34+3, intense pains and loss of mucus plug

[Stardust127]

Hi

For the past couple of weeks I’ve had on and off cramps and have slowly been losing bits of my mucus plug. I went to the day assessment unit on Sunday just gone, baby is fine and my cervix is closed but softening. My body is basically getting ready for birth.

anyway today I’ve had such terrible pain, feels like strong period pains which radiate round to my back, also very bad lightning crotch and I can feel the baby pushing down. Last scan at 32 weeks showed she was head down and very low. I lost what I believe to be most of, if not a huge chunk of, my mucus plug today too. Not blood stained but definitely the plug. I also had 3 huge and painful contractions 7 min ish apart that then faded into Braxton hicks. I don’t know why this is happening, the pain. I don’t want to go back to the DAU because it will probably just be the same outcome as the other day which is a waste of everyone’s time.

has anyone been through this before or have any advice?

thank you x

I would go and get checked. Better to be safe than sorry.

You need to be seen and assessed urgently. At the very least ring the labour ward or 111.

Go back. No one will think you’re making a fuss, and even if they did then so what. You need to be checked and so does your baby. Good luck.

Go back, you’re not wasting anyone’s time!

You’re not at term, OP. You aren’t wasting anyone’s time. Things have changed since you were last seen.

Definitely go back and get checked! They would love for you to go in and everything be okay than stay at home, in pain and worrying.

You’re not full term so please phone, explain and go get checked!

Thank you all. I’m on my way in to get checked. Fingers crossed all is well.

This has been me since 34 weeks and I’m now 35+4. Apart from I haven’t been losing mucus plus. Been triage twice and had cervix checked and it’s closed. They just think may be irritable uterus. So frustrating cos sometimes I think I’m about to go into labour as the period pains get so strong x

This is good to know thank you x

im in triage now waiting to see the midwife. Typically, the pains have calmed down. As long as baby is okay then im happy but it’s just so horrible going through this I never had this with my son at all. Not long for us to go now and hope the rest of your pregnancy is better for you x

@RT1620 just a possibility... look up prodromal labour.

I had repeated bouts of very painful contractions lasting hours, from 35 weeks onwards. This is called prodromal labour. I didn't deliver until 40w. In my case I believe it was my body trying to turn the baby - one particularly bad bout around 38w I was on my hands and knees on the floor and I felt the baby turn. The contractions stopped and didn't come back until real labour started.

Not saying this is definitely what's happening to you, but next time you have contractions you could try some of the positions on the Spinning Babies website and see if this helps.

Thank you I just had a Google. He is defo head down they said yesterday. We also had a growth scan yesterday. Just hope this isn’t going on for weeks :( I’m so on edge as I don’t want to go through that pain when it’s not even labour x

@RT1620 mine was head down too, but I think she was back to back and she turned to face the right way!
I recommend hot water bottles for the pain.

@Macadamian this is really helpful information thank you!

all doctors, midwives and even my 32 week scan a couple weeks ago said my baby is head down. One doctor in the hospital just now said she’s not head down. I could have cried. I thought I was getting close. Clearly not.

there are people here being taken to labour rooms to have their babies and I have to go through another what, 6 or so weeks of this crazy pain and suffering. It’s really affecting my mental health and I’m not sure how much longer I can take it. When im not fighting through the pain to stay as ‘normal’ as possible and still take my little boy out to his playgroups I’m sat in tears because of all this.

Oh yes that did help me yesterday and the hosp provided codiene now too x

I’m with u on this one 😩 even now I’m on edge wondering if I’m Gona be up all night with contractions / period pains. The hosp prescribed me codiene. Maybe see if u can get some too x

It's possible the pains are caused by the baby turning. I really thought that I had gone into labour at 33 weeks when I suffered massive pains in a shopping centre - I was panicking because I had been assessed as transverse but she had turned upside down.