2nd time mum feeling like a 1st timer!!

[lj2245]

When they say no pregnancy/labour is the same they really aren't joking! My first was so clear cut. I had painless BH's for weeks then woke up one morning having a very obvious contraction. The contractions were regular and increased in frequency and length until my son arrived. Textbook and no doubt about what was happening.

This time I have been having very painful, irregular period like cramps since last Thursday. Nothing like the contractions I had with my son. My back is killing me. Again, different. Baby noticeably 'dropped' last Friday. Last night I went to bed after another day of constant 'period cramping' and had what was more like the contractions I'd had with my son for 2 hours but strangely, they were a minute in length and only 1 minute apart! When they stopped, I fell asleep and slept soundly until this morning. Normal 'cramping' and backache has resumed.

I have just been to the toilet and *TMI ALERT** when I wiped there was a lot of mucous tinged with a little blood. I never had anything like that with my last pregnancy.

I've been insisting to my husband that I know what I'm doing but it's just occurred to me that I have no idea

Is this the start of labour or can this go on for weeks yet?

 

[lj2245]

I should also mention that my first was a well behaved wee child and was in the correct position for labour. This baby is back-to-back and refuses to change, other than to occassionally flip breech and back again!!

 

[cckarting]

Sounds like your mucous plug, and that's a good sign baby could be coming soon, but by soon it could be anywhere in the next couple weeks I'm on my third baby and still feel like i'm a first time mom! My other two were pretty close to the same pregnancy wise, but this one is breech, has made me terribly sick, and i feel like i'm not going to know what i'm doing once baby gets here!!

 

[Anthrogirl]

Sounds like your mucous plug, and that's a good sign baby could be coming soon, but by soon it could be anywhere in the next couple weeks I'm on my third baby and still feel like i'm a first time mom! My other two were pretty close to the same pregnancy wise, but this one is breech, has made me terribly sick, and i feel like i'm not going to know what i'm doing once baby gets here!!

Me too! #3 is totally unlike #s 1 and 2 that I have no idea what to expect! I'm not sure about the mucus plug, I don't remember losing mine with either of my girls, but the early, latent, prodromal labor went on for 2 weeks with my #2. It was tiring!

 

[Cherry_bump]

I'm exactly the same atm, 2nd pregnancy and its so different from my first as I've also been getting period pains since 35 weeks (I'm now 37+2) and baby is also back to back although I haven't lost my mucous plug yet. Sounds like the beginning for you though, although it can still be a while for you to be in active labour

 

[kstan]

My first was back to back and had same sharp pains for about 4 weeks. The pains were actually worse than the first bit of labour x

 

[cckarting]

Anthrogirl do you have girls/boys, or all the same? Were having our third boy! This one has been terribly different. My first was 12 days late, and had sections with our second, and will with this one too!

 

[Amy_T]

I'm a third time mum and feel the same.... With my first I was single, at uni, lived with my parents and breezed through pregnancy but was induced before 38 weeks due to lack of fluid....with my second I was happily married but there were a lot of problems with my pregnancy, was told baby unlikely to make it, had to have all care 1.5 hours away and induced there 3 weeks early, baby in NiCU
Etc (she's 2.5 now and fine by the way!). Now on to my third, still happily married and this pregnancy has been easy (apart from extra worry due to last time) but because of the previous pregnancies I feel like this is our first! I am now the most pregnant I have ever been and hoping to go in to labour naturally for the first time

 

[Anthrogirl]

Anthrogirl do you have girls/boys, or all the same? Were having our third boy! This one has been terribly different. My first was 12 days late, and had sections with our second, and will with this one too!

My first 2 are girls and we don't know what this one is, I'll let you in June! My first 2 pregnancies were more similar to each other (although really quite different) than this one. This preg, #3 is SO totally different than both of my others...Fingers crossed for a boy!!

 

[cckarting]

my fx for you a little blue babes! I thought for sure i was having a girl this time around because this pregnancy was soooo different from my other two, but were welcoming another little man in just 2 weeks!

 

[JennyNBaby]

Hey ladies :wave:

Well here it goes, I am 38 weeks tomorrow....lost my plug at 35 weeks 3 days and had some light bleeding for a day or 2. Started getting contractions (not BH because I've been having those for ages already, and they never wrapped into my back and up to my ribs). Sometimes they can be back-to-back and vicious then suddenly stop...just to disappear for days at a time. Then they come back again. Have had hot flashes, nesting, multiple bathroom trips (the "cleanse"), swelling & joint pain...basically every item on the list of early labor / prodromal labor. Was 2-3cm dilated and 70% effaced at 36 weeks...not sure what I am now. Been feeling extremely restless this week, which yesterday turned into more of an extreme tiredness. Gained 5lb in one week, attributed to the extra fluids that are making me so uncomfortable. Not due for 2 more weeks, but I've been feeling like active labor should start for ages now. This is our first, having a little girl. I feel like I've been dealt the most confusing, frustrating hand and just wonder WHEN will the real thing ever come?? How long can this really go on??