please tell me this is practice

[pandagirl03]

I am 36 weeks on wednesday. Last night i had really bad stomach pain, it was like the pain you have when you have the runs. Nothing else. Then today i have had period type pains all day and about lunch time had what i can describe as a shooting pain in my private parts. I have still got the period type pain tonight but also have back ache and feel a bit sick.

This is my 2nd baby, but my dd was breach and i had a section so have never had any labour.

Please tell me this is practice for the real thing.

That sounds like a contraction. Sorry. Are you keeping track on them? How often are you getting them?

there not regular just on and off, haven't been timing. They are not really painfull, more of a annoying pain if anything.

A braxton hicks isn't painful (well, shouldn't be). A contraction is a strong, painful braxton hicks but it's also your baby's head being pushed into your cervix so the pain will be in this area as the cervix is trying to contract. They need to be strong enough to open the cervix so if they are not regular then not much will happen. Sometimes a bath can help things moving or help things to slow down. I'd try a soak in the tub and see what happens.

I had a nice bath earlier, it all stopped, my back is really aching at the bottom now. oh the joys of pregnancy

Sounds like how my labour began with ds2. Was very off and on for 3 days until i eventually thought i'd better get checked out as was booked in for an elective c-section.

When the midwifes examined me things really kicked off and they simply brought c-section forward and he was born at 37 weeks.

Are you planning a vbac this time or c-section?

Hi tracey i'm planning a vbac this time aslong as all goes well. Fingers crossed that it does. I have midwife tom morning anyway so will get her to check me over.

I never even had braxton hicks with dd so i am totally clueless with all this.

I have been having really strong braxton hicks for the last few weeks but they are never painful at all.

What you described sounds like how I felt in the very early stages of labour with my first 2 DC.

Looks like you'll be meeting your baby soon

Oh my step mum just said the same too. Isn't it a bit too early for baby to come??

DS1 - waters broke at 36 1/2 weeks - he was born 10 days later

DS2 - waters broke at 36 weeks - he was born just under 3 hours later!

So not too soon ...

Its early but not too early really. My friend gave birth to a 7lb baby a few weeks ago at 36 weeks.

Even if your baby arrives tomorrow everything will be fine xx

OMG - I'm a bit scared now! I had really bad stomach pains last night which felt like indigestion, and I've had stomach pains and felt sick on and off all day. I'm 35 weeks, and had an induction with ds1 so never experienced natural labour - arrgh! I can't go into labour now, I have a driving test next week lol!

thank you all for help, maybe this is it then or just a practice run.

Hi Panda - I'm 36 weeks this week too. This is also my 2nd and I've been having stomach cramps and sharp stabbing feelings in my pelvis.

If you look on the due in June thread several of us who are on second or subsequent pregnancies are experiencing the same and didn't have it last time.

Looked it up in a book earlier and it suggested that this was common in second pregnancies as part of pre labour. I'm seeing my mw tomorrow as well so will mention it then to see what she thinks.

Good luck x

Hi Panda - I'm 39 weeks now, and I've been having this on and off for the last 2 weeks! Sooo frustrating, I just think 'yes, this is it' (or, 'nooo, this is it' ), then it all dies away again. This is my second as well, was induced last time so don't know what the 'warm up' is like - but just to reassure you (or depress you?) that this can go on for bloomin ages. I'm trying to be positive and see it all as making the eventual real labour quicker and/or easier . Hopefully you won't have too long to wait though

Thanks all for the advice.

I have seen my midwife this morning and she has said baby is 4/5 engaged, not too sure what that means really. She was asking me about what has been happening i told her she said oh. Then was telling me when i should go into hospital. She then said to me if you have not had baby by then i will see you in 2 weeks.

Hi Panda - that's the problem I think, you can have lots of signs, but no-one knows whether that means you have days or weeks to go... Best to make sure you are relatively prepared (nighty packed etc), and then try not to think about it too much (ha ha ha, it only crosses my mind every 5 minutes or so )

my advice is rest, rest rest and more rest. You could have a long road ahead of you and with these signs sleep can get more and more difficult. I wish I'd rested when I'd had these signs....I needed it for a 72 hour labour resulting in section. Sleep baby sleep.And good luck!