Pre-labour? How long can it last for?

Hi, i'm just interested to find out more about pre-labour and what exactly it means...
I feel like i've been in pre-labour for the last 2-3 weeks but i don't know if thats possible is it? I've been getting BH contractions that are 10mins apart and last all day for up to 3days at a time (they slow down at night). Some days they are just random then some days they are very regular but don't get clsoer together. The last few weeks i randomly wake up to painful contractions during the night but they just fizzle out after 1hour or so. Sometimes during the day lately i've also had mild back pain and mild AF pain. And its probably TMI but i've been having loose poos 2-3 times a day for about 2 weeks now.
Bub is fully engaged and my Dr tells me that he can't get any lower before labour starts.
I don't want to ruch things but i'm getting a bit antsy because i just want to meet my baby! I'm nervous to because technically i could go to 42 weeks and the thought of being in 'pre-labour' for another 2-3 weeks seems impossibe!
Has anyone else experienced pre-labour symptoms? How long did they last before real labour began?
Thanks :D

Not usually longer than 9 months hun! :ROFL: Sorry, I shouldn't be flippant, I know how hard those last weeks are. But really, there is no way to know. I had no pre-labour at all with DS1, with DS2 I had weeks of it (but it did start a lot earlier than yours).

I really hope it happens soon for you hun. The best things to do are to stay active and relaxed (ie try and forget that you have a baby due any day, as hard as that is!).

Heres some hugs... :hug: :hug: :hug:

I so hear you, mine went from about 36 weeks (exactly how you described) and I went into labour midnight at 40w.

I know how you feel... but it WILL end eventually, my advice is to relax. Rent lots of comedys and laugh, and like MR said, try to forget you've got a baby in there. Enjoy your last week/s of being pregnant!

Sorry but I had pre labour for ages too. It's very exciting that you'll be meeting your little one soon! My advice is to get as much sleep and rest as you can, you're really going to need your strength soon and you don't want to go into labour already exhausted (like me!). Good luck and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy! :D

Hey,
This might come across strange, but I loved pre labour. I had weeks of it (3-4 from memory but not serious until the last 2), with both my pregnancies, and my first labour was 5 hours and my second only 3. So fingers crossed it does the same for you.

OMG i didn't know it could last that long. I only had prelabour for 1 day before going into established labour and i had enough of that.....i so feel for you ATM.

Is it true what they say....if you have a long pre labour it makes the actually real thing go quicker as your body has already done alot of the work??

I think it can happen that way Dannii but not necessarily. I had short labours both times - once with pre-labour, once without.

Oh well not long for me to go now and hoping i don't have a long pre labour, that wouldn't be too good as i don't finish work until 36wks and i would like to relax for at least a couple of those.

My pre labour was about 18 hours and then labour was only 4 hours long!! It is possibly braxton hicks you are experiencing as they can go on for months! Take the above advice and just relax and go on with day to day things!
Your body will let you know when it is REALLY time to give birth!!

Thanks for your replies everyone. I'm hoping that all this pre-labour will mean a nice short labour:crossfingers:. I keep telling myself its a good thing and all these aches and pains means my body will be nice and ready when labour actually begins but gee do these last few weeks drag on! *sigh* oh well its all worth it i guess.
I think i might have had a bit of a show earlier today (not 100% sure as i didn't have one with DS1) its was sort of like thick clear stringy stuff (a bit like before you ovulate but a lot thicker) sorry for TMI. Maybe that means something will happen soon....or maybe not! lol
Come on baby i want to meet you!

Great attitude to have. Just trust your body, and sound like some of your MP to me. Rest up.

I had a a few weeks of prelabour and quite a long labour so make sure you rest up just in case the prelabour doesn't speed things along like you hope :hug: