sooo...when is it real?

[Valerieg]

I've felt "different" today. The babies dropped, no doubt, so I'm feeling quite a bit more pressure in my pelvis. But I've also been having contractions. Most are of the braxton-hicks variety but others involve my back and pelvis.

I'm 35 weeks today. I was really hoping to go much longer than this, I still hope that I do, but I don't know what to think about what is going on. The OB said that they wouldn't stop labor if that's what it is, so I could go in and see what's happening, but they might keep me. I'm not ready for that!

I know I've read here before that some of you have had these contractions for weeks, right?

Just for background, I have pretty pain-free deliveries, so it's hard for me to believe I'm in labor when I am. My DS was born 15 min after arriving at the hospital because I refused to believe I was in labor until he was literally bulging out!

I'm not ready to accept that this could actually be happening, can you tell?

[Molliejo]

I hope everything turns out the way you want it, mama! (even if you are not in labor right now)

[~bookcase~]

i'm excited for you. sometimes denial is the best sign

keep us posted if you can!!!

[DiannaK]

well .... hard to say. What finally clued me in? I had contractions that I thought were going to kill me. Like nothing I'd ever felt before, seriously. That, and when I looked down at my belly, i was all mis-shappen .... Adam was moving into position, I guess.

[Intertwined]

I had some pretty heavy show before I would believe I was in labor. MW arrived to find me 4cm and 70%. Contractions picked up in frequency and intensity but the whole darn thing was pretty easy until Claire decided to be a butt and put her foot into my vagina. If she hadn't done that and stayed complete breech I am quite sure I would have just breathed them out. It was a cake walk compared to that last two weeks of pregnancy!

Can't wait to hear if you had them last night or if you're still carrying babies today!

[MamaChicken]

I'm one of the people who had contraction for weeks. These guys were #3 and #4 for me. I had a painfree HypnoBabies birth with DD that went really fast (4 hours start to finish). I had contractions at 33 weeks that got me 3 cm dilated. I had contractions at 35.5 weeks that got me to 6 cm. I walked out of the hospital dilated to 6 cm because contractions stopped.

At 37.5 weeks, I started having contractions again and they got me to 9 cm. All of this was completely painfree! At that point, everything stalled again. Finally I had the MW break Drew's water and he was out 20 minutes later. Will followed 30 minutes after that.

Labor with the boys felt NOTHING like labor with my other kiddos. I think it was that my uterus was so stretched out.

So update us!

[Valerieg]

Well Joanna, I'm hoping like heck to experience almost exactly what you did. I'm still PG but I'm still getting occasional contractions. Since I would like another 2-3 weeks your story is quite encouraging! I think since I did call the OB yesterday he will probably check me at my upcoming appt on Wednesday. So we'll see. I've never gotten checked before and I've really not had real painful contractions before.

I have to say, the scare forced us into action, we were in total denial. So the carseats are now ready, diapers washed, and everything is pretty close to being set. I even packed my hospital bag. We realized that if I had been in labor yesterday we weren't quite ready (and I can't trust anyone in the family to wash anything correctly, especially diapers).

I'm still focusing hard on Valentine's Day. I'm 37 weeks at that point and will happily welcome the twins anytime after. Every time I have a contraction I remind them that unless something is wrong, they need to wait!

[Intertwined]

Glad to hear you're still gestating!!!! I had some pretty intense runs of contractions twice before I went into real labor that stuck. Once at 37 weeks and again at 38 weeks. I had them at 38 and 5. Here's to a few more weeks of inside time for your babies!

[4Marmalade]

Here's hoping your babes stay put a little longer . I dealt with fairly regular contractions from about 33 weeks to almost 37 weeks (when I gave birth). I was in the hospital for three days at 33 weeks for monitoring and at one point I called dh to tell him to get there because I was sure I was going to deliver. The contractions were that painful.

Good luck.