I've been putting up with the Braxtons getting stronger since Friday and had just put it down to my body 'preparing' itself, but this evening I've got to the point where I'm not sure if I can/should be ignoring it anymore. They're coming on quite frequently (about every 4-6mins) and have gone from lasting about 30secs to about 1 minute. I've gone from being mildly uncomfortable to being in mild pain when it happens now, but I don't really want to waste a trip to the labour ward only to be sent home. I also have a few questions I'd really be grateful if someone could answer:

1) Can you go into labour without a show?

2) If you haven't had a show, does that mean the cervix isn't even dilated?

3) Does anyone know if the pain includes feeling like you're really constipated - I'm talking rocks in your bum kinda constipated? I've been to the loo, it's normal, not like it would be if I were constipated.

4) Does the bump feel really tight at the top, and then more painful and crampy at the bottom?

5) Do you get a kind of pressure/stabbing pain down below too?


Thanks in advance for any advice y'all can give!

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Thanks for all your advice ladies. I called the labour ward and they told me to come in. Got checked over and monitored. Contractions are about 5 mins apart lasting a lot longer than a minute and getting very strong. Only dilated 1 cm though, but midwife says a lot can happen overnight.

Glad to be back home to be honest - I'd rather ride it out here than be hanging around the Birth Centre, lovely as it is. It flippin' hurts though.

I hope this is it hun .

With the plug , I didnt loose mine untill i got to hospital screaming in agony at 4cm hun .

The tight tummy sounds like contractions to me .

Stabbing pain allso sounds like contractions .

Good luck . xx .

i cant remember losing a plug when i had DS...... good luck this could be it! x

I hope it is.

Im clueless as i had a c section

It could be it or it could just be preparing, if u time them and they get stronger u will know, take a bath, a couple of paracetamol and if they dont subside it sounds like it will be the real thing

With my first I was induced but with my 2nd I didnt lose any plug at all so I dont think it means that ur not dilating, sometimes it comes out with ur waters

I would say the constipated feeling could be part of early labour as the baby has to push down and presses on the colon making u feel like u need a poo

The pains u describe sound like they could be the real thing but then they still could just be practice ones, good luck, hope this is it for u, Im jealous, i want my baby now, keep us informed

the constipated bearing down feeling is a sign of labour, i had that with baby number 2
stabbing pain down below is also a good sign and you dont necessarily loose your plug till you are further into labour everyone is different hunn,
sounds like early labour maybe phne mw and just see what they say hunn.

Hope this is it for you, good luck.

i hate to dissapoint u but ive had all of that for past week and nothing....

i hope ur luckier than me though

How u feeling now Neecee?

I havnt had a show or mucas plug but I know a few that never had any of that. My mum only had a show with my sister and rest of us nothing. Infact apparently i was the easiest child to give birth to as I didnt even cause her pain. They had to tell my mum she was in labour and she didnt believe them. I hope this happens to me lol but I dont feel it will saying this baby has made me so sick for months now.

I havnt had braxton hicks really : ( I was also told labour starts at the bottom as i did have them cramps at the top a few weeks ago ad thought it was labour. false alarm. My baby is engaged and sometimes rams its head down making me walk funny and be quite sore.

I dont know to be honest now. I dont want to get your hopes up as I thought about 3 weeks ago I was going to go into labour with all the signs I have had and they all have went away on me.

I've had similar pains and things too - my mw said period type cramps and shooting pains were normal at this stage.

My bump is really tender at the top but it goes like that sometimes.

I think the fact that yours are coming frequently is a good sign though - I haven't had them with any regularity

Good Luck - hope this is it for you x