Is this labor?

[ExcitedMamma]

Remind me, is this labor? Crampy feeling since this morning isn't going away but still not feeling like a timeable contraction. Will this turn into contractions soon or still just the body preparing? My DH is freaking out since OB keeps saying how fast labor will go this time.

[mikala]

Your body is probably preparing but it could take days. Put your feet up, drink lots of water, take a nap, read a book. Good luck!

[swrc00]

My labor started like that. I never had measureable contractions. About 6 hours after the cramping started my water broke. I hope it is the real deal! Good luck!

[KLD313]

Read my early labor thread, mine started like that but it was on and off for awhile. Did you try laying down or taking a shower to see if it stops?

[Katigre]

Most likely it is a sign of early labor and once it is nighttime and your child has gone to bed things will ramp up significantly - labor is FAR more likely to start at night, especially when you already have a child and are distracted during the day.

What is important right now is to REST - take a nap, go to bed early tonight and sleep when you can, and don't let labor keep you awake until it's REALLY intense so that you conserve your energy.

Oh, and one way to test if it's labor or not is to take a warm bath for 30 minutes - if contractions stop then it's too early, but if they keep going and intensify then it's the real thing :).

ETA: And there is no way to predict how 'fast' labor will go - I hung out at 7cm for *12 hours* even though my care providers thought it would be a fast and straightforward labor (I have really long labors in general though...but I'm just saying that dilation isn't a way to predict labor length).

[flashy09]

Cramps were the start of my labor! Woke up at 130 am with period like, steady cramps that turned into contractions I could time at around 12 pm. Didn't have the baby until 130 pm the next day, but the cramps were definitely the start of the real thing.