[Lousli]

<p>So I'm 36 weeks 1 day, and have had my other 2 at 36 weeks and 33 weeks, both after PROM. I was taking progesterone shots and had my last one on Sunday.   Last night I had some intense, wake up from a dead sleep contractions that lasted about 2 hours and were 6 min apart.  I had something still going on while I slept, because I had dreams about bloody show (didn't happen though, just in my dream.) </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Today I've had more low back pain and pelvic pain than normal, some loose stools, not much appetite, and some menstrual type cramping, but not many contractions.  I've felt kind of off all day.  I talked with a good friend who told me she had prodromal labor like this for two weeks before her daughter was born.  Does it usually last that long? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I feel like I'm in a tough spot.  I don't want this baby to be born this week.  Ideally I'd like to make it at least 2 more weeks and finally have a big, healthy, full term baby.  But I don't want to deal with 2 more weeks of pain and contractions.  If I were 38 weeks and this were happening, I'd nudge it along, but as it is, I'm hoping to stop it.  Is there anything I can do?  I'm resting and hydrating.</p>

 

[StellaNuova]

<p>Hang in there...the end is hard isn't it? I had my first at 36 w after PROM and my second at 40W and 1 and that last month of pregnancy was like a whole new universe to me...<img alt="hug2.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/hug2.gif"></p>

 

[Lousli]

<p>Thanks!  It certainly is weird.  I'm more pregnant than I've ever been, but I have this anxiousness now with the not knowing how much longer it will be.  Two days?  Two weeks?  More?  Aack.  I'm so uncomfortable.  My 36 weeker is now 9.5 years old, so it was a looong time ago, and it is much harder at my age than it was back then.  I'm starting to understand why people complain about the end of pregnancy so much!</p>

 

[mylilmonkeys]

<p>Congratulations on getting so far in your pregnancy!  I like to use epsom salts in a bath if I'm having contractions that need to go away.  The magnesium relaxes the muscles.  I get lots of prodromal stuff for weeks on end, but not always intense stuff like you are describing.  It could be you were just experiencing your body getting your baby positioned better.  I hope you get a few more weeks!  </p>

 

[tabrizia]

<p>You probably don't want to hear that I had over a month of prodromal labor with both DS and DD, and this one started with it about 2 weeks ago, so I'm expecting at least 6 weeks of it with him. It is a pain and annoying, and yes it can go on for weeks, unfortunately.</p>

 

[Sandrine]

<p>This is the first time that i am experiencing it. Mine doesn't last really long about 30min to a few hrs. It stops the moment I go lay down but laying down doesn't help heartburn so I wait until later when I'm tired of feeling the contax/bh. It's also a mix of both for me, plus the baby moving and stretching alot at the same time. :/</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm hoping the baby wait until next monday at the earliest before it comes out. lol</p>

 

[Aliy]

<p>i second epsom salt baths and laying down....and a hot water bottle</p>

 

[Lousli]

<p>I did the epsom salt bath earlier today.  I've rested a lot and tried to hydrate well.  I see my OB tomorrow, and hopefully will have a restful night tonight.  Hope everyone else is also hanging in there with all the glamorous end of pregnancy stuff going on!</p>

 

[forest~mama]

<p>I didn't have any with my first but I'm having it now. Yesterday I had menstrual like cramping for about half the day and some BH that I had to really breathe through last night. This morning I'm having the cramping again and baby is really pushing on my cervix. I have had 2 big BH so far but that's it. I'm also wondering how long it will be like this. I can handle it because baby is just 37w2d, but it's hard to be at work.</p>

 

[Lousli]

<p>I'm bumping this up because I've been having a hard time today.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I've had this prodromal labor stuff going on for a few days now. Sometimes having more painful BH, sometimes just regular ones. Lots of pressure and menstrual type cramping. It feels and looks like the baby has dropped even more since yesterday.<br><br>
Today I had several times of needing to poo and started losing my mucous plug (at first I wasn't sure but after a while it became more clear as I was having lots of very snotty looking discharge-sorry if it is TMI!) I'm sitting here contracting more as I type this.<br><br>
I've never experienced this before. With my other two, my water broke with a huge gush, so it was pretty darn obvious that labor was beginning. I've never gone full term either, so I know it could be days more or even weeks more of this, but it also could be tonight.<br><br>
I'm having a hard time focusing on anything and I'm feeling restless and bored. Nothing seems appealing to do, and I've kind of lost my appetite because of my horrible heartburn. I don't feel like reading, or knitting, or even watching tv.<br><br>
My OB has agreed to be on call for me. But he goes out of town on Monday (I think he's still in town now) and will be gone for a week. I really don't want the baby to be born before she is ready, but part of me wants her to come this weekend before he goes out of town and I have to have one of the other docs. There is especially one doc in his practice I don't like.<br><br>
This kind of sucks. I wish I could just wake up and be 39 weeks.</p>

