Can anyone relate to CONSTANT, uncomfortable tightenings at 37+2?! Could labour be close?

This is my second baby. I had minimal Braxton hicks with my first pregnancy. In fact, the whole pregnancy was rather uneventful until the day I was in labour... And I knew I was in labour. She was born at exactly 38w.

This time around, I've been having BH since about 25 weeks. These are irregular and have happened a couple of times a day.

However, the past 24-36hours I've had PERSISTENT tightenings. These are still irregular, but they are every 5-10 mins and are pretty uncomfortable. Last night was the worst of it and I can feel it picking up again tonight. The pain genuinely feels like baby is about to rip through the skin on the top and front of my abdomen. Baby is also SO, SOOO active. There has been associated menstrual cramps, too and the cramping feelings (very mild but present!) stick around between the tightenings.

Sidenote, baby has engaged and I was only 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. But this has been the case since week 30.

Also, weirdly, every time these tightenings happen I feel a "rush" that mimics the feeling of my heart skipping a beat... But it isn't. (I monitor this closely as I do have a heart condition)

The tightenings aren't something I'm used to. My whole bump just turns into a heavy, bowling ball. I'm uncomfortable, I'm not sleeping, I'm over it and, really, I'm looking for some hope that I'm close to labour. This has been a long, hard pregnancy.

Can you relate, and if so, when did you go into labour? Or, tell me your story.

TIA! Love from an exhausted, anaemic penguin 🤣 X