thank you for answering my questions!  I am 38 weeks and 1 day.  My prior two births were at 32 and 6, and 37 and 3.  So I'm starting to feel kind of "late" even though I rationally know I'm not. :)

Every day for about the past week, I have woken in the early am with terrible menstrual-like low back cramping, aching, etc--it feels EXACTLY like labor, only without the corresponding ctx.  I might have a ctx or three in there, but the low back pain is ongoing and unrelenting while the ctx are random.  I'm thinking this might be positional because it only stops once I get up for the day--which kind of ruins me because now I'm tired!! 

My midwife suggested gas, which I think is in no way related whatsoever.  Another doula suggested back labor, which might be more of a possibility because this baby is definitely angling for that position (my last was posterior, too).  I guess I'm wondering what you think?  Is my body just not comfortable in my bed anymore? 

It might not be anything sinister, though I despise it because EVERY day I wake thinking, "great! today's they day!" and then I remember, oh yeah...

thank you so much!

et

I'm afraid I can't be very helpful because your question is outside of my sphere of expertise. I analyze and synthesize the research, but yours is a clinician question, and I am not a midwife or doctor. If your midwife isn't concerned, and it goes away, maybe you're right, and it's about your mattress. I guess the best that can be said is that given your history, you won't have to put up with it much longer.

~ Henci