Pre labour started for me around 40+3 and lasted 5 days...... pretty much every 20 mins I would have mild pains that ramped up nearly every night in intensity but not occurence. For a few nights from around 1am - 7am I would have to stand and rock through each one, then it would soften during the day. By day 5 I was exhausted. I didn't really notice at the time when it changed to full on labour until I found out I was 8cm, then I realised it had been getting more painful!