i think it really depends with my son my water broke and the contractions were instantly really painful but with my daughter iwoke up at 7am and they were dull but consistent then my water broke and they started getting alittle more painful until they were really painful. With joseph though i never noticed then start out dull at all. i had false labor like 2 days prior though i was having contractions 2-3 min apart but they werent really strong so hmm who knows.

Jolie I experienced the same thing on the Saturday afternoon and on and off into the night. I thought that was as bad as contractions got!
Thats how my labor 'journey' began with jay. My parents took me to the hospital around 2am that night but I got sent home, it stopped for a while I managed to sleep, then it started again but more painful so we went back to the hospital and stayed in this time. So for me it all started that saturday afternoon with the pains I think you're describing. Goodluck!

Morgan

if you can time them then most likely are contractions mine were timable started 20 min apart when we were at the mall when i was pregnant with joseph the day before my due date. when i got to the hospital they were 2-3 min apart but i was only 1cm dilated when i got there and 5 hrs later still 1cm so they sent me home wich made me mad i was due the next day! They gave me a shot of morphine though so i could get some sleep. But the day i actually went into labor i just remmeber excrutiating pains when i noticed my water leaking.

oh boy. i don't know if i should wish you labour dust or not. don't want you to be in pain for nothing but i know it's aydan's birthday coming up and you didn't want to miss that. hope you feel better and hold on for a while. the contractions i was having the other night were productive enough to get me to 3 cm but i'm still hanging in there so maybe it will be the same for you. good luck!

It just confused me abit! When I had Lucas I was induced they tried using pitocin gel, but that didnt work so I ended up with an iv of oxytocin and this took me straight into really strong labour! So I dont have any idea how its supposed to start.
I am not really feeling anything today apart from a few aches. I have had a few cramps but I dont know whether its just me thinking about it too much!! I am just trying to chill out as much as possible and get on with things and see if anything comes of it!
I havent said hardly anything to Chris about it as I dont see the point at the moment (although he knows about last night) so I'll just come on here with it and bother you guys instead!
While I remember, last night I kept feeling loads of pelvic pressure around the time of the 'contraction', I kept feeling like I needed the bathroom or that I had wind (tmi lol!) but I didnt have either. Is that common or just my strange body??

i only felt that pressure the day i was in labor, maybe its worth getting checked out if ur having any cramps etc. it could also just be the baby engaging itself to get ready for labor

it sounds like how i feel as well. BUT you will probably progress faster because it's not your first. so, don't ignore it too much, lol. it's so confusing isnt it?

Yeah confusing and frustrating! To be honest there isnt much to ignore, nothing has really happened today, hmmm, maybe something might start up this evening though thats generally the time when I get the most aches and pains.
Everybody has such different story's to tell but I guess every pregnancy and labour is different lol! I am way to impatient to play this waiting game!!

just hang in there jo, you can do it!

i'm 5 days overdue now. i don't understand why i can't let go of that due date and just let everything happen when it wants to. i got dragged out to a family gathering at the lake today and everyone was fussing over me and talking about when the baby is going to come. everyone wanted to know when i'm being induced and giving me suggestions for how to start labour. i love Rich's family and all but i wasn't in the mood for all that. it just makes me feel like i'm doing something wrong or that i'm being incompetent in some way. i had been so relaxed and eager and prepared to give birth and now i seem to have become a bundle of nerves. argh. and now i can't tell who is being grumpier, me or Rich. we never fight but right now we aren't speaking because we are both so edgy and tense that we are getting on each other's nerves. if i ask him to do something he pulls a face at me and if i notice it he gets mad at me and says i'm imagining it. lol. too much tension in this house right now when just 5 days ago we were so excited and happy. all because of a stupid due date.

i really, sincerely, hope you aren't feeling anything like this!!

So I spent last night in loads of discomfort but nothing happened as far as contractions go! Although I am thinking of it as a good thing just need to hold out for a few more days

Karen, I am beginning to know how you feel. As friday (my due date) approaches I am getting more and more on edge. Having my other children at 38 weeks definitely plays apart, I have never thought about my dd so much before!!.
Sometimes, as lovely as my family and friends are, I feel under pressure to just pop this baby out!. I literally had nearly every friend I have call me yesterday all wanting to see if anything was happening yet. I know they mean well but it just makes you feel worse somehow. Not just that, everytime I asked them what they were up to they changed the subject back to the baby and pregnancy. I love talking about the baby but sometimes it would be nice to have a 'normal' conversation! Its like people just think I am a walking talking baby machine!
I know Chris is finding it difficult. He tries to be understanding but I admit my mood swings must be pretty hard to bear at the moment! He does alot for all of us and theres times where we argue over the most stupid stuff. I always find myself apologising and trying to explain how anxious these stupid contraction things are making me but not sure whether he really gets where I am coming from. He seems to have an abnormal amount of patience over this!!

Just think you are 5 days over, baby really cant be in there much longer, surely they arent going to let you go much over a week now at the most. Once your baby is born all of the stress will be forgotten and the experience will have made so both so much stronger and closer!. Stop thinking of yourself as overdue and think... by this time next week I could be a mommy!!!