How did you feel before labour started?

[Mamab33]

Been really tired, really sad, worried, too hot and a bit grouchy today. Almost like PMT.....do you think it could be hormones getting ready for labour?

[Bellyrub1980]

How far along are you mama?

It could be!!

[Mamab33]

Nearly 39 weeks

[Lookslikeimstuckhere]

I was cleaning every single slat of my venetian blinds individually. They were very shiny. Five days later, DS was born.

I spent the last few days feeling like you described though, so could be the start. So hard to tell isn't it!

[Mamab33]

Thanks. I could have cried yesterday! Wanted to clean the house for the workman arriving....he should have started 2 months ago. Now I wonder why I wanted to tidy up before they came to make a mess!

[jellyandsoup]

Sounds exactly like me the day before I had Dr, went to bed and waters went about 1 she was in my arms by 7. Good luck

[jellyandsoup]

Dd obviously I didn't give birth to a doctor!

[Mamab33]

Oh that's really good to hear jelly! Loving a positive birth story at the moment!

[RedRose27]

Same here, was very grouchy with DH and felt v emotional in the evening. Contractions started in the night and DD was born at 9pm the following day! Good luck!

[Bellyrub1980]

Mama I'm 39+1 and also looking for signs! The plan this week is to go for a slow painful walk everyday in an effort to encourage the baby to come out. This is my first so have no idea how it should feel, but I've had a whole 48 hours of painful braxton hicks (Friday and Sat) but now thats all settled down :( and for the last 3 weeks I've had nesting urges coming and going.

Each I night I go to bed praying my waters will break!!!

It's a bit like the symptom spotting when TTC.... Everything feels like a sign!

[pebble82]

Sign spotting here too. I'm 6 days overdue and fed up. The ongoing build up is making me nervous which I'm annoyed about because I've worked so hard on learning calming natal hypnotherapy skills. Now it's getting more difficult to apply them. I keep likening it to waiting to get a vaccine at school or queuing to abseil off a building. The longer the wait goes on and the more people that go in front and share their stories the more anxious I become and the longer it seems to take.

[Bellyrub1980]

Pebble, what things have you tried so far to get things going? People keep suggesting stuff but other than simply staying active and walking I must admit I'm pretty sceptical!!

I think I'll be the same as you. At the moment I feel calm, prepared and ready. But I imagine once the due date passes I'll become more and more anxious.

Are you getting any 'feelings'?

[pebble82]

I'm trying EVERYTHING haha. Although I'm way past believing any of it works. Doesn't stop me carrying on though ;)

I've tried:
Walking (got PGP and DRAM so this is particularly difficult and painful- managed just under half a mile at the weekend).
Cleaning the floor and being on all fours- my baby is back to back so trying to flip her. Movement is supposed to help get the head engaged in this position I think.
Raspberry leaf tea from 36 weeks- 1 or 2 mugs a day.
Pineapple- ate half a fresh one a day. Gave me heartburn and I don't really like it. Then read on babycentre website that you'd need to eat 7 at once to get the right levels of chemicals to help induce labour.
Orgasm and ingesting sperm: Cant dtd as pelvis is way too knackered so this is second best apparently.
Bouncing/rotating/rocking on birthing ball.
Swaying hips from left to right when standing.
Visualisations- trying to control my mind into going into labour (mind over matter approach)

I think that's it. Seriously I know I sound like a loon!

[pebble82]

Oh, also fondling nipples (midwife suggestion) and watching happy films, holding babies etc. Anything to stimulate release of oxytocin.

[Bellyrub1980]

Ok, I'm working through that list tomorrow!! Will keep you updated!

[pebble82]

And eat curry/spicy food. Don't know how I forgot that.

Told you I sound crazy.

Best of luck, although my new theory is it's someone's idea of a joke adding silly things to the list. Next month I reckon mums to be will be told to balance on one leg whilst reciting poetry (or something equally as amusing for bored midwives to chuckle about)

[MrsMonkeyBear]

Watching thread with interest. Due on my first on Friday!!!

Today I've been feeling tired, very heavy (like I've eaten too much), dull ache in my back and slightly queasy. Braxton hicks have increased in frequency and intensity. Oh and I managed to clean the house from top to bottom over the weekend.

I'm hoping that Sod's law kicks in and now that I've put clean sheets on the bed, clean pjs on and arranged a day out with my friends tomorrow, I go into labour!!!

[Bellyrub1980]

I've heard nausea is a good sign Nrs Monkey Bear.

I kind of prefer to look for physical signs (like nausea, braxton hicks etc) rather than the emotional things (like nesting urge) because I can kind of evoke any emotion I want at the moment, I'm so obsessed with 'signs' I've become very easily influenced. If you were to tell me a 'sign' was to feel incredibly angry I could immediately switch that feeling on and then convince myself it's all systems go.

Having said that, I could probably imagine nausea and braxton hicks too!

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Pregnancy one I had nothing. No show, nesting, weepiness, bowel issues anything. suddenly boom into labour at 40+2.

This time round ive had Braxton Hicks every evening, three nights of contractions, nesting, pelvoc pain, insomnia. Am sick. Nothing progressing though!

[Bellyrub1980]

Are you 39+2 hacked?

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Yeah, I am, think we are both on another thread together

[pebble82]

I'm getting more Braxton Hicks than normal this evening but I'm sure I'm inventing them too. Every little ache I'm aware of but not sure if anything's changed or I'm just super sensitive. Guess only time will tell.

[Bellyrub1980]

Hacked, just trying to remember if I was a day in front or behind you.

I had a fair few hours of the braxton hicks and bearing down tonight (brought on by long walk I'm pretty certain) then slept for a good 4 hours but currently lying here and.... Nothing! Might have a bowl of cereal to wake the baby up....

[pebble82]

I've now been bouncing on my ball for 3 hours! If nothing else I've burnt some calories

[bagofsnakes]

The day before my DS was born I was super energetic, got tons of things done and walking around quite happily. The night before he was born I felt compelled to completely clean out and organise my chest of drawers, and rearrange the all the baby things... again.

The following morning (the day of!) I felt horribly tired, pretty grumpy and the swelling in my legs and feet was ridiculous - I could barely get my shoes on. Labour started some where between mid-morning and lunch (hard to tell as I how long I was ignoring what I thought were Braxton Hicks) and he was in my arms by 9pm that night.

I did do a fair bit of bouncing on the yoga ball the week before and I was talking long walks everyday but didn't do anything else. I was 39+2 weeks and so very ready!

[Pinkie2103]

I'm 39+4 and feeling very tired and emotional. Swaying between feeling really positive about my VBAC and very scared about it going pear shaped and needing another c/s (not that my last experience was that unpleasant, I just want to avoid it if possible). Also feeling very sad that I might not be able to give my DS all the attention and cuddles he likes when the new baby finally gets here

Didn't do much nesting last time but have gone a bit mad this time and didn't start till a week or so ago. Also drinking RLR and going to start on the evening primrose oil tonight. Eating lots of dates is meant to help so I am munching through those and have an acupuncture session planned for Sunday