LONG contractions, or something else?

[Kincaid]

40 weeks pregnant tomorrow. All through the night I am having these looooong 20 minute painful "cramping" sessions. My uterus gets very hard, I am doubled over with the tightening and I feel "crampy" from the top of the uterus all the way down to pelvis. It also hurts a little in my back. It feels like really bad menstrual cramps. They do not come in waves, do not come and go, this is definately constant tightness for 20 minutes.

Seems like through the night all this week I do this 20-30 minutes out of every two hours. It is hard and constant cramping, and I get up and take a bath to deal with the pain. Then its gone and I feel super good again (I am still working, walking, doing everything full force during the day).

No "Braxton-Hicks" at all... I am just not having any "short" contractions. None! Only the long spells of cramping that are visiting me at night.

Can someone tell me what is going on? LOL! I didn't think baby could move any lower so I don't think this is baby scooting down. I know my cervix is soft but it's way too posterior to feel the os.

I am in no rush at all to deliver, I feel great and am staying busy. But I am curious about this type of "cramping". What is my body doing with these 20 minute sessions? Where are my braxton hicks?
Thanks in advance for any comments.

edited cause the first time read funny!

[pageta]

That's how my contractions felt. My doula had to actually come over to my house to figure out when they were starting and stopping because as far as I could tell, it just hurt all the time. So I would say it's definitely activity. Be glad it start's and stops - once it gets serious it may feel like that all the time. Be greatful for every moment of a break you get. Good luck!

[pamamidwife]

It sounds like normal Braxton Hicks contractions. These get stronger in the last few weeks - getting baby way down low, moving your cervix, softening it, and getting baby into a good position for birth.