"Better have that baby soon!"

[Happeesupermom]

So I'm having a few contractions... well, alright... LOTS of contractions over the last several days. I'm now 38 weeks.

I'm having contractions & my Grandma says, "You better hurry up and have that baby! Don't wait too long, or that baby will drown in there!"

"WHAT?!?" (She swears she knew somebody that it happened to!)

This is my FIFTH baby and I've NEVER heard anything like that! Of course, I just tell her that you can't miss Labor, like you miss a train... like, once it leaves the station, if you're not on it, you've missed your chance! Labor doesn't work like that.

Yet-- for some reason... I can't get her words out of my head! Could I be waiting too long to go in to see the midwife? Could it be causing stress to the baby? Could something be wrong?

Last week:
Wed-- Contractions 10-20 min. apart most of the night & into AM.
Thurs-- Contractions 5-6 min. apart in AM, then slowed to 10-15 for a several hours in afternoon & evening.
Friday-- Contractions on & off 10-30 min. apart all day.
Sat-- Contractions on & off 5-20 min. apart.

I'm still feeling Baby move around in there, between contractions & when he's not sleeping.

So-- WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[terrordactyl]

I think you should give your midwife a call and ask her what she thinks.

[honeybee]

It sounds like a pretty common pattern to me. But it seems the friends I know who have had contractions for days have nice, fast births once it's time for baby to come.

If you're worried, you could call and see if you could get a quick listen of the hearbeat on a doppler or something. Or, your mw might have some good suggestions for something to help you rest if the contractions are keeping you from sleeping.

Your grandma's comment makes no sense. There is a slightly higher chance of stillbirth after 42 weeks gestation, but you're only 38 weeks, so that's hardly an issue at this point.

[womenswisdom]

Sounds totally normal to me. You're having some prodromal labor, sounds like. A baby can't "drown". It's physically impossible. Their lungs are already full of amniotic fluid - because they're supposed to be. So how would drowning even work?!

And I agree on the stories of fast births when you see this contraction pattern, so when you know it's the real thing, if it gets intense quick, be prepared for a short labor possibly.