 

[MamaPhD]

<p>I'm 38 weeks and I've been having contractions/early labor since Tuesday.  It is soooooo annoying!  I would get pretty bad contractions that really make me sit down and breathe 5-15 minutes apart for 3-4 hours and then nothing.  Repeat 12 hours later and so on.  For now I'm just waiting it out but man this is getting really tiring.  And from what some of you are saying this can go on for weeks - yikes!  DD was right on time (3 days past due date) so if this one is too, then I'm still looking at 2 more weeks of this?  Arg!  Good luck to you & me!</p>

 

[goldingoddess]

<p>Chiming in to say ME TOO!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I never had a single cramp or unpleasant BH with DS1, so this feels very odd to be having uncomfortable BH and menstrul cramps at 37 weeks.  I went to 41+3 with DS1, I cannot imagine doing this for another month!  I would just love to go into labor and have the baby tonight!</p>

 

[forest~mama]

I'm still having this stuff. Pretty much every day menstrual like cramping continuously. Lost some plug but I know that can happen really early. I wouldn't say my contrax are painful in any way, but I just didn't have the same stuff with dd at all. I know this could go on for weeks more, but I dread going to work and sitting there thinking about it.

 

[wildnewmamma]

<p>I had a weird night last night.  I had none of this with dd (my water broke and don't remember anything about the contractions).  But last night I felt really just "off" I don't know how else to describe it.  Felt crampy, hot then cold (no temp), baby was moving A LOT- I think I felt hiccups for the first time??  For some reason I just don't feel like I'm going to make it to the end of March- though I would REALLY like all the time I can get, we are so NOT ready.  I kind of had a little panic moment because I don't have a bag packed- car seat is some where beneath a mountain of construction supplies in our garage (as well as existing baby supplies).  And realistically it would be more work to get to the stuff than to just get something new to get by with until we can get to that stuff.  I mean obviously we would make it work- but I think that might have added to my condition last night.  I'm conflicted because I'm ready to meet him whenever he is, but just don't feel ready.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Good luck ladies- hoping that the uncomfortable stuff subsides, or you welcome a baby if ready!</p>

 

[Squrrl]

<p>Augh me too me too.  And I'm so stressed because there doesn't seem to be any practical difference between this [email protected] and "real" labor except that real labor ends in a baby.  And how am I supposed to know when to call my mother, who lives 4 1/2 hours away?  Or my midwife, an hour away?  Last time I labored several nights in a row also, but at least when it started I was 38 weeks and it started with an amniotic leak, so by 4 days after that we felt pretty justified pushing the issue with black and blue cohosh and finally castor oil.  This time I'm only 38 weeks tomorrow, having already had several days of this bs, and (happily) my water hasn't broken, so I feel like I could be stuck doing this for WEEKS and then finally have no real warning and end up not having my mother at the birth, which would upset us both.  And the worst of it is, she's here right now--came up for our party on Saturday and has stayed an extra day because it keeps seeming like I'm about to hatch, but she really has to go back to work or she won't have any vacation to use after the baby comes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>ARGH like any of us need the extra stress.</p>

 

[Aliy]

<p>getting tired of this stuff. too! I don't remember this much with my first or my second.....I definaltey feel differnt with how everything is going. my belly is really irrated and itchy too!.... I get dh to give my belly little rubs and soft scratches....</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>i have been feeling off... who knows when this baby is going to come</p>

 

[Lousli]

<p>I've been having a ton of stuff going on.  Today I had diarrhea and contractions for a couple of hours.  I thought for sure something must be going on, but nope, nothing.  Haven't lost any more plug either.  I'm just frustrated and tired now. </p>