contractions...

alright i have a question about them...and i run the risk of sounding rather disjointed- so forgive me.

now i *think* i am having them BUT... i havent had a 'bloody show' well not since tuesday when they did a S&S. (but that was tuesday night and it was more a browny blood...) but thease seemt to have a peak then ebb. and trying to type this i keep getting up and having to 'sway' i guess through it. i guess i my question :redface: as silly as it sounds could it be labour? the what i think are contractions are about 10-15 mins apart (maybe less..)

my other question...how do you TIME them? is it from peek to peek? or from when one finishes to when one starts? because honestly - i have NO clue...and i dont want to be getting all "They're really close" only to have the hossy say "erm...no they're not!"

the other thing is for it to be a contraction do you have to be able to feel the uterus contract. as in by putting your hands on it? becuase i cant feel it (mind you im more...cuddly..) and can contractions only be accross the pelvic bone? like...period pain? (i did have some in my lower back thismoring when i woke up...)

im sorry if its a little dis-jointed and all over the shop...

hi there!
Good luck!

Timing
Time from when you first feel it to when you cant feel it anymore (this is the length of the contaction).
Then from when the last one STARTED to when the next one starts is the time between contractions.

Do a google search for contraction timer. there is an online program that does it all for you - all you do is hit the spacebar when it starts and finishes and it records all the info that the hospital will ask you... easy!

Bloody show - doesnt neccessarily happen. The bleeding from the S+S could be exactly that a little blood
With DD i had my show for 2 weeks a little at a time
With DS no show at all.

I felt my whole tummy tighten so it was rock hard for each contraction :)

What PP said about the timing, and also it's possible that you could just have a bit of an irritated cervix from your S&S too, so it may not be the real thing. YOu will feel genuine contractions right down low across your pelvic area (as that's where all the action is, the contractions firstly thin and efface your cervix and then dilates it), but the rest of your uterus will go hard with each one

But I really hope that it is the Real Deal for you and you're holding your wee babe soon.

ETA - I just realised what day it was LOL! So yes, you may indeed be in early labour now (I forgot how many days it's been since tuesday ROFL). Have you read the article on the main BB site about early labour and tips for coping at home? Good luck!

OMG! Exciting!
Good luck Hunni!

Definitely could be the start of labour! My early labour felt like a balloon was blowing up in my stomach and then deflating. When I was having stronger contractions, my tummy would go hard and then relax at the end.

Good luck!

Hi Baby_blip
You time your contractions from the start of one to the start of the next one. This will tell you how far apart they are. You can also see how long they last by checking the time that the contraction starts and finishes.
At first you do not always feel your contraction when you put your hand on your tummy but you will later
It is very common to feel the pain across the pelvic bone and nowhere else in early labour.

Ooohhh.... very exciting. Just wanted to say good luck!! Hope you're holding your baby soon!

It does sound like you could be in labour. How exciting!!!!
With my contractions, I had them go up my legs and hit me around my pelvis area, then ease again. Oh, and the back pain, ouch! But both my girls were posterior :rolleyes:

Good luck hun!

Sounds like the real deal to me.

Sometimes you won't see any bloody show until the cervix really gets dilating well into labour. So don't use that as a guide ;)

Good luck and I hope you're holding your bub soon!

thanks guys for all the help! (esp the contraction master link!)
now i have another question - my contractions have slowed (as in there now around 15mins apart - 1min longish) i've also had a bloody show, would it be worth while calling the hossy and seeing if i can be checked out or just leave it untill the contractions get back to 5-7mins apart 1min long?

Ohh and another question i tried laying on my left side and within seconds i was having a contraction...whats up with that? (it happened 3 or 4 times...) is that even 'normal'??

If I was you I'd be doing lots of walking to get labour more established. Hopefully it works.
No idea about the lying on the left side.
You could be checked if you want, but you'd oly be sent home. You'll be ok till they get closer or you waters break.
Hang for as long as you can.
Your doing great hunni!!

Hi Baby_blip
If you are comfortable at home then I would suggest you stay there until the contractions get closer together.
You should give the hospital a ring if your waters break, your contractions are 5 mins apart, the pain becomes too much or if anything does not seem quite right to you.
Changing position can alter the contractions. Some people suggest that laying on your left side can increase the oxygen supply to your uterus and this would explain the contraction when you lay in that position.

I second staying at home for as long as you are comfortable. Also, I wouldn't walk around too much yet - you'll need all the strength you can get for labour. Once you are at hospital and definately in labour - I would walk around then. I was in 'pre-labour' for 4 days and was doing as much walking as possible and just got soooo tired in the end.

OOoooohhhh this is EXCITING!!!

I hope you have someone to post your birth announcement!!!!!! This is really really exciting!!

Good luck1!!!

:dance: How exciting Blip!!! :dance: Sounds like things are definitely getting under way! Hopefully I won't see you online tomorrow morning!!! :D

My contractions were across the pubic bone (not the whole abdo) right up til 6cms dilated. The middys kept telling me I was only in pre labour because of this but when I eventually talked them into letting me come in for a check they were quite shocked to find how far along I actually was.

Aim for 5 min apart contractions but if you have pain you can't control at home then call the middys and have a chat.

I found when I tried to lie down during labour whilst at home I would get hit with a contraction soon after doing so & then I'd get the shakes with each one so found it impossible to go and have a sleep like the middys were instructing me to.

Best of luck with it all. It's very exciting.

Yep I agree with all of the above!!

Like you I had no idea I was in labour..I thought I might be but I sort of ignored it a bit!!!

Lucky I did because I had a bloddy show about 10 hours after contractions started (7.30am that morning and didn't ring the hospital till 8pm that night) and started throwing up...rang the hospital and they said come in.......when I did DS was born 4.5 hours later!!

So I did all the pre-labour at home and didn't even realise!!!!

Made the rest seem easy!!

Good luck and enjoy the process!!!!!!!!

I agree with Alan, don't go in while they're 15 mins apart.

You might well find that you wake up during the night or early in the morning with it all back on again - our bodies are more sensitive to labour hormones at night and when labour is niggly during the day, often it will pick up that night. Just get some rest while you can. Bloody show is a good sign, means all those contractions are dilating your cervix. I don't think you'll have to wait long. Go to bed ;)

If you call the hospital, they will most likely tell you to take a panadol and go to bed (very helpful I know, but that is the first advice they give at the Townsville Hospital anyway). You can also use a hotwater bottle if you need some help to ease the pain and let you sleep.

Walking is probably the most effective thing that you can do if you want to help labour along as it will help the baby's head press down on your cervix which will aid it in opening (stairs are especially good for this). Don't wear yourself out though. You should try to sleep if you possibly can (easier said than done).

It is usually better to try and hold off going to the hospital as long as possible. If you are still in pre-labour and they admit you, if you don't have the baby in the next few hours, they tend to offer more intevention rather than letting nature take its course. I went to hospital with DD because I ran out of hot water at home and the pain was too much to manage without it :)

So exciting . . . good luck with everything and I hope you are holding your baby in your arms by morning :)

hi everyone!
just wanted to update u all and let u know that dan msged me at 710 this morning to let me know she was in the hospital and turning her phone off.
I hope she's in there to have that bubba and not just for a check up!!
anyway thought i'd let u know, will give u updates as i get them :)
Skye
xx

Thanks for the update Skybie! I was hoping this was the case!!! :D

:cheer: :cheer:

Thanks for the update. I hope everything goes well for her. Can't wait to see the birth announcement.