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Is early labour? I've been having BH all day that have just become a little more regular than I've experienced. There's no pain to speak of, just an awareness of tightening from the sides to the front. I'm not trying to talk myself into a 'this is it' kind of thing, as I'm not due for another couple of weeks, but just wondering your experiences?
For me, and all of my friends, early labour is exactly the same as period pain.
So not very painful at all. I sat around for 5 hrs, going "is this it?"
But then the pains got regular, like every 7 mins to the dot.
That was the real thing.
Good luck xx
thanks for replying!! Unofrtunately (well, fortunately really!!!) I've never had period pain! How frustrating. But good to know you had a definite recognition point!
When mine got 'real' they were definitely different to regular BH. And not that painful, just noticeable. And never closer than 10 minutes apart with the last baby!
My PRE Labour was just BHs that became stronger during the day. I'd also had some period-pain-like cramping the week before and some back pain,
My EARLY Labour was painful. The BHs went from being uncomfortable to painful and they became more regular. I dilated to 3cm in 15 hours of early labour, which I considered to be the painful contractions, not just the tightenings. The hospital considers early labour to be 0-4cm dilation, and established labour to be 4-10cm.
I think it's different for everyone, and obviously different depending on whether it's your first or subsequent baby.
It is so very different for everyone, therefore hard to know what to anticipate, for want of a better word. For me, well I still thought I was in early labour, but it turns out I was 8cm, and mine started as strong period pains and just got stronger, but never really closer that 10 mins apart. A few double peakers though towards the end. The BH I had throughout my pregnancy felt completely different than the period like labour pains.
I don't get period pain at all. With my labours, when the contractions first hit, they knock me for 6. There is a definite difference between pre labour and actual labour.
Absolutely agree.:
A MW told me that when there's no pain, it is most likely just BH. Real contractions are painful. In most cases!
#1 started with a 'stitch' every 15mins or so. That was about 12hrs before I actually thought it could be labour when they had a definate 'period' type pain.
#3 was just like BH until about an 1 1/2 hours before he was born. It went on all day. My besty and I argued all day whether it was or not because I could talk through them. Turns out I was in labour lol
I was in pre labour for 3 weeks leading up. The day before i had BH all day but they werent painful just tightenings but I was lucky in that my waters broke so i knew i was in labour. Then the contractions first felt like BH then period pains and then i started feeling them in my back and then OH MY GOD!!!! Which went on for about 18 hours..
i had a really really bad back ache for like 2 days and was so uncomfy i couldnt sit or lay and when standing i had to sway constantly. then the pain in my back started coming and going 8 min apart and slowly went around to my tummy a bit but most of my pain was in my back and sides.