Period Like Cramps at Night 37 Weeks Pregnant

A question a lot of mums-to-be may ask during their pregnancy is: How will I know I'm in labour? This is a question you'll definitely want the answer to!

However, there is not a definitive answer that will apply to all, as it can vary a great deal. Plus, it will differ from person to person as well as to previous pregnancies.

So, to help give you a little insight as to what to expect when labour comes calling, we've asked our Parent Squad members how they first knew they were in labour. They've included the finer details of the symptoms and the signs, as well as the pain or discomfort they experienced.

When I knew I was in labour...

A 'show' was my sign

Gemma: "Both of mine were pretty much the same. Started with a bloody show early morning, by the evening I was having mild contractions like period pains, then for a couple of days the contractions got stronger and stronger then I went into hospital.

First baby was born within 45mins and the second baby was born in 20mins. My waters didn't break on either until I did my first push!"

Amy: "I went from nothing to full blown labour with my first, I had a few niggles and a bloody show that morning and then contractions started without a break. I was induced with my second, I had the gel at 2pm and tightening began at about 9pm but were irregular. Then at 7:20am my waters went and full blown contractions without a break began."

Pavlina: "With my first child I woke up in the middle of the night with contractions every 7-8mins, but it was when I saw blood on my pad (the show) that we knew we had to go. With my second one I was having very chaotic contractions, but when they started getting really painful I knew that was the day."

Prompted by pain

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Chloe: "I had really weird pains in my side! But I had to be induced to make my labour stronger!"

Jasmyn: "I woke up in the morning and felt like I had very mild period cramps, by the time I'd had breakfast I went to the toilet and noticed some of my show. Still assumed it was nothing starting at that time but I didn't know my waters were leaking.

Throughout the day the cramps continued and started to get a little stronger but again, me being me dismissed it thinking 'If it was labour it must be more painful and I'd know about it!' Me and my partner went out for the day walking round whilst I'm having contractions!

Later things got a bit more uncomfortable so I went for a bath, thought it had eased until I got out things got a lot stronger. We timed them and things were all as they say, so my partner rang the maternity unit. They said to come in, and I got told I was 2cm dilated so we went home. Then two hours later I'm waking my partner up saying I HAVE to go back now I need some pain relief, but it was too late for any pain relief I was 9cm dilated and about to deliver."

Nikki: "All eight of mine started with backache that slowly got worse, after number four or so you recognise that familiar ache a lot quicker!"

Joanne: "I woke up with 'period' type pain that gradually got worse. After two hours we went to the hospital and my baby was born three hours later. My waters went with baby's arrival."

Charlotte: "With my first I woke up with niggly pains and stayed at home for as long as I could until the pain got worse. Luckily I did because I was 10cm as soon as the midwife examined me!"

Taylar: "I had horrendous lower back pain and about an hour after that my waters broke, but due to my little one eating his meconium I had to be induced the day after. Then the day after that I finally had my little one!"

Molly: "I had tightening the day before where it just felt like bad period pain but I could carry on. Then the next morning at 4am the pains woke me up, so I was like I'm in labour now."

Bella: "Mild stomach pains like the onset of menstrual cramps, followed by diarrhoea. I wasn't sure at this point, but with increasingly strong and frequent cramps and then some vomiting, it was pretty obvious at that point! Even my husband said so!"

Wow, my waters have broken!

Meenakshi: "My waters broke, and it was 3 weeks early!!!! I was sorting out all the baby clothes when suddenly I felt a really hard kick from baby, and it made a noise as if a balloon had burst.

Suddenly I felt the need to go for a wee and when I did it wouldn't stop!!!! Then it hit me that my waters must have broken. I rushed to my husband literally leaking all over the place and said we need to get to the hospital. Once there, they told me that I was not in active labour yet so they will wait to perform the c section (my baby girl was breech). We waited and then I went into active labour and got rushed to theatre and had my baby girl!"

Heather: "My waters went at 3am when I was 36+2 weeks. My husband was hilarious - there I am standing on a towel and after putting the kettle on (!) he's sitting looking at his phone. When I asked what he was doing he said he was Googling what to do!!!! We do what you learnt in antenatal class - you ring the hospital and put the bag in the car!

