Question for anyone out there...could be TMI, read with caution

So I am 37 weeks and yesterday felt like total crap!  Rested from time I got home until I woke up this AM.  Here is my question...last night I noticed that my private area is extremely swollen and on one side when I wipe I can feel like a hardness.   Yesterday the baby cramped in a ball all day causing most of my discomfort.  This morning I am feeling alot of cramping in my back, but like I am getting ready to start my period.   My first baby wasn't like this, never had this type of swelling, and I figured out what labor was but last time wasn't in my lower back.   Anyone felt like this?   Thinking it's my body preparing for labor but just wanted to know if anyone else experience the swelling, etc.  I am being very aware of how I am feeling because this baby is transverse and dr said not to let myself go into active hard labor before coming to the hospital....

Any experiences, or thoughts would be appreciated!  Stacey

Not sure about the swelling, but the back pain definitely sounds like early labor.  Keep an eye on how frequent you're noticing it.  If the doc doesn't want you going very far into labor, might be worth checking in with him.  Good luck!

I had all back labor with my last one, and it defiantly sounds like back labor in the early stages. The swelling may have something to do with the baby's position on your nerves. Also could be caused by the veins being compressed making blood return impossible or very little. My sister had a problem with that. I would defiantly call your doctor though, it really sounds like early labor and since your dr. Doesn't want you going into full on labor, he may most likely want you to be seen, make sure there is not change to your cervix. Also keep in mind, I was in active labor and not one of my contractions were showing up on the monitor due to all of it being in my back! So if they hook you up to the monitors and say "we don't see anything" they still should do an internal cervix check!

labia swelling (on one side or both) could be an infection. Please call your doctor.

Are you taking any medication?

I did not have the swelling but felt awful from about 37 1/2 weeks till delivery at 39 weeks.  Slept a lot, lots of abdominal and back pain, sometimes related to contractions sometimes just continuous.  And would have times of severe perineal pain when I stood up from where the babies head was--I am 4 days post c-section and say even with the pain from the surgery and sleep deprived I feel better now than the last week of being pregnant!