Period pain/ligament pain/baby engaging? How is it that I have no idea? LOL

[Janie]

Well yeah, second time around you'd think I'd have a clue, but I don't

I have been having period type pain since yesterday, it has really hotted up this morning. No tightening whatsoever with it, just period pain down low, that comes and goes. I do think I've been having ligament-stretching pain over the last little bit, and it definitely feels different to that. A couple of weeks ago I was actually having very mild contractions (tightening, with discomfort) and BHs. Those seem to have died down (thank goodness!), but I'm not sure what's going on now.

What is this period pain? Another type of stretching? Baby engaging (although DS engaged by 32 weeks, and I don't remember feeling anything like this!)? Pre-labour? I don't think I really had pre-labour with DS, once my waters broke I had about 2 of these types of period pains in an hour, and then BANG full-on contractions every four minutes. So I have no idea what to look/feel for really, in labour starting, as PROM gave it away last time LOL. I am at slightly higher risk of preterm labour, but I know that pre-labour can go on for weeks.......if indeed that's what it is!

Any ideas would be welcomed! TIA

[Miss.B]

Hi Hun,

If you are unsure, call the hossy. I've been worried about going into labour before my scheduled c/s on 16/3. I was in labour in 2008, and for me it started with a very very sore back and then the cramping started. So I've also associated AF like pains as pre labour/labour pains. I get heaps of BH and have had them since week 24, and I also get the ligament pain every 2 weeks or so, so if I was having AF like pains I'd just ring the hossy and talk to a midwife.
Sorry if I rambled on, hope I made some sense!

GL hun.

Beata.

[Janie]

Thanks Beata . I have thought about calling my Ob, but I think I'm hoping that it will just go away . We have too many things that need to be achieved today .........if they don't get done today, they probably won't get done at all! I can feel bub moving away in there, even more than normal, which is reassuring. I might go and have a shower and see how I feel after that.

[Miss.B]

Good plan Janie. As long as bub is moving heaps that's good. I hope the pains go away and you're feeling better soon! But please call your OB/midwife if you're not feeling better by tonight or if it's getting worse.

[nicjay]

Janie, I had lots of period type pains for quite a few weeks before I finally went into labour with DD2. I honestly didn't really know if it was prelabour but I suppose in hindsight it must have been. But when contractions started there was no doubt in my mind about the difference LOL

It could well be nothing to worry about, but like Beata says I'd ring your ob or the hospy if you are worried At least bub is moving for you heaps that's always reassuring

[Janie]

Thanks guys. I feel a bit better after the shower, it seems to have settled. Still a bit achy and a bit of lower back pain, but not the real cramps I was getting before. Hopefully it will stay that way! Our Calmbirth instructor told us the other night that if you can ignore it, and it goes away it's not labour . Obviously our situation might be different, if I really think I'm in labour, I can't afford to ignore it! But if it's just prelabour then I don't want to get carried away

Yep, if it comes back and gets worse, or hangs around I will call my Ob

[stacey83]

im ready to pop any day now... and ive been getting these bad period like cramps for the past 4 weeks.

Just even more frequent now, im getting really over it and just want my labour to start and hurry up and have my baby, im sick of preparing myself for it, and feeling like the pains are getting worse and i think im in labour, but then they ease off again!!!

So this is my second pregnancy too, and my first i went into premature labour at 34 weeeks i had my son so i dont know wether its just a normal thing. One of my friends that just had her second baby thought she was going into labour so many times before she actually did, so its the same i guess.

Its crap cos im sick of the pain of them and im getting lots of aching in my pelvis as his head is engaged, and i get the sharpest pains!!!


So i think your in the same boat as me, you may have a few more weeks to put up with it hun! Just take care of yourself and try not to over do things!

[*Beema*]

Glad to ehar it is calming down hun, if ou get a chance rest up, put your legs etc up high to take the pressure off your cervix as well, every bit counts, and every day counts as you know

How have your CTG's been? have you had another U/S? It is fabulous to see you are still baking away
xxoo

[Inanna]

Janie it really is quite normal in a pregnancy that goes to term to have these feelings & sensations in the third trimester (sometimes earlier)...

It's good advice that if you can work through it and it goes then it's probably just that. Your situation is more tenuous & I know you will listen to your intuition. But I wanted to also assure you that what you describe is very normal & common...

[SammyRo]

Well yeah, second time around you'd think I'd have a clue, but I don't

So I have no idea what to look/feel for really, in labour starting, as PROM gave it away last time LOL.

I've been feeling pretty clueless about what to expect too, and I can't remember really what my first few contractions felt like with DD! I also has PROM with DD, which as you say, gave it away that things were going to happen!! The other thing was DD was posterior, and so the mw and things I keep reading mention posteriors being a back labour. I can't remember where I felt the contractions, and it being my first didn't realise that they weren't normal. I'm sure that once things really happen, it will be obvious

that its not real labour just yet!

[Janie]

Thanks everyone . The feeling kind of returned this afternoon, but it hasn't progressed into anything more, so it's probably just normal 3rd tri stuff. Thanks for your reassurance Deb

[Janie]

The same thing has been happening on and off all through last night and this morning, so I'm assuming that it's just normal 3rd tri stuff . For a few hours I'll get cramping, sometimes with back ache, sometimes not, every 5-10 minutes, and then it stops for a few hours. I have been having alot more BHs today, so I will watch things, but it's probably just what happens to lots of women . The unknown is very hard in this situation, but I'm trying to relax

[*Beema*]

You are doing great Janie, are you going in for daily CTG's at the moment?

[Janie]

Hey Beema Because the u/s last week showed consistent growth rate, we are able to go in for CTGs every three days now, instead of every two . Thank goodness, I find it really exhausting some days. The last one was really good, and I've been feeling lots of movement over the last few days. We'll be there tomorrow, so I can always ask the midwife if I'm feeling worried about these cramps.

[*Beema*]

That's great news Janie, that must be a real relief not having to go in daily

Follow you intuition and if you are feeling things have changed get checked out, or wait until tomorrow, I don't know much about pre-labour either, it just happened and she was out with little warning

[Amity]

Hope little one stays in for a few more weeks and you get more "consistent growth"!

All the best Janie!

[Janie]

Thanks Div! Yes, consistent growth is GOOD! Although we had to explain to the ILs that the problem hasn't gone away as they thought, just that consistent growth means bubba gets to hang out in utero longer Gunning for 34 weeks now

[Janie]

Was woken by cramps just after 11.30pm last night . With some lower backache too. I tried to stay in bed and ignore it, but I was obsessing over all the things that needed to be done. So I got up and did some nesting LOL, and was eventually marched back to bed at about 1am by DH (I hadn't told him what woke me, wanted him to sleep). It had all died down again by then, thank goodness. Just feeling very achy in my pelvis this morning, which I'm sure is totally normal third tri stuff. Had to call my Ob this morning anyway, and mentioned to his receptionist that I would talk to him on Wed about this prelabour stuff. She freaked and said I could go in today, but I declined.......I'm on my own and want to sit on the couch all day! I assured her that I know I'm not in labour , but she said she would get him to call me later on.

So I'm thinking that I'm starting to get to know about prelabour LOL!!! Thanks for all your advice ladies