False labour

Has anyone else experienced what felt like false labour yet?

I had really painful contractions earlier today while I was out on a walk, and I was in proper agony for a while! (I’m 31 weeks). They were coming regularly enough that I genuinely thought things might be starting... and I kept thinking "IT'S TOO EARLY"

Once I got back home everything calmed down and stopped, but I was crying because I was so scared it was happening this early (waaay too early) and I’m on my own. I also felt quite nauseous afterwards.

I did call triage and they told me to come in if I was in pain, but to stay at home if it settled. Since everything has stopped now I’ve stayed home, but I’m still feeling a bit shaken by how intense it was!

Has anyone else had a similar “on and off” experience where it felt like labour might be starting, but then it completely stopped again? Is this something others have had at this stage? When googling it sounds like something called "false labour"... a bit like Braxton Hicks but painful and regular/coming closer and closer just like real labour.

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Im 33w4days and i had this a few days ago all through the night and morning!! It shook me up too but after a little bath things started to ease and i was back to normal ! Xxx

I just experienced this this morning. It woke me around 5am and I could have cried with the pain in the right side of my belly.
I was breathing slowly to calm myself down, as I know panicking wouldn't help the situation.
It went away after 10 minutes and was able to go back to sleep.
Luckily, I had a midwife appointment scheduled today so flagged it, and she said it could have been the way I slept. If it happens again, then I should go to triage. I am 31w 2d

I had this in my first pregnancy. Around 32 weeks it started and felt like mild period pain but came on and off constantly to the point I was convinced they were contractions. It would last for around half an hour and then stop.

Then when I actually laboured it felt exactly the same but got a lot more frequent, intense and lasted hours.

My advice would be keep monitoring it, see if there is any change each time (pain wise, length of time it lasts) if it goes off then I’d have thought it would be braxton hicks. I’m no expert though and this is purely based off my experience. Always call the midwife help line if you are worried for professional advice

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