How did labour start for you?

[GreenGiant3]

Please indulge me with your stories, feeling rather "funny" and achy today, although I'm sure it's not labour as I have 4weeks to go!! So please indulge me with your lovely labour stories xx

[juneau]

First time: Went for a regular check up at 39 weeks and doctor (in USA), gave me a sweep without telling me. That was at 8am, contractions started at 1pm and were regular within an hour or so. DS1 was born 16 hours later in hospital after a reasonably slow, but regular progression.

Second time: my waters broke at home at 39 weeks and 15 mins later contractions started and were so strong within half an hour that I was struggling to breathe and make sense. DS2 was born 2 hours and 20 mins later - in hospital - just.

[IBelieveInPink]

Shamelessly placemarking - I have been wondering the same thing! Thanks for asking the question OP :)

[ctrlaltdel]

First time: waters breaking and contractions started about 3 hours later. DD arrived 6 hours later.

Second time: woke up in the night with a one off bout of diarrhoea then contractions started within 20 minutes. DS arrived 4 hours later.

[calilark]

Waters went with a painful kick not long after we'd gone to bed. Contractions started immediately, DD born 6 hrs later

[AhCmonSeriouslyNow]

Baby number 1: Monday - 40+2 and fine with still being pregnant
Tuesday - sweep, caused a few pains but only very briefly Wednesday - dtd in the evening, kept awake by pains but they disappeared when I got up. Thursday - possible show, felt a bit withdrawn Friday - still had show, in the evening we dtd again, had regularish pains from 7pm which gradually went into being obvious to those around me (as in I couldn't stay still etc) by about 10pm, baby born at 4.24am on Saturday morning

Baby number 2- Friday/Saturday - some discharge/show
Sunday 2pm - felt a pain that made me want to stand up/NOT stay in the car. Things pretty much went from there but were very irregular 'til around 9pm and I was able to put baby number 1 to bed and do things normally for her up to then.

Good luck!

[PunkyPod]

39+6 I was pretty fed up of pregnancy by then, went to see my mum, did a bit of walking to the shops, drove home. DP cooked dinner and while we were eating I had my first contraction. It was a mistake to carry on eating dinner because they ramped up very quickly and I was very sick. Baby took a long time to be born because she got stuck. But she came on her EDD

[mrscog]

10pm on 39+5 was just heading up to bed, had a huge contraction. Didn't tell DH as I didn't want him to get excited. Went to bed DH fell asleep, I lie there thinking gosh these pains are quite regular really, oh well, this can't be it. Actually, let's time them, discover I'm contracting every 5 mins for 1 min. Rifled around for some paracetamol and tried to get to sleep but without success. Around 12.30 feel a slight pop then waters gushing out. 2cm at hospital but stay as I start bleeding, labour ramped up from there and DS was here at 11.36am on 39+6 :)

[workingtitle]

36+4, I had felt slightly 'off' for a few days, bp was up but nothing specific really and I certainly did NOT think I would go into labour. Woke in the night with a tightening (I thought BH), went to loo and lost some waters en route. Went into hospital thinking I'd be let home again, DS born that day. Good luck! I so expected to go overdue but didn't even make it to mat leave...

[bumpybumps]

I had show on the tuesday, then on thursday had back pain that kept coming and going and just felt different like just off, had a midwife appt that day, was 40+2 so she gave me a sweep, 4 hours later I got regular contractions, 12 hours after first contraction my waters broke at 3am, dd was born the next night.

[Tmh76]

Dc1 Tuesday 38wks. Small gush of waters, hospital couldn't decide if hind waters or not was kept in overnight. Waters broke in spectacular fashion at 9am the next morning. Nothing else happened and I was told if labour hadn't started by the following morning I would be induced. I went into spontaneous labour in my hospital bed in the early hours. DS born at 9:14 am at 38+2 after a 7 hr 20 minute labour. He had got a little stuck or it would have been quicker.

Dc2 Wednesday 41wks 8 am am given the gel I to start induction and told to walk and move around but not to leave labour ward. 12pm nothing happening was examined and they tried to break waters but couldn't get them so was advised to move around some more. 3:20 pm I was getting very very bored and asked them to examine me again they did and managed to break my waters this time, contractions started almost immediately DD born at 4:56 pm.

Dc3 planned home birth, got to 41weeks had a sweep and was booked for induction the following week, tried various methods to help, hot curry, dtd ect. 41+2 was large uncomfortable and hot got up for a pee and a drink at about 4ish contractions started and were quickly coming at less than 5 mins apart, called DH who called midwife. Midwife arrived and DS was born at 5:38 am, should have been 2 midwives present but it was too quick, waters didn't break until his head began to crown.

Dc4 38+ 4 planned home birth, hind waters broke at about 7:30 am, midwife checked me at 9 ish nothing happening, just pottered about at home. Some niggling not regular contractions on and off. Midwife came back at about 2 :30 checked me over still nothing happening, she made me have some tea and toast, suddenly had to throw toast as the most incredibly strong and painful contractions gripped me. Again waters broke as DDs head crowned, Dd born at 3:51 pm after only 40 ish minutes of labour.

[Amelia2012]

I was due April fools day but my daughter was born a day early :) I didn't expect it to happen I thought with your first be late but that's not the case I was on the living room floor 7am and my mum come downstairs walked into the kitchen didn't pay no attention to me so I managed to get up and walked into the kitchen and said mum I think I'm in labour phoned the hospital up and they said sounds like early stages of labour but come down we check you over so I thought ok not in no rush had a bath (worse mistake of my life) that just made the pains worse got ready to go hospital and I was sat in passenger seat whilst stuck in traffic on way to the hospital the pain was getting worse and I somehow managed to jump in the back seats I was appearing up and down everyone must of thought I was crazy haha finally got to the hospital I just stayed in the toilet until I was seen and I started bleeding quite heavily finally I was seen and got told I was 9cm dilated and half hour being taken to the labour ward I gave birth at 12:43 no pain relief no stitches no nothing was very pleased :) must say the after bit is the worse feels like it's on fire :( but wouldn't change it for the world sorry about the story :) and goodluck you do just fine :)

[BusyCee]

DS1, a planned home birth. Sitting on the birthing ball watching Strictly: It Takes 2, and began to feel mild tightening. Very excited! Had dinner with DP, then went to bed. Got some sleep, with regular mild contractions and lots of trips to the toilet. Next day the midwife came to assess us (for which read; had a cuppa and a chat, sat on the floor and watched us for a bit, then politely left. I've had amazing midwives and have been v lucky), I had a bath, fell asleep in front if the fire, then back on the ball and walking up and down stairs to get things moