You mamas know alot- any of you had this happen?

[brendaziz]

So I'm not UCing,but ucing moms know their stuff so thought I'd ask what any of you think?

I'm 35 weeks and have had a gazillion contractions over the past several weeks.
I'm to the point now (where for several days) i'll hvae contractions every 3-5 minutes. I woudl still consider them "braxton hicks" but they are crampy. Just dull achy pain- nothing too intense and they never get more intense just stay about the same.
I'm not gonna go to the ob just yet cuz I dont feel there's a reason to. I don't think i'm in "labor" or that i'm gonna have a baby any day or anything. I mean, I woudln't be shocked if I did- and I personally feel like he's ready to come out already :-) He is large and head down and happy.

Just not sure if anyone has had experience w/ having days/weeks of regular light contractions. Everything I have says "if you have more than 4 in an hour call your health care provider"- but I know that there's no reason to call my ob. Except maybe to have a wasted visit and have them give me a pelvic for no reason.
I could totally see them telling me I'm in labor- and either trying to "stop" it- which I think woudl be silly b/c i'm NOT In labor and don't really want a shot for anything. Or having them put me on bedrest which again woudl be silly cuz these contractions come whetehr i'm laying down, sitting, standing- doesnt make one differnece in how often/intense they are.

I guess I'm just looking for someone whose BTDT.

Thanks ladies!!!!!

[dantesmama]

I experienced the same thing at the end of my last pregnancy (from about 34 weeks on). I stayed calm, took it easy, and kept myself well-hydrated, and ds2 was born at 39w5d. It can be awfully annoying, but nothing to worry about. When you're really in labor, you'll know! Good luck!

[babykaoss]

Is this your first?

I noticed a difference with my second, and now third pregnancies, that I experienced lots of these contrax for weeks ahead of my due date. I can definitely say BTDT, that for me at least, my body was gradually preparing for birth in this way.....

[babykaoss]

Ah, yes, I agree with the PP, make sure you're drinking enough H2O.

[brendaziz]

Thanks! good to know this happens to other people.
This is my 3rd- so I def agree that I'll know when it's for real.

Thanks for sharing! And I'm doing pretty good w/ the water- but i'll up it some for now.

[EnterGently]

Hasn't happened to me personally, but I know a lot of people who have weeks of prodromal labor like this (and usually when labor does kick in, it goes very fast). Having read about this for years I have learned from others . . . make sure you drink plenty of water is definitely the first suggestion!! Also, taking a cal/mag supplement can really help those crampy/annoying contractions to calm down a bit so that they are not impacting your daily activities or sleep etc. If you are drinking RRL tea, that can 'sometimes' overstimulate the uterus and cause more of these contractions (not for everyone, but some people . . . as we all react differently, or so I learned from a very experienced old midwife) so I would cut back.

[brendaziz]

Originally Posted by EnterGently

Hasn't happened to me personally, but I know a lot of people who have weeks of prodromal labor like this (and usually when labor does kick in, it goes very fast). Having read about this for years I have learned from others . . . make sure you drink plenty of water is definitely the first suggestion!! Also, taking a cal/mag supplement can really help those crampy/annoying contractions to calm down a bit so that they are not impacting your daily activities or sleep etc. If you are drinking RRL tea, that can 'sometimes' overstimulate the uterus and cause more of these contractions (not for everyone, but some people . . . as we all react differently, or so I learned from a very experienced old midwife) so I would cut back.

funny- a few months ago I was very seriously considering the RRL tea regimen but stayed away from it for some reason. I've had 2 fast labors so i guess i was thinking i didnt really want this one to go any faster! my last labor from when i knew "oh i think this is labor" to having him was about 3 hours. Anything over an hour sounds good to me :-)

[Seie]

Its normal - just your uterus gearing up for the actual birth. You wont be in doubt when in actual labor! They still very likely make a difference as they help make your cervix soft and ripe and possibly even opening it up a bit in advance.
You already know how you feel - you are not in labor, but it sounds like your body is preparing. Once you are actually in labor you will know!

[Mamatoabunch]

Originally Posted by dantesmama

I experienced the same thing at the end of my last pregnancy (from about 34 weeks on). I stayed calm, took it easy, and kept myself well-hydrated, and ds2 was born at 39w5d. It can be awfully annoying, but nothing to worry about. When you're really in labor, you'll know! Good luck!

Almost the same here w/ my last, my 9th, but born at 39 weeks even.

[KariM]

With the last baby (our UP/UC) I had weeks of contractions. They were real and even on a regular frequency for a while.

I cut out my prenatals which had RRL in them and also made sure I was very well hydrated. Once that was taken care of they stopped.

Babe was born at 39 weeks. :

[Peony]

My last two pgs were like this the last couple months. DD2 was born at 38 weeks, DS at 40 so they certainly didn't come too early.

[Arwyn]

Moving this from UC to main Birth and Beyond, as the topic is really not pertinent to UC per se.

[umbrella]

I had painless contractions for weeks, with my second dd. It turned out that they were slowly working my cervix. I was 5 cm dialated without being in hard labor, when the doc and I both agreed to really get things going by breaking my water. My doc assumed that it would be a fast labor, and it was. The baby was born just 3 hours after we decided to break my water.

[mrs_mandolini]

This happened to me starting at 26 weeks and I had my baby at 32. So I'd agree that you might have lots of time, but am glad that it's as late in your pregnancy as it is!

[TzippityDoulah]

I had prodromal labouring for ove 5 weeks. sometimes it was VERY intense! contractions close together for hours... and then fizzle back to BH.

the only thing i would say is that when active labour really does start it might go quickly so be prepared for that just in case.

you can dirnk a glass of wine, take a bath in epsom salts (or just a warm bath) and drink plenty of fluids. if contractions die down afterwards you will know it isn't active labouring.

[Storm Bride]

I was post-dates, not early, but I had almost two weeks of "pre" labour with Aaron...and they were strong enough that they kept me awake and/or woke me up some nights. They were also fairly regular.

I didn't have that with any of my others. I only had any false labour with ds2, and it wasn't much.

[sarahwpen]

i found that whenever my contractions got that "crampy" feeling, then that meant i wasn't getting enough potassium, or water, or too much salt. I also switched from RRL tea to nettle because of the annoying over stimulation. In my opinion, a good healthy contraction should be smooth and painless. like lifting a weight at the gym. anything that cramps, burns to badly, or feels like a tearing kind of sensation is not right and needs some adjustment. Think of it as a muscle that you are training for an upcoming marathon.

[Romana]

I had those for weeks starting around 34 weeks, I think, with #2. Baby came spontaneously on his due date, 40w0d. At one point I had six hours of contractions 5 min apart, but they didn't get more intense and eventually petered out. I didn't even bother to call my midwife (told her about it at the next appointment).

With that baby, I think my body was just trying to get him in the right position. I don't think it really worked, and eventually he just had to be born anyway! (These ctx did not dilate my cervix, nor did they make the labor fast . . . it was an 18 hour labor. Anything is possible.)