So I’m currently 36 weeks 4 days (Thursday) I’ve had a lot of pressure the last week and I was 1cm and 50% effaced Monday. Tues night I starting having a lot of cramping and occasional contractions. Really felt like I ate something that upset my stomach. I tried to time them just to see but it was difficult to do so because my whole belly wouldn’t get hard each time. Ended up having diarrhea a few times and eventually in bed they fizzled out and I went to sleep. Woke up Wed morning feeling fine-slept with husband-and then shortly afterwards was back to feeling like crap. Little appetite, sooo tired-like I could sleep all day. Then that night (last night) I had to do some grocery shopping and kept having contractions and back pain while shopping as well as the continued pressure. Sometimes I had to stop for a second but I was able to keep going through most of them. When I got home a started timing them and there was a tightening in my lower to mid back and then it would go around front and my belly would tighten. Eventually it started to also feel sore down into the back of my upper thighs. This was several hours didn’t matter sitting or standing or walking around. I did end up having diarrhea again a few times. Then I had a pretty long tightening of back and belly for 8 minutes straight in which I stood in the kitchen and waited for it to go away. It was the most uncomfortable one. After that I got in bed and while watching a movie they fizzled out again. They were lasting about 1-2 minutes last night and ranged from 4-8 min apart before they stopped. Total of 3-4 hours. I had a few this morning but not to where I’m timing them yet. This is my 4th baby but my first was induced (vaginal birth) and the other 2 were cesareans so I have never went into labor on my own before. I was going to go to the hospital last night but I really wanted to wait until they got super painful or my water broke so I knew it was actually real lol. They were uncomfortable for sure but for the most part I could still talk and move around. I get Braxton Hicks all the time and they are just belly tightening and don’t involve my back. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

Am I just having a lot of false labor that means nothing or could this be my body gearing up for the real thing to happen in the next few days?? Basically I guess I’m asking if this is how anyone else had their labor begin?