Did you feel a lot of pelvic pain/pressure before labor?

[dlm194]

Or in early labor (before reaching 5cm)? I'm asking about non-induced labors, of course. I have a coworker who just went out on maternity leave a couple weeks early due to really bad pelvic pain and pressure. She is 2 cm dilated and her doctor thinks the baby is going to come any minute so he ordered her off her feet (since she was 36 weeks and he wanted her to make it to 37 weeks).

Another coworker said she had the same feelings - intense pain and pressure - when she delivered her 2nd baby. She worked that day, went for a doctor's appt that evening and the doctor just about freaked out b/c the baby was "right there." She delivered a couple hours later.

I was just wondering if it was normal to feel intense pain and pressure before really being in active labor.

[Bartock]

Yes I did, for about a week before my water broke and went into labour. I was about 2 cm dialated for a week, doc did not however give me bed rest, I was told to walk around as much as I could to get things started.

[LaceyTX]

I was just coming in this forum to ask this question.

I'm 2 weeks over my due date with my first, and last night I started having intermittent soreness and pain in my tailbone and hipbones. Pretty soon it became unbearable, like severe menstrual cramping (the kind that burns all the way down to your knees) with lots of gas pressure, and I couldn't lay or sit down in a way that didn't hurt. I tried to sleep, and it would wake me every 30 minutes or so. It lasted for about ten hours like this -- from 12am to 10am. But it has now gone back to just the beginning soreness in my tail and hipbones, with some uncomfortable pressure from the baby's head being engaged and pressing down. I've had them described to me, but I'm still not really sure what to expect in "real contractions." Could this be some pre-labor rumblings, or maybe just a bad stomachache? My baby was also "anywhere from 8-10 lbs" on Feb. 24th, and I'm built very petite -- maybe it's just the sheer weight of him? (I go to the OB Monday, but my brain is still running laps around me with questions. )

[MrsAngelic]

I've been feeling this way for the last few weeks, but nothing is happening so far. I'm either 40 or 38 weeks depending on which of my due dates you go by. Getting a little impatient frankly, makes it difficult to do anything requiring movement when the baby feels like she's about to fall out.

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by LaceyTX

I was just coming in this forum to ask this question.

I'm 2 weeks over my due date with my first, and last night I started having intermittent soreness and pain in my tailbone and hipbones. Pretty soon it became unbearable, like severe menstrual cramping (the kind that burns all the way down to your knees) with lots of gas pressure, and I couldn't lay or sit down in a way that didn't hurt. I tried to sleep, and it would wake me every 30 minutes or so. It lasted for about ten hours like this -- from 12am to 10am. But it has now gone back to just the beginning soreness in my tail and hipbones, with some uncomfortable pressure from the baby's head being engaged and pressing down. I've had them described to me, but I'm still not really sure what to expect in "real contractions." Could this be some pre-labor rumblings, or maybe just a bad stomachache? My baby was also "anywhere from 8-10 lbs" on Feb. 24th, and I'm built very petite -- maybe it's just the sheer weight of him? (I go to the OB Monday, but my brain is still running laps around me with questions. )

I'm not a professional but this sounds like it could be back labor. Contractions with a posterior baby can feel like strong pains in your back. Have you had your OB check to see which way your baby is facing? Try having someone apply counterpressure on your back when you are having the pain and see if that offers any relief. Here is a link to an article on posterior presentation http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/chil...eriorlabor.htm

[Jilian]

To answer the OP's question, yes I did have a lot of pelvic pain prior to labor. My pain started at about 36 weeks pregnant and went right up until 39 weeks when I delivered.

[Satori]

To answer the OP, I felt that way for at least a month before dd arrived and she was a c/s at barely 38 weeks. I felt like I had a baby hanging out my crotch the entire time and the pain was horrible.

[mamato3cherubs]

I also went through this. It hurt to sit, lay, stand or walk, just nagging pain. It was the wort with my 3rd, But it also came with quite a bit of swelling and fluid/blood vessel engorgment down there. Geez! look what kind of memories you girls bring back! Ouch! hope you feel better soon, and have a wonderful delivery

[scrapadoozer]

Just a little bit of pressure before active labor really kicked in. DD was posterior and my entire labor was back labor so that might have something to do with it.

[Llyra]

For a week before DD was born I walked around feeling like if I sneezed or moved too fast, she might fall right out. It felt like she was pushing on my cervix, or like she was just too heavy for me to hold her in anymore. So yeah, I had a lot of pressure. I didn't have pain, though, except for what felt like menstrual cramping a day or two before.

[LavenderMae]

With my second I had a lot of pressure. He felt like he was trying to come out by butt (TMI, sorry) .

[Emilie]

for weeks ahead of time

[Peppamint]

I had *tons* of pressure with ds... a lot of it I now believe was PSD and I didn't know it. I started having signs of PSD again weeks ago and have been taking precautions and I'm feeling much better for it.

I still have intense pressure on my bladder a lot, babe is usually LOA and last night I swore he was right on my cervix trying to get things going.

[kerikadi]

Yes. And with my experience it starts sooner with subsequen pregnancies. I think your muscles are more lax/stretched and the pull and pressure is greater with each pregnancy. With #4 I walked around for weeks feeling as though if I gave a few really good puses she'd come right out

Keri

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by kerikadi

With #4 I walked around for weeks feeling as though if I gave a few really good puses she'd come right out

[LaceyTX]

Originally Posted by Jilian

I'm not a professional but this sounds like it could be back labor. Contractions with a posterior baby can feel like strong pains in your back. Have you had your OB check to see which way your baby is facing? Try having someone apply counterpressure on your back when you are having the pain and see if that offers any relief. Here is a link to an article on posterior presentation http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/chil...eriorlabor.htm

Wow! Good call -- I just got back from the hospital (I went in on the 4th, had the baby on the 5th). And you know what kind of labor I had?

Back labor.

Also, I kept refusing when the OB wanted to break my water from dilation to 5 on (she thought it would intensify contractions and speed things up) -- finally, when I was dilated to a nine, they went ahead and broke it anyway. I did not know that breaking the water can make it hard for them to turn, but I'm glad I followed my instinct on keeping the water intact.

[vforba]

Thanks Jilian for posting on the stuff on Posterior positions! That was such a helpful link. I'm pretty sure that's what this babe is! I was at my checkup on Tuesday and I'm pretty sure that's what the doc told the nurse but she didn't say anything to me.
I'm thinking that may be partially why this babe is up so high yet. I'm gonna do some of those things that they suggested as I've got alot of those problems they mentioned. Maybe I'll get me a baby by next week yet!
vicky