@dsmith211 that's literally my nightmare. But I don't think I have ox-like pain tolerance. Also I've heard many stories of the hospital sending you home if you're not far enough along so my inclination is to just wait until I'm in excruciating pain hahah
I seriously think I'm going to be one of those weirdos who goes to the hospital way too late because between ALL the aches, pains, BH, and discharge I don't know if I'll actually think I'm in labor when the time comes. I was in intense pain in my back and was having occasional (what I thought) were BH or maybe real contractions last night but chalked it up to overexerting myself with chores and prepping baby's room all day. Obviously turned out to be fine but DH asked me if I thought we should go to the hospital when he saw me hobbling from bed to the bathroom in obvious pain.
Yup . I feel like I have been in the most intense pain of my life this weekend . I too hobble around --- I think we are all pretty over hurting all the time now . It makes me a miserable person who then needs ice cream lol
@kbrands7 I haven't notice her copy the huff and puff but I like to hold my belly to feel the baby move so she does that too. She also has to have lotion on her belly like I do.
I seriously think I'm going to be one of those weirdos who goes to the hospital way too late because between ALL the aches, pains, BH, and discharge I don't know if I'll actually think I'm in labor when the time comes. I was in intense pain in my back and was having occasional (what I thought) were BH or maybe real contractions last night but chalked it up to overexerting myself with chores and prepping baby's room all day. Obviously turned out to be fine but DH asked me if I thought we should go to the hospital when he saw me hobbling from bed to the bathroom in obvious pain.
This. Apparently when I was at the hospital having my BP monitored I was having pretty decent contractions. Nothing regular, so ruled as false labor, but I couldn't feel them. Many people asked if I could and I never did. When I told my doula the pressure reading from them she asked if I was sure I couldn't feel them. Apparently in several people's words... I have the pain tolerance of an ox. I'm hoping this will help me in labor but of course now I'm worried I won't notice till it's too late. And of course it doesn't help that the birth center is 45 mins from home...
This is what I was told when laboring with DS. The truth is though, it WILL feel different, and as labor progresses you WILL feel pain and know that it's the real thing. You just likely will be able to grit your teeth through it rather than scream. There is a legitimate difference between the contractions you feel now and actual labor, including your back hurting, the feeling like you have to poop, and your breathing being effected. As cliche as it sounds, you'll know, even if it takes an hour of tracking and timing slowly progressing contractions.
I hope I go to the hospital late. I like our hospital just fine, but I don't want to stick around there any longer than I have to. They make you stay two days for observation even with an uncomplicated vaginal birth and I am dreading that prospect.
My friend just popped her baby out a couple of weeks ago and had what I think is a near-ideal experience: water broke at home at 6 pm, contractions started getting intense around 7:30, she arrived at the hospital around 8, baby was out by 9.
(Bonus points: first baby, over nine pounds, still out in less than an hour with zero interventions required.)
Now granted that's like the shining rainbow unicorn of birth experiences, but still, it sounds pretty great to me.
Just caught up to this thread. Re: itching. Yes! My calfs especially. Right now i want to scratch them off. If i dont get it under control it travels up to my face. Fun. No rash or bumps though. Re: toddler. My niece has been around me alot lately. She is only 1 and cant even talk yet and she copies me. She'll walk like me, wide legged and grunt when she gets off the floor or someone helps her off the couch. Not cool.
Yep, swollen vagina. Also, there are certain moments (such as now whilst waddling to the kitchen for ice cream) the baby repositions and I seriously feel like she's going to fall out my anus. I'll take lightening crotch over that any day!
Is anyone's LO super low? Mine is only about 1 1/2 inches away from being on the outside as of 36 1/2 weeks. When my OB did the first cervix check, she accidentally hit baby in the head (through vagina, not straight hitting the skin on his head). She was really surprised and commented on it!
LO has been banging around in my hips (lightning crotch!) and wiggling his toes (that's what it feels like at least) into the side of my bladder all morning long. I'm pretty sure my students think I'm either crazy or going into labor with how much I've been grimacing and grabbing my lower belly.
Just left my 36 week appt. Found out I'm 1cm dialated and 70% effaced. I'm being induced at 39 weeks because I have severe hydronephrosis (fluid stuck in my kidney). My doc says LO is extremely low, so he may even come before induction. She also swept my membrane. Looks like this child is going to be born on Mother's Day (or maybe sooner??)
