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But you are almost ready...You're due in the next few weeks. These pains are normal, and they are preparing your uterus, pelvis, the baby, and your psyche for the birth. a lot of the pains are the baby getting into position, which once there it can be days, hours, or weeks. You never know. Im due in April(though I went into premature labor which they stopped three weeks ago), and the baby has been in position (all the way down) for over three weeks now, The last month is the worst, with the discomfort, and anxiety it's enough to push even the sanest of women over the edge. Take a bath, glass of wine, and a giant chocolate bar, and make sure your hunny finishes it off with a long foot massage. it will be your last moment to truely pamper yourself in a long time.

(many doc's suggest the glass of wine to stop contractions or to tell if they are the real thing, mine suggests it for anxiety at the end. One glass every once in a while really won't hurt the baby. In Europe they drink it with meals throughout the entire pregnancy daily, and have perfectly healthy babies.)

ahhh, this too shall pass. I agree that you are probably going thru some physical changes in preparation for childbirth. I would follow your doc's advice on the wine though - march of dimes has stated that they do not know what amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy, and most OB's are taking a zero tolerance stand on it. If you need to relax, have some sparkling grape juice, pretend it's wine, take two tylenol, a warm bath and when you get out, lay on the bed on your left side and enjoy the baby kicking and rolling around, because it will be over too soon, and trust me... you will miss it more than you realize!

Hi. I'm going to completely ignore the wine issue from previous responses since it's not something you asked about. Instead, I'll give you the advice that I give myself. If there is any question in your mind, never hesitate to call your doctor's nurse. She knows what questions to ask you to help you determine what's going on, and pay attention to what's happening with your body so you can give good information. It's as simple as that. Good luck with your delivery--sounds like it will be soon!

hey there- I hate to diagree with the one lady, but I went onto labor like 7 times with my last- who's now almost 5 weeks- and I never knew when it was really going to happen. Although I was having preterm labor starting at 32 weeks. I had a lot of back pain with my last- it could be the baby moving down and the position he's in. If he hits a nerve or something - you'd feel it. Thats what they told me. Don't worry too much about the back pain- if you're ever in doubt- head to the hospital. Most of the time they are great about you coming in- especially if you're not sure what is going on. It's always better to be safe then sorry in my opinion. And you can put something warm on your back or take a warm bath- that might help- and the nurse told me that when I had contractions to sit in a warm tub- if they weren't real they would end up going away on their own in the tub b/c it relaxes the muscles- don't know if thats true or not, but thats what she said.

Hi. 1. Don't drink a glass of wine. That's the stupidest piece of advice I've ever heard anyone give a pregnant woman. I'm sorry if this is a strong statement, but I'm a strong advocate of zero alcohol during pregnancy. Would you give your newborn a glass of wine? I'm sure you wouldn't!! 2. If it was a short-lived cramping feeling, then maybe it was a Braxton-Hicks contraction (fake contraction, basically). I would time these cramps, though. I have a 21mo. old & no one told me that labor felt like really bad menstrual cramps. If you have a few spaced out, even 30min. apart, you could very well be going into labor. Mine started & were 30min. apart for a few hours, then 20, then 8, then 5, then 10, then 5, then 5, then boom, my water broke. Just keep a watch w/ a second hand near you! Good luck!

Be patient and enjoy your last few weeks of being pregnant - try not to get so caught up in every little ache and pain you feel (like the painful contractions you asked about last week, the back pain this week). You're what now, 38 weeks? Your body is definitely getting ready! I know it's annoying to hear a "trust me, you'll know" on your first pregnancy but it is so true. Constantly worrying about things will only drive your stress level higher. And, since you're under 21 I don't recommend the alcohol suggestions :)

Cherish this time with your partner as this will be the last time in a long time that it will be 'just you two', get lots of rest, and just be patient - that baby will come out when he is ready!