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Pre-Labour signs

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  • 06-04-2011 8:32pm
    #1
    miss_shadow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,446 ✭✭✭


    Hi, just wondering if anyone here has ever had pre-labour pains, they do say nesting or baby dropping but is there any signs with your body or mood? or does the baby kick less or more, or in a different area?

    I was induced first time around and likely to be induced again :( (39 weeks tommorrow and nothing happening) hospital appointment tuesday to book me in for induction.


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    #2
    Squiggler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Squiggler


    I've been experiencing some prelabour pains over the past few weeks. They feel similar to severe period pain. They last 30-40 seconds or so and then ease off, and they can come in waves. Basically they're painful Braxton Hicks.

    Other pre-labour signs to watch out for are losing the mucus plug, the bloody show (pink mucus, or mucus streaked with blood). According to the book I have the baby may not drop on a second or later baby until labour is very close.

    I'm 41+5 days at the moment, and we're planning a home birth. Hoping that things intensify in the next 24 hours or I'll have to consent to transfer to hospital care and I know will be under pressure to consent to induction and other interventions.

    Seems strange that the hospital is talking about interventions if you haven't even reached 'normal' full term of 40-42 weeks.

    Anyway, best of luck... hope things happen for you soon.


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    #3
    Ayla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,508 ✭✭✭Ayla


    OP - truthfully I don't really remember any significant differences in me or baby in the last couple weeks (other than a serious impatience/anticipation of what was to come :D). My sister, though, had braxton hicks (minor contractions) for a couple weeks, and I've heard that can be common enough as the body prepares for the upcoming labour.

    I've got to agree with Squiggler as well re: scheduling an induction before you're even full term. Unless there's a medical reason for this (ie: if you have a medical condition or the baby is showing signs of distress) I would encourage you to ask your consultant/GP to explain why you'd be induced so early.

    And Squiggler - best of luck to you. I wanted homebirths with my two, but the closest independent midwife was a couple hours away so it wasn't practical for us. Turned out our second daughter was almost born in the driveway anyway, but that's another story :D

    Good luck ladies.


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    #4
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    I had regular braxton hicks for over a week but in the last two or threedays they were every ten minutes or less.

    I had the most awful heartburn of the entire pregnancy for the whole day on which my waters broke. The midwife told me that was probably because I was having very mild contractions throughout the day.

    My bump didn't drop until the last couple of days. I didn't get any last minute nesting urge much to my husbands disappointment who was hoping to come to a pristine apartment one evening.


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    #5
    mrsberries
    Registered Users Posts: 543 ✭✭✭mrsberries


    Im now 42 weeks today and have been cramping on and off for the last 4 weeks! Nothing worth reporting though :( The bump has only really dropped in the last week. Have tried everything but this babys not for budging I reckon!

    But everyones different. A second baby is very often different to your first, things seem to happen much quicker so dont fret at this stage!

    Good luck!


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    #6
    Squiggler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Squiggler


    How is everything going ladies? You still hanging in there mrsberries?

    Had to make an appearance in the NMH this morning (42+1 by estimate based on 28 day cycle), my midwife had requested that they would assess with a view to allowing us to continue with the homebirth scenario under monitoring. Original noises coming from them were that they would be taking over my care from today and scheduling an immediate Induction.

    But... all test results were excellent and when I pointed out that my cycle is 33-34 days, not 28 they not only agreed to amend my date and allow me to continue waiting for labour to commence naturally for 4 more days, but they also released me back into the care of my homebirth midwife. So now we have until Tuesday morning :)

    Really hoping I start feeling some of those awful labour pains soon.


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    #7
    miss_shadow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,446 ✭✭✭miss_shadow


    Gosh, really hope you get the birth you want squiggler. They really want to get you induced! so 4 more days for you, that's so close.

    Keep thinking about induction and what they did 100s of years back when they didn't have induction, the babies have to come out at some point or are our bodies so bad at being pregnant :D:D

    No inkling for me yet, she is in the position but nothings shaking. Hospital appointment Tuesday so I guess they will give me a date for induction then.


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    #8
    Squiggler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Squiggler


    Thanks miss_shadow. Still seems really early for them to be talking about inducing you... hope that things work out for you soon. Fingers crossed for you.

    Yeah, it seems strange that medical science is based on an apparent disregard for the body's ability to do anything for itself :D


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    #9
    Ayla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,508 ✭✭✭Ayla


    Squiggler - wow, that's great that your medical team is so flexible & I really hope you get the birthing experience you're going for! Sure wish more GP/consultants would be willing to let nature do her thing :)


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    #10
    Squiggler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 945 ✭✭✭Squiggler


    Ayla, I really was amazed. I've been lucky and I know it. But 'Bun' was the star of the show. He or she had a great time showing off! I'm going to be mainlining raspberry leaf tea and spicy foods for the next few days :D


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    #11
    deisemum
    Registered Users Posts: 5,581 ✭✭✭deisemum


    Squiggler what did you have? Did you have the homebirth?

    I went early on both of mine. One the first lad my waters broke in the middle of Mothercare 16 days before he was due but 5 days before that I got the nesting instinct and cleaned out the fridge and other such jobs and didn't realise that's what it was.

    Second time round I had my son a month early, my waters just went as I was getting up out of bed and my first thought was to get off the bed asap and it was a new bed and I didn't want to ruin it plus as my husband had left earlier that morning to work for a week the other side of the country I had to try and get hold of him to return home. 24 hours later I had to be put on the drip as the stubborn boy wasn't budging and to reduce the risk of infection.


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    #12
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    Every one on my family went way over. I was 31 weeks and speaking to someone in work when her friend said, your carrying very low you'll go early.

    By the end of week 36 my maternity clothes for work wouldn't fit as the head was so low the pants wouldn't come up!

    I had Branston hicks from 20 weeks, pretty bad.

    My waters broke in my his car (!) at 37w 4d and I had her the following day. I felt really odd the day I went into labour but more like hungover than anything.

    It was the only day I can remember not having Branston Hicks!

    When I went to the hospital after my waters broke they asked did I have any pain, I had nothing at 12am and I had the 1st at 12:35.... no warning.


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