Every time I have a BH contraction I ask DH to tell me the time. It's like I'm willing them to be 5 minutes apart, instead of sporadically an hour apart.
Does anyone's little one move very strongly and you hear a clicking or a popping sound? I don't know if the sound is the baby or what but it has always occurred along with a strong movement.
@mcb2016 yes I definitely feel a clicking/popping especially up higher near my ribs when baby moves around
has anyone else been having menstrual-like cramps at all? I had a few in the middle of the night and then a few more later this afternoon but nothing rhythmic or picking up in duration or frequency so I don't know what it is.
Yeah, I've been having the menstrual-type cramps. They started a few weeks ago but used to be really sporadic. Now they're a nightly occurrence (only at night for some reason) and making it really hard for me to sleep.
I'm not sure what they are. I've read it could be BH or real contractions or just part of the general dilation process -- seems like there's a wide range of what women experience or describe as resembling menstrual pains at this point. But it seems to be a pretty normal symptom, whatever it is.
@mcb2016 yes I definitely feel a clicking/popping sound especially up higher near my ribs when baby moves around
has anyone else been having menstrual-like cramps at all? I had a few in the middle of the night and then a few more later this afternoon but nothing rhythmic or picking up in duration or frequency so I don't know what it is.
I woke up to one a few nights ago. It was maybe 30 seconds long. A more intense cramp, but not painful. It did not feel like round ligaments to me, it's the only contraction I've had so far.
On Saturday I had a passed a couple tiny blood clots, and then later that same night, when I was in bed, some pretty intense cramps/contractions. I was having difficulty timing them, because it's kinda tricky to know exactly when they start. Do you start timing when you first feel pain/pressure, or when you actually feel your belly tighten? Anyways, saw the doc today and she thought it might have been labor trying to get going, but for some reason stalled. Hoping for an April baby!
Yeah, I've been having the menstrual-type cramps. They started a few weeks ago but used to be really sporadic. Now they're a nightly occurrence (only at night for some reason) and making it really hard for me to sleep.
I'm not sure what they are. I've read it could be BH or real contractions or just part of the general dilation process -- seems like there's a wide range of what women experience or describe as resembling menstrual pains at this point. But it seems to be a pretty normal symptom, whatever it is.
I've been having these as well, also mostly at night. Strangely, I got BH a lot during my second tri and now hardly at all. Instead I've the awesome menatrual cramps and backache. My midwife didn't seem too concerned.
@Merciel I get the same thing. In fact, I've gotten them on occasion through-out my pregnancy, and I thought they were BH until last month when people posted about what BH actually feels like (hardness in the stomach). The menstrual feeling cramps are pretty sporadic and normally go away if I sit and hydrate, but I've gotten them one per night the last couple of nights as well which is new for me. I should probably mention it at my appointment on Thursday
@littlebb22 same for me re: getting lots of BH in second tri and less often now. But I guess the cramping is a contraction? Mine have been pretty mild if they are contractions.
@concreteayngel I would think you start timing when you feel the pain (though FTM so I really have no idea)
Sometimes I feel like my baby is so low - when I'm walking on the treadmill, it feels like she's going to fall out. Other times I feel like she's really high and not dropping at all. Just at this moment I felt pressure on my left hip and upper right rib at the same time. What is she doing in there?!
I mentioned the menstrual-ish cramps at my routine checkup this afternoon, but the doctor didn't seem to think they meant anything. Not clearly indicative of upcoming labor, not clearly much of anything. Just one more general ambiguous symptom that could mean the baby is going to happen soon, or might not mean anything at all!
I just wish there were some way to know for sure, you know? All these ambiguous "maybe, maybe not" symptoms are driving me bananas. I can't plan my life around maybes! What good are symptoms that don't tell me anything!
I mentioned the menstrual-ish cramps at my routine checkup this afternoon, but the doctor didn't seem to think they meant anything. Not clearly indicative of upcoming labor, not clearly much of anything. Just one more general ambiguous symptom that could mean the baby is going to happen soon, or might not mean anything at all!
I just wish there were some way to know for sure, you know? All these ambiguous "maybe, maybe not" symptoms are driving me bananas. I can't plan my life around maybes! What good are symptoms that don't tell me anything!
humph
Humph is right. There are too many things that mean something or nothing and "every pregnancy is different" anyway so who effing knows.
