what were your first signs of labour?

[chloeleanne]

So what were the very first signs that you experienced ladies had that you were in/ going into labour? Im a first time mum 37 weeks pregnant and just curious as to all the unknown signs and symptoms that there are?

For the past few days ive been experiencing back pain, menstrual like cramping, shooting pains in cervix, sore breasts and for the past 24 hours ive cried over EVERYTHING, i also feel like i want to be by myself at home at lot... im really hoping these are signs that things are getting a move on and that im not gonna be like this for the next 3-5 weeks

[Dollybird86]

Hi mine were back ache period pain pressure in my cervix( I would panic and think my waters where about to break they didnt until 5 minutes before she was born) feeling drained the a sudden rush of energy.

BUT this started at 37 weeks and I went 9 days over when I finally went into labour I was convinced it was going to stop like it had been doing for weeks.

Best thing you can do is sleep and eat regularly it will happen soon enough and it will be so much harder if ur knackered coz youve been stressing for weeks that ur are about to go into labour!

Maybe read a book my dd is almost 9weeks and whenever I even go near a book shes starts to cry! Oh and paint your nails!

[AmandaCooper]

Waters breaking, then 15 minutes later, contractions. Not a single symptom beforehand.

[RemindMeWhatSleepIs]

Both times just waters breaking then contractions starting soon after.

Good luck!

[podmumlet]

A really upset, crampy tummy clearing everything out before baby's rather swift appearance.

[CheeseTMouse]

I had a period like pain in the evening and thought nothing of it and went to bed. I then woke up in the middle of the night and spent a long time searching the internet for "what are the signs of labour" whilst the period like pain got stronger and (I now know) I was in labour...

Waters and show etc were right at the end for me, and yet it was those I had been looking out for as early signs. Everyone is different!

Good luck with it all

[lorenzo1984]

My DD was born at 38+4. I finished work on the Friday and on Saturday morning had tummy ache for about an hour. I thought it was just something I ate as it went away on its own. During the day I was really sleepy and had 2 naps on the sofa. At 9.30pm that night the 'tummy ache' returned. This time it was clear it was contractions as they were a minute or so long and around 10 minutes apart. My body obviously knew what was coming telling me to sleep during the day as I didn't sleep at all that night (even though I tried). DD was born at 4.35pm the next day.

I didn't have my show until we arrived at the hospital at 9am the next morning, and the midwife had to break my waters during labour.

This was my first labour too.

Good luck!

[babsie007]

I keep wondering too what to expect and over analyzing everything.... It feels like when we were trying to pregnant!! Turns out the months I got my bfp I was already nearly 2 months pregnant and would have sworn that I wasn't pregnant at all!! Lol!

Sorry for hijack but I was just wondering if I'm experiencing early labour... I'm 37+1 and the last few days I have had a lot of bms of the soft variety, been very emotional, then this morning woke with the feeling of being constipated, a little more pressure and feeling a little like I need to be sick. Anyone have these symptoms when their labour started?

[plentyofsoap]

With my first I thought I had a tummy bug (only 33 weeks) and was clingy with dh. Waters went next day.
This time no signs apart from a rush of energy and the urge to smell her baby clothes Waters went to next day.

[babsie007]

I always have the urge to smell baby clothes...

[chloecorey]

I was 37 weeks and had backache allll day which I didn't take notice of, mucus plug went at 4pm waters broke at 6pm contractions started at 7pm, all happened so fast but didn't give birth to my baby boy until 9.29am the next morning x

[Shootingstarsandcomets]

Upset tummy the day before waters breaking and contractions starting.

[Frizz1986]

I was 37 weeks and started to get irregular contractions that became more painful. I assumed they were braxton hicks as was waiting for regular contractions to mean actual labour.
The first sign i had that told me 'this is it' was my waters going. 2 hrs later baby was here.

[Excited85]

I honestly had no signs until contractions started, sorry! Drove myself mad watching for signs though!

[urtwistingmymelonman]

with my first no symptoms(except loss of plug the day before) until first mild contractions which I mistook for a slightly dodgy tummy.
with my second(now almost six week old) I had every symptom going!
was snappy and emotional for two weeks leading up to it and felt sick on and off.lots of sharp pains in my cervix and the day before I had the Worst case of diarrhea known to man!
I even came out of the toilet and said to son and oh 'this baby's coming tomorrow'.
I went to the midwife that day,she did an internal and said there was absolutely no progress down there,the babies head wasn't engaged and she couldn't even fit a finger in to do a sweep but sure enough I went into labour that night.
it was a hard fast and very painful labour.
with my first it was slower,easier and much less painful.