Preterm labour- what does it feel like?

[Leax]

If anyone has been through a preterm labour, could you describe it to me?
Am nearly 35 weeks on my 2nd, my first was born this time last year. Had a day of regular braxton hicks, then this evening started getting niggly sensations in pelvis underneath bump. Have general dull ache and 'stretching' sensation low down and an ache going around my side at the level of the hip bone. It's all a bit non-specific, but the sensations feel different enough from how i am normally for me to be taking notice of them and wondering.

For some reason i just feel a bit 'Hmmmm ?!?' if you know what I mean?

Probably nothing but would love feedback from people who have been there

[lulumama]

it is more likely you are experiencing the body gearing up for labour...baby starting to move down, lots of BH, and niggles and back pain etc....also, position of the baby at this time can give you pains and niggles ....very little space left

should you lose any fluid, blood or have a show..or have regular contractions, in a rhythm then it is time to call the labour ward.....

BH differ from real contractions as they never settle into a pattern and start& stop..and the time between them doesn;t diminish. .

[lulumama]

obviously if you are concerned, call the midwife ASAP!

[Leax]

Thanks for replying lulamama. I remember last time labour began with the low down sensations so didn't think anything of the insistent BHs earlier, it's more the move to menstrual type aching that has me thinking.

Will take an hour on the couch and see what happens, I know it's prob nothing but i just 'feel' different

[lulumama]

have a bath too.........

i had 3 false alarms with DD, from 35 - 36 weeks...days of BH and niggles..she arrived on her due date!


you know your body best. and if you have a gut feeling something is going on., listen to it!

[oremstango]

Just to share...I started having some general pelvic pains and thought it was maybe a urinary tract infection. The next day I had a vague back ache on and off in the evening- went to have a bath and noticed a little spotting. Went to hospital (I was 35 weeks) and they did normal checks and said all looked good though kept me for observation. Back ache continued on and off and a few hours later they did a check and saw I was 5cm dilated. Our little guy was born 5 hours later. Main lesson learned for me is there's definitely no one standard of 'normal' on these things...

[annobal]

DS1 was born at 31 weeks. There was really no difference in the feeling of the contractions but the speed was amazing with DS1 - my waters broke and he was born an hour later and 5 mins in 2nd stage. With DS2 it took 8 hours and 2 hours pushing! DS2 was much harder work due to the length but DS1 was incredibly painful - possibly also due to shock.

[hippmummy]

My DS1 was born at almost 35 weeks and the start of labour was exactly the same as for DS2 who was born at term.

[Leax]

Thanks for the replies. The symptoms continued that night and i had a couple of mucous shows (not bloody though), and then it was business as usual the next day. I really felt at the time oh oh something's happening, but as it turned out there wasn't :0)

[SparklyXmasKat]

I have had 3 preterm babies, and I was told a good way to know is if you take a paracetol (sp??) and the pain remains, then you could be in labour. With DD1 who was a 31 weeker, the speed and the intense pain was unbeliveable, 2 hours from start to finish. DD2 was a 33 weeker but it took 12 hours in total. None of my labours have been the same, but I know the pain was the same....