Stop/start contractions - really fed up

[Whoosher]

I’m 38 weeks with DC5 and have totally had enough now. For the last 2-3 weeks I’ve had BH every day, but painful ones. So much pressure, lightning crotch and burning pain around my groin that at times I can’t even walk. The pains and BH have been taking my breath away

For the last 3 days I’ve had proper contractions, every 3-5 minutes for up to 1.5 hours, then it just stops. It happened again this afternoon between 1.30-3pm then slowed down and stopped again

I’m so sick of it now, it’s exhausting and painful and leading nowhere and I feel like I’m going to be pregnant and in pain forever!

this heatwave is also not helping 😭 sorry to moan I’m just so fed up

has anyone else experienced this stop/start pattern? I’ve never had it before with the other DC, although 3 of them I was induced for so only experienced natural labour once

I’m currently experiencing this too! I’m only 36+3 today but I woke up at 2:30am with cramps, then I realised that they were coming every 10 mins. And then every 8 mins. They weren’t too too painful but there was pain, they didn’t feel like Braxton Hicks. I managed to fall asleep at about 5am and woke at 7am, and the cramps were 5 mins apart so I called triage who told me to come in. I was still having contractions on the monitor, but they weren’t that strong or that painful, they told me to go home and to go back if they get more painful. I was so tired when I got home that I slept for an hour, when I woke up at 1pm the contractions had stopped completely. So weird! I really hope the next 3 weeks won’t be like this.

Also experiencing something similar - I'm 35+5. At risk of preterm labour after my first came early as well as a few other complications I'm being closely monitored for. Feel like I've had contractions on and off since Friday although there's no clear pattern to them. Just because I'm so early and with other complications, I decided to phone maternity assessment so that's where I am now (for the third time) waiting to see a doctor. I have a scheduled caesarian at 38 weeks so it's still early for me. Can't decide if I just want baby to arrive now or to hold on for a few more weeks. I also, unexpectedly, have no childcare tonight so DH is at home with toddler and I'm hoping nothing happens that means I need to give birth alone before DH can be here. It's completely exhausting. First time round I had no hint of approaching labour - waters just went and contractions one minute apart within the hour. This is very different.

I had two evenings of regular long contractions, and then they would stop. The third night I went to bed really pissed off because I hadn't had anything at all. Waters went in my sleep and labour started immediately. Fast and easy after that. Hopefully not long now!