What are these?

[momma_k807]

I have been having contractions in my back off and on for nearly 2 weeks now. Sometimes they are stronger than others and no real pattern so I haven't been concerned.

However, the past few days I've developed very strong almost menstrual type cramps. At times they are very painful other times it's just a dull ache. Again no pattern. Both yesterday and today they have gone on nearly constantly all day long. At some points they are so strong it hurts to stand, walk or even just sit.

I've been drinking lots of water and trying to limit my activity because that seems to at times make them worse. Plus when I have them if I stand I feel alot of pressure which gets so uncomfortable. I never remember having these with my son so I'm really unsure what they might be. I've been drinking lots of water too thinking that might be the issue but it doesn't seem to help.

Any ideas what's going on? I do have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at 9:30 EST.

[CoffeeCat]

Can't say for sure, and definitely good to get it checked out, but personally I had more strong and crampy yet not "productive" as in dilating contractions in my second and third pregnancies. I had one bout of contractions at around 36 weeks that made me scared enough to go to l&d, and I did have some dilation (a cm in an hour) so they gave me a shot of terbutaline, and after that whenever I would have similar contractions it turned out that I wasn't dilating and baby was OK/staying put. *If* they turn out to be strong BH/pre-labor contractions, which you can only know by being examined, I have heard that it's part of the phenomenon that makes subsequent labors shorter/easier for some women. Multiparas like us tend to warm up for a long time and then when it's D-day, your body has done a lot of the work for you already. NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, but sometimes that's what's going on. KUP on what happens at your appointment and GL!

[Woogelaide]

Not to be crass, but when was the last time you had a good bowel movement? I felt like that with my son, so I went to L&D. It was really embarrassing. They did an internal exam to see if I was dilating and said right away, "you're really constipated!" I was not having awful contractions like I thought. I was having intestinal pain from not being able to poop...
Good luck, let us know what the OB says!

[momma_k807]

Can't say for sure, and definitely good to get it checked out, but personally I had more strong and crampy yet not "productive" as in dilating contractions in my second and third pregnancies. I had one bout of contractions at around 36 weeks that made me scared enough to go to l&d, and I did have some dilation (a cm in an hour) so they gave me a shot of terbutaline, and after that whenever I would have similar contractions it turned out that I wasn't dilating and baby was OK/staying put. *If* they turn out to be strong BH/pre-labor contractions, which you can only know by being examined, I have heard that it's part of the phenomenon that makes subsequent labors shorter/easier for some women. Multiparas like us tend to warm up for a long time and then when it's D-day, your body has done a lot of the work for you already. NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, but sometimes that's what's going on. KUP on what happens at your appointment and GL!

Thanks, hopefully today my doctor will be able to give me some insight on what's going on.

Not to be crass, but when was the last time you had a good bowel movement? I felt like that with my son, so I went to L&D. It was really embarrassing. They did an internal exam to see if I was dilating and said right away, "you're really constipated!" I was not having awful contractions like I thought. I was having intestinal pain from not being able to poop...
Good luck, let us know what the OB says!

had to LOL at this, luckily for me the only time I've ever had issues with constipation was when I'm on progesterone. I haven't had any issues since the first trimester. Though I do know that those feelings can sometimes be similiar.

[momma_k807]

So the baby has definitely moved down and that's what the pressure is I'm feeling. He said if I start having regular contractions at all to go straight to L&D and they will deliver the baby right away. My doctor gave me the option of stopping work now if I want. I have some things to wrap up so I told him I'd get a note from him at my next appointment on Monday to release me from work a week early. That will give me some time with my DS and some time to relax before the baby comes.

[macksmom]

Do you know the baby's position? If she is "sunny side up" those may be early contractions that will get more intense when you go into labor - which would be "back labor". I had that with my first - all my labor was in my back.

[momma_k807]

I had back labor with my son. I can never keep which one is sunny side up straight but she is facing my back.