Since there’s an early pregnancy symptoms thread out there right now, I thought it might be useful to those of us due soon to start an prelabor symptoms thread. With my first child, since my water broke at 35.5 weeks and I was induced, I never experienced prelabor symptoms (except for rupture of the membranes). I’m currently 36.2 weeks and have been experiencing some cramping, pressure, and back pain on and off for the last two weeks. Also, I just feel generally fatigued, fluish, and icky. I have refused all internal exams, as I’m convinced that’s what caused my water to break last time (it happened immediately after my first cervical check), so we don’t know if I’m dilated or effaced yet. I understand there’s a difference between prelabor and early labor symptoms, and I think what I’m experiencing right now is prelabor.
If you’ve had a baby before, what prelabor symptoms did you experience, and how long did they last before the real thing?
Bump to see if anyone out there has any experience with prelabor symptoms. [name]How[/name] did you distinguish it from early labor? I’m now 37.2 weeks and have been feeling more intense menstrual-like cramps on and off for the last week. While they seem to be gaining in strength, there’s no pattern or rhythm to them yet. Is the timing the only way to know for sure?
Gosh, each of mine were so different. But I know that increase in legth and intensity as well as decrese in time between means something is happening. I am a big beliver in that each birth and labor is diffetent and you can genetalize but should not “text book” how it should go. But, given your history I would most likely call your care provider and give him or her the heads up.
I’m seeing the OB once a week now for a fetal non-stress test. At my appointment last week, I did have two BH contractions while hooked up to the monitor. I could feel both.
I wonder whether these prelabor contractions correspond to dilation and effacement. I mean, can one feel the cervix dilating before real labor begins? Last time I was only 1 cm when my water broke, so I don’t know.