False labour or early labour??

In short, I have been having shows since Wednesday, accompanied with very light pink discharge since then.

Since this morning I have been having period type cramps low down in my tummy. I text m/w and she guessed it was fixing pains.

Since around lunchtime, they have been coming more frequently and are now accompanied with a BH at the top of my bump. I had a bath earlier and went to bed, which is very unlike me. DH and I have been thinking these "could" be contractions but are very irregular, but the pain seems to be increasing as time goes on. I also have fairly loose bowel motions.

Would you say this is false labour or early labour? I would hate to cry wolf, and keep thinking no this is not the real mcoy. Everyone says you will just know you are in labour, but I honestly don't know if I am or not, but I kind of feel like I don't know what to do with myself.

We were meant to go out tonight, but something keeps telling me I shouldn't go.

Any thoughts appreciated, TIA.

Sounds like early labour to me. But if everything is so irregular it could go on for another 48 hours ish Sorry to be the downer! So if you're wanting to go somewhere and you don't need much energy, go ahead, it will make things go quicker for you and be less boring!

People say you'll know when you're in labour but they are referring to a later stage. When you get more than a contraction every 5 minutes, they all last for 60 seconds, you're sweating and not too chatty, that's what they're all talking about.

In the meantime, watch those contractions (yes that's what they are). If they get regular, less than 10 mins apart, that's when you need to call the mw and start talking about when to get to the hospital etc. Get her to meet you at your home first if she will, cause then you'll have less muck around time in the hospital.

All the best, I await news!!!

Oh and if your waters break, things may speed up much quicker

Sounds like early labour... I hated how everyone said "you will know when you are in labour".. I sure didn't lol.. as we were driving to the hospital I was constantly thinking to myself I hope this is actually labour hehe and my contractions were only 3 mins apart and lasting about a min 20 sec..

One way everyone kept telling me that if you lie down and are able to go to sleep then it's probably very early labour.. once you can't sleep and can't lie down and stay down then things are really moving on

oooh, i second/third/ what everyone else has said.. and good luck.

Yay, Peachy, sounds all go for you chick!! I would say definitely early labour...I was induced, but before 'real' labour kicked in I kept getting period pains (I've read you've never had these...!!) but low-crampy feelings that were very irregular to start with, but enough for me to stand up and pay attention and I couldn't sleep through them easily, just sort of dozed between each one. Then real labour is more of the same, but the intensity is like a vice-like grip around the same area, and of course the regularity, so you will soon know when things intensify. And they probably won't go away when you have a bath. Also, you might feel a little nauseated with them too...

GOOD LUCK!!

When I started labouring with Kryssi, it was a similar time of night to this. I went into the bath in the hope that everything would die down so I could sleep! But they got more painful so I was outta there rather quick LOL Then I dimmed the lights, got what I wanted ready, and camped out on the couch and basically slept - with regular intervals for contractions - to 5.30am. It was the best thing I could have done, catching up on rest before the long haul. And then Kryssi was born at 9.50am. (I have fast 2nd stage)

Probably your contractions are irregular because your baby is posterior - do you know? If so, leaning forward, going on all fours etc, is supposed to help baby turn, which then helps break your waters and establish labour.

Busymum I am laying on my beanbag as I am convinced baby turned posterior today after being anterior for weeks!

We are back to timing them again now, so will see how it goes over the next hour or so.

I will keep checking back in here every so often.

This better be the real mcoy!!!

Thanks for everyones advice!

Yay for you Peachy!! Are you managing to rest much tonight?

I'm not convinced its the real mcoy, but we will see, maybe a bit of denial

Fingers crossed this is it Peachy. If not, then you won't be far away All those cramps have to be doing something