Prodromal labor @ 35 weeks?? Or just consistent BH?

[marigold91]

Hi ladies,

For the past few days, I've been having consistent contractions that last for HOURS, but eventually just fizzle out and stop completely. Yesterday, I had contractions about 5-8 minutes apart (lasting about a minute each time) from 3:30pm-10:30pm, and then they just stopped! I didn't bother going into L&D to get checked, just because I can sort of tell it's not the real thing (because after hours, the contractions don't get more intense. They just stay uncomfortable). I did chug water to make sure it wasn't from dehydration and laid down on the couch for hours, and they kept coming... until 10:30 or so when they just stopped altogether.

Is this what prodromal labor is like? Is it even possible to have this at 35 weeks? And if so, am I going to be stuck doing this for weeks? Or is this just consistent braxton hicks?

 

[lottie_2007]

I was like this with my.3rd. I was in and out of hospital for about 2 weeks with strong bh, sometimes so intense it felt like the real thing. He eventually came 3 days late after lots of sweeps! Guessing I will suffer the same with bh with this one being number 4 x

 

[marigold91]

I was like this with my.3rd. I was in and out of hospital for about 2 weeks with strong bh, sometimes so intense it felt like the real thing. He eventually came 3 days late after lots of sweeps! Guessing I will suffer the same with bh with this one being number 4 x

Ohhh I hope I don't end up this way! Lol. Had such an easy labor with my first though so that's probably jinxed me! Lol. I just wonder why it's started so early. 35 weeks seems super early to have these start and stop false labors!

 

[MemmaJ]

I started the same thing at about 35 weeks this time (my second pregnancy).
I had been having daily, very uncomfortable BH's since about 26 weeks but they became stronger and went on for longer periods of time, from about 35 weeks.

Like you, I knew it wasn't the real thing as although painful, they didn't increase in intensity and weren't consistently regular (ie: I'd have a few regular, and then one after 5 minutes, another one after 8 minutes, another one after 12 minutes, then 6 minutes, etc). And then it would just stop...! Until the next day, lol.

This stopped and started until it finally began to turn into the real thing at just over 37 weeks, and i definitely knew the difference!

Second/subsequent labours can be quick though, so I'd say definitely get checked out if you're at all unsure Next time

 

[DaisyDreamer]

If that happens again try taking a warm bath and keep drinking more water to see if that helps. I dehydrated myself over three days and on the fourth day was experiencing so many BH. And no matter how much water I chugged they would keep on coming until later that evening. Also noticed I wasn't peeing as much as I should have been that day so was probably severely dehydrated.
Whenever I get a lot of firm BH (like 4 in an hour) I just hop in the tub and they stop right in their tracks