how to know whats labor?

[brittany12]

The pressure down there has really increased and I also have like a really bad pressure/pain in my lower uterus area when I try to roll over or when I stand up. I am also getting some pressure in my bum area.

I don't know what contractions feel like, but I don't think I've had any. The other day I had a good bit of BH and I have felt a few strong ones here and there the past couple of days.

Are these signs that labor is coming soon? What do contractions feel like? This pain I'm having doesn't go away and it literally brings tears to my eyes and is getting close to unbearable.

 

[MeaganMackenz]

Contractions for me are a stop start thing, not constant. Whether they're really spaced or not depending on how far into labour you are.

I'm not sure there's really for sure specific signs labour is coming. You can have a dozen symptoms and still wait for labour for days or weeks. You can have no symptoms and bam you're in labour.

If the pain is that bad I'd call your ob in the morning Sorry I can't give you anything more definitive, labour is a hard thing to predict.

 

[brittany12]

Thanks.. I think the conclusion I've come to with all the "googling" is she's probably engaged now and moving down in my pelvic canal.

At least this is what I'm hoping!

 

[calm81]

The best description of REAL contractions I was ever given (helped me with first pregnancy) is to picture a pants belt wrapped around your abdomen, now picture someone pulling on the remaining length of the belt and pulling REAL tight and holding the pressure for a minute then releasing it...repeat feeling in regular intervals until they're 5 minutes apart then go to hospital. This EXACT feeling happened with my first and second pregnancy as my waters never broke on their own. My braxton hicks tighten my whole uterus and sometimes with back pain, but it's the belt tugging I'm looking out for before going to L&D. Until then, it's a guessing game for ALL of us, unfortunately.


I keep getting "it's coming soon" signs and it's driving me NUTS! My husband is afraid to go further than 30 minutes from home "just in case."

Feels like the next 3 or less (hopefully not longer) weeks are going to be a nerve wrecking time period for me and all the ladies in labor limbo.

I'm just glad I have this forum to share "this is my 'could labor be approaching' symptoms" and read other "what ifs."

Good luck!

 

[brittany12]

Thanks! I'll be looking out for that!

Today has been a rough one for sure.

Along with all those pains and pressure I mentioned in the first post (that have not eased up a single bit) I also have PUPPP and its on my legs arms belly and just itches like something I've never experienced before. Nothing helps it and its miserable like I've been rolling in poision ivy. Baths make it worse but showers hurt too much to stand in.

On top of that last Thursday my Dr did blood work to test for preeclampsia cause I was showing some signs like swelling, blood pressure increasing but not technically high, some protein did show in urine and then not too long ago I was getting up to leave in laws house after dinner and was sitting on the couch waiting for my pain to subside some and all of a sudden I was going cross eyed and couldn't focus my eyes. It wasn't dizziness or blurred or anything like that and it went away when I finally closed them for a second and then stood up. Freaked me the heck out!! So def. Calling in the morning to my Dr.

Then to top it off dh has a high truck so getting in and out is terrible and hurt so much and when I got in I just couldn't hold it in anymore the pain was so bad on top of everything else I just started crying my eyes out. I think that's when he finally realized I wasn't joking and it really hurts that bad. I'm not a crier at all unless its at a TV show or movie. But with all that pain I have plus the itch plus that episode of vision and thinking I could have preeclampsia and at least 3 weeks left I just couldn't take it.

I have a feeling my Dr is going to want to induce me when I tell him what has went on this weekend. Hopefully hell let me at least wait until first week in march!