I've been having irregular contractions that become consistent and timeable before grinding to a halt (false labor) for days now which also probably means nothing (but maybe something) in terms of how close real labor is and it is making me crazy.
The other day I had contractions once an hour every hour from about two o'clock on...then it switched to every half hour around seven...then to every fifteen minutes...and then just as I was starting to get nervous they fizzled out. I didn't know whether to feel relieved or annoyed. Probably both, because I'm only just shy of 36 weeks and I don't want to have LO too soon, but at the same time I reeeeeeallly don't appreciate being toyed with like that, uterus.
Why is my vag area the sorest when I'm laying on my side? You'd think it would be the worst while standing or even sitting upright, but nope, the second I lay on my side it aches!!!
I have a question for any STMs who had a membrane sweep... I had mine done yesterday and this morning I've been having my bloody show. Does this mean labor is coming? Or is the plug just bloody because of the sweep?
Pretty sure LO is resting on a nerve because I woke up in the middle of the night with so much pain in my right hip and it's still there, which has led to a full on pregnancy waddle at work today
I have a question for any STMs who had a membrane sweep... I had mine done yesterday and this morning I've been having my bloody show. Does this mean labor is coming? Or is the plug just bloody because of the sweep?
@tripledaggerwed95976 I would also like to hear the answer for this. Also, how many weeks are you?
STM's, When do they start offering to do this? does it really help get labor going? etc.?
I have a question for any STMs who had a membrane sweep... I had mine done yesterday and this morning I've been having my bloody show. Does this mean labor is coming? Or is the plug just bloody because of the sweep?
@tripledaggerwed95976 I would also like to hear the answer for this. Also, how many weeks are you?
STM's, When do they start offering to do this? does it really help get labor going? etc.?
I'm 36+2-- actually if I remember correctly I think we have the same edd/ May 15. However, I'm being induced on May 8 because of a medical condition. You are also very effaced already right? Because of that, Ur doc might do it for you at ur next appt.
I'm 38 weeks today, and here, OBs won't do a sweep until 39 weeks. My friend had it done at exactly 39, and cramps and a little bleeding, and baby didn't show up until 40+6. From what I've read, the efficacy of the sweep is debatable at best.
@tripledaggerWed95976 & @kp90 - I had two membrane sweeps with my first child. One on my due date, and another 10 days later. Lol The first one did nothing (obviously). I did have pinkish spotting afterward that my doctor said was normal. I went in again at 41w+3d and dr said I was *maybe* dilated half a centimeter and she did another sweep. While doing it, my water broke. I kind of thought she did it on purpose, but she said it can happen from the pressure -- and if she was going to do it on purpose, she would have put towels down, she told me. Ha.
So anyway. We went from there. The two membrane sweeps got me to barely 1cm. My kid was just high and comfy, that's all there is to it. I had heard plenty of "success" stories from membrane sweeps, but mine didn't really trigger anything other than water breaking. I still had to be induced and DS1 was born the next day.
I have a question for any STMs who had a membrane sweep... I had mine done yesterday and this morning I've been having my bloody show. Does this mean labor is coming? Or is the plug just bloody because of the sweep?
@tripledaggerwed95976 I would also like to hear the answer for this. Also, how many weeks are you?
STM's, When do they start offering to do this? does it really help get labor going? etc.?
I'm 36+2-- actually if I remember correctly I think we have the same edd/ May 15. However, I'm being induced on May 8 because of a medical condition. You are also very effaced already right? Because of that, Ur doc might do it for you at ur next appt.
@tripledaggerwed95976 yes! May 15 also! And yeah last week we found I was 2.5cm and 70% effaced. Yesterday there were no changes but seems to be 70% is pretty thinned out. Trying to keep her in til the end of April and have been wondering if and when my doc would consider a sweep and if that would get things moving.
I have a question for any STMs who had a membrane sweep... I had mine done yesterday and this morning I've been having my bloody show. Does this mean labor is coming? Or is the plug just bloody because of the sweep?
@tripledaggerwed95976 I would also like to hear the answer for this. Also, how many weeks are you?
STM's, When do they start offering to do this? does it really help get labor going? etc.?
I'm 36+2-- actually if I remember correctly I think we have the same edd/ May 15. However, I'm being induced on May 8 because of a medical condition. You are also very effaced already right? Because of that, Ur doc might do it for you at ur next appt.
