False / pre / prodromal labour .... BH ... what is this!?

[GJ91]

Sorry to rant but this is starting to drive me fairly mad!
I have been aware of braxton hicks contractions from 20 something weeks pregnant, they were never painfull but as i got bigger sometimes would almost take my breath away, odd sensation.
However, for the last 2 weeks I have experienced varying degrees of contractions. I have been told by my midwife that when contractions are lasting a minute or more and I am unable to talk through them, to make a move to the hospital. I am very paranoid about turning up early and being told this is "false" and getting sent home, so I have not even bothered to call for any advice yet.
These contractions i get feel like severe period pain which radiates around to my back, I feel my bump go completely rock solid. They increase in intensity , peak and then disapear. They do make me flinch and wake me up if i am asleep.
I know this is not the real thing
However I find it frustrating to get called false!? There is nothing false about this it is causing me real pain. The contractions lasted from half 8 last night until about half 5 this morning, that is probably the longest so far. The minimum they last is 3 hours. The timings last night were about 8 minutes apart and they got a bit more itnense but then as per usual (after a night of 0 sleep) they fizzled out.
Is this my body just having a giggle at my expense!? As it hoenstly feels like it is starting to take the piss out of me!
Sorry to rant and moan on ....

39+2

I am having v strong BH as well (today 38+6) also following regular patterns - although I don't think as bad as you describe as I am haven't had a problem sleeping yet - because they tend to stop when I rest, and start again when I move around.

I keep on saying to DH how will I know when its real - it was the same in my previous pregnancy and I only knew it was real when I wasn't able to talk through them, they continued even though I was lying on the bed and because I had a show.

The only consolation for me was that DS's birth was great so perhaps a lot of of the work was done in advance during the pre/false labour.

My SIL had a prodromal labour, and it sounds very similar to your symptoms. She was turned away from the MLU, but after four days of it decided to go to the labour ward and they said she was 4cm dilated! After 108 hours of these contractions LO finally appeared. Neither of us had heard of prodromal labour so we had no idea what was wrong.

Have you had a show yet? Or any other labour 'symptoms'?

I had this a few weeks ago with ds2. I had a sweep which triggered a show and contractions exactly like you describe. This lasted 5 days and twice I had my bag by the door ready to go to hospital, only for it all to stop. It was so frustrating and exhausting. On a positive note when it started for real it was very very quick. Two hours after contractions started (yet again) he was out with only 2 minutes pushing. I read lots on here about how a long pre labour can lead to a fast delivery but never thought I would be so lucky. Turns out it was all worth it in the end. Really hope the same happens for you.

I haven't had a bloody show but alot more discharge (sorry tmi) which definitely looks mucousy yuck. So i don't know if this has been mucous plug coming away or not.
I've had the nesting instinct for weeks now so I've been up leaning odd things at odd times for a while now so I don't know about that one.
Also had a mildly upset stomach for about a week now, but again I can't tell with this one as I am on iron pills which seem to bug me some days but not so much others.
Head is fully engaged too, unsure how much different that makes but ives me hope that something is putting pressure on my cervix!
What a confusion

chinook That has given me some faith, thankyou

Any other advice from anyone or this all dried up ?

hi I am experiencing the same thing. Im 36+3 have had bh since 26 weeks. And period type pain throughout this pregnancy.

However sometimes the pains become so bad I am on all fours, Monday night they were coming every 10 mins and kept me awake from 2 - 5 am. I eventually went back to sleep and just felt achy on waking.
Not bothered with mw shes a waste of space. Not allowed her number anyway and if I went hospital with no other symptoms such as a show they would send me away.
I have alot of mucusy discharge too.

Cant help you other than sympathise.

OP - I have just had 3 hours worth of CX every 8 mins. Now stoppped, am trying just to get on with things as much as I can.

GJ91 - no advice, I'm sorry just sympathies and cyber hugs.... Isn't it, as my two year old says 'fwustwating' (or other, impolite words that he doesn't yet know how to use...) when it seems to start up and then fizzles out??? I sincerely hope this means, as some of the other posters have said, a fast actual labour for you!

MumNWLondon had similar 'ooh, is this it?' c-x at the weekend, all to come to naught... On the plus side, really hoping DD hangs on in there till Tuesday and my mum!! Where are your parents flying in from?

Hi all - well BH started again on friday pm.... and continued.... by sat morning at am called hospital and by 3am had a show - although cx not regular and varying in length and strength - some 15 secs some 45 secs, some strong some weak, some 12 min gaps, some 5 min gaps etc went to hospial at 4am (had to call nanny as both our parents overseas).

to cut it short they never formed a set pattern and then at 6.30am waters broke and he was born shortly after. with no pushing!... no time to fill pool coz midwife was waiting for them to follow some sort of pattern and they never did.

anyway we are home, all fine - he was 7lbs 4oz! no stitches...

and parents stuck in israel, PIL stuck (at end of holiday) in new york...

MumNWLondon well done you!! Sounds like an absolutely fabulous birth, and great that you have no stitches... lucky, lucky, lucky, or maybe you have a wonderful perineum?

Sorry, though, that your parents and IL are stuck... mine are, too, though hopefully sorting it out to be here tomorrow... might not make it to tomorrow, though, as having intermittent c-x all day now!

Hope your parents or IL make it SOON to help you with new baby and your other DC.

thanks.

TBH even when we got to hospital at 4am I wasn't sure if it was real or not!