new thread. We need mears/pupuce/mandy or any other MW's/Doulas who may be around to help with this one.

[bubble99]

bump

[mears]

Hi Girly - head 3-4/5 palpable means head is engaging but still has a bit to go. First babies tend to be engaged before labour starts. Subsequent babies may not engage until labour starts. When the head engages there is more pressure on the bladder and more discomfort in the pelvis. Babies can be engaged for weeks before labour starts but you never know