@tripledaggerwed95976 yes! May 15 also! And yeah last week we found I was 2.5cm and 70% effaced. Yesterday there were no changes but seems to be 70% is pretty thinned out. Trying to keep her in til the end of April and have been wondering if and when my doc would consider a sweep and if that would get things moving.
I'm also 70% effaced. My doc basically said that when your cervix is that "favorable" it has fairly good outcomes. Of course, it will still only get things going if your body is ready so that's why it works for some and not for others. Having a lot of effacement is good though
For the past two days I have had a ravenous appetite. I never feel full, Baby has been low for awhile so I don't have any more room. I've been eating eggs, oatmeal, almonds etc. and still can't fill up. After my last growth spurt at 36 weeks I was hoping weight would plateau a bit... nope!
I had about an hour of what I would describe as severe menstrual-style cramps this morning which finally went away and then have periodically returned through early afternoon. No idea if these are actually contractions because they're low (not overtaking my whole belly) and I can't really tell when one ends and another begins for some of them. I'm only 37+1 and at my appointment Friday I wasn't dilated at all so I'm kind of doubting this is real labor but I guess could be the beginning? I have an appointment with a nurse practitioner tomorrow morning so I'll ask what she thinks then.
I had about an hour of what I would describe as severe menstrual-style cramps this morning which finally went away and then have periodically returned through early afternoon. No idea if these are actually contractions because they're low (not overtaking my whole belly) and I can't really tell when one ends and another begins for some of them. I'm only 37+1 and at my appointment Friday I wasn't dilated at all so I'm kind of doubting this is real labor but I guess could be the beginning? I have an appointment with a nurse practitioner tomorrow morning so I'll ask what she thinks then.
I have the same thing- menstrual cramps that come for awhile and then go. My midwives said it could be early labor (that could last awhile!) or he could be me starting to dialate. The chase was that I am "in labor" I'm just not in the effective/useful part and I could be in this sporadic part for weeks.
Re: 3rd Tri/Labor Impending Symptoms **Updated**
My friend just popped her baby out a couple of weeks ago and had what I think is a near-ideal experience: water broke at home at 6 pm, contractions started getting intense around 7:30, she arrived at the hospital around 8, baby was out by 9.
(Bonus points: first baby, over nine pounds, still out in less than an hour with zero interventions required.)
Now granted that's like the shining rainbow unicorn of birth experiences, but still, it sounds pretty great to me.
Re: itching. Yes! My calfs especially. Right now i want to scratch them off. If i dont get it under control it travels up to my face. Fun. No rash or bumps though.
Re: toddler. My niece has been around me alot lately. She is only 1 and cant even talk yet and she copies me. She'll walk like me, wide legged and grunt when she gets off the floor or someone helps her off the couch. Not cool.
has anyone else been having menstrual-like cramps at all? I had a few in the middle of the night and then a few more later this afternoon but nothing rhythmic or picking up in duration or frequency so I don't know what it is.
I'm not sure what they are. I've read it could be BH or real contractions or just part of the general dilation process -- seems like there's a wide range of what women experience or describe as resembling menstrual pains at this point. But it seems to be a pretty normal symptom, whatever it is.
@concreteayngel I would think you start timing when you feel the pain (though FTM so I really have no idea)
I just wish there were some way to know for sure, you know? All these ambiguous "maybe, maybe not" symptoms are driving me bananas. I can't plan my life around maybes! What good are symptoms that don't tell me anything!
humph
I've been having irregular contractions that become consistent and timeable before grinding to a halt (false labor) for days now which also probably means nothing (but maybe something) in terms of how close real labor is and it is making me crazy.
DS: Born 5-17-16
I had mine done yesterday and this morning I've been having my bloody show. Does this mean labor is coming? Or is the plug just bloody because of the sweep?
@tripledaggerwed95976 I would also like to hear the answer for this. Also, how many weeks are you?
STM's, When do they start offering to do this? does it really help get labor going? etc.?
So anyway. We went from there. The two membrane sweeps got me to barely 1cm. My kid was just high and comfy, that's all there is to it. I had heard plenty of "success" stories from membrane sweeps, but mine didn't really trigger anything other than water breaking. I still had to be induced and DS1 was born the next day.