My due date was yesterday, and the baby doesn't seem to be in a hurry to come out. I've been having the same symptoms for almost two weeks -- on/off painful contractions (though never closer than 8-10 minutes apart), aching hips sometimes accompanied by shooting pain down my thighs, and some additional symptoms that I'll keep to myself. :-)
I have my next appointment at 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday. My midwife will perform a nonstress test -- that means that they will monitor the baby's heartbeat for 20 minutes to see how the heartbeat responds to any natural contractions I might be having, and make sure that she's not experiencing any stress.
We'll update you on the latest as it becomes available. At least the end is in sight...the baby will most likely be here by the end of next week. -- Laurie