He was shouting at me the whole way for not telling him when contractions were starting and ending as he couldn't time them properly! He only relaxed once he had placed responsibility for me firmly in the hands of the midwives. Bless him!"

Charley: "My waters broke like in the movies with both my boys before having any kind of contraction. First labour was 5 hours start to finish, and the second labour was 30mins from being asleep to having him in my arms in my bathroom, with no medical professionals present!"

Katy: "My waters broke, although at 35weeks I didn't realise and actually thought I had wet myself! So, I wasn't ready – I needed to pop to Tesco for some last minute bits. Having contractions walking down the baby aisle was surreal!! I managed to get what we needed and then headed off to the hospital to have our baby!"

I had an urge to empty my bowels

Firdaus: "I thought I was having constipation and I kept running to the toilet. Then I got a lot of blood discharge with more frequent contractions. My husband rang the labour line for the 4th time (we went to the hospital after 3rd call but was sent back home). My water broke in front of the hospital entrance and my baby came out an hour later."

Rabia: "I had diarrhoea the night before and woke up at 3am with a really painful contraction. Went to the hospital at 6am as I couldn't feel the baby move and I was 5cm dilated. I then had my baby eleven hours later."

Rachel: "Woke at 3am thinking I had IBS pains and sat on the loo for an hour before I woke my husband up and said, actually I think I'm in labour!"

Rebecca: "I had bad diarrhoea and backache before any other signs with all four of mine!"

My contractions confirmed it

Claire: "With my first I lost my mucus plug then started with strong contractions two hours later. It was a long back to back labour. With my second baby I was induced."

Vivienne: "Contractions were my first sign. I had a long slow labour for a week."

Fiona: "I had contractions every two minutes right from the start - it happened so quickly. I thought I needed a poo! I was at the hospital an hour later and already 9cm dilated. I had my waters broken and he was born 3.5hrs after my first contraction."

Ana: "My contractions were so painful and when I got to hospital I was already 5cm."

Tanika: "With my first I had a urine infection so I was getting strong contractions every 5mins from the beginning. My second was back to back, therefore I woke up with contractions in my stomach and back. They were painful and regular!"

I had no idea…

Lee: "I didn't really, my waters broke and next thing I know I'm in a delivery room napping between contractions. It was 4 hours from my waters breaking till I was holding my little girl."

Paige: "I didn't even know I was in labour until I was 2mins apart. I thought I had irritated uterus again until I had a bath and realised the pain didn't go away. So I finally got a taxi to hospital, my waters broke at hospital an hour later, and then I was ready to push my son out."

Emma: "I didn't know I was in labour until I was 3cm dilated and contracting every 4mins. My early labour felt like I had trapped wind but I ended up in premature labour at 30+1 weeks. My waters had already fully broken at around 18 weeks so the consistency of the pains were all I had to go by. My son was born the following morning, 20 hours after admission."

Katie: "I didn't. I thought I had Braxton hicks. We only went to hospital because I had a bleed, and found out we were six centimetres and it was labour. Contractions never got close or long, they were 1minute every 3-5mins from start to finish. From my first 'Braxton hick' to delivery was 5hrs 20mins."

Salma: "I didn't know... everyone had told me I would feel sharp pains going around my belly. I had none except my lower back was in agony, every 5mins it felt like my lower back was giving in. When I called Triage they ask me to come in, I was over 5cm dilated with my first.

With my 2nd I was dilated 7cm... Let's see what happens with no.3!"

Natalie: "I didn't know! I thought I was having constant Braxton hicks as I had them over 3-4 days regularly, but never got a consistent gap between them or the 3 in 10 everyone says. So I just carried on with our plans.

Got to Christmas day evening, we'd been out all day and all of a sudden I thought: 'the baby's coming now' while on the loo. I still wasn't having regular contractions but demanded to go in. We got there and I was 7cm dilated; by the time they ran the pool I was 10cm and ready to push. Nothing like what everyone describes! It took 3 hours to push her out though."

Period Like Cramps at Night 37 Weeks Pregnant

Source: https://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/blog/How-I-first-knew-I-was-in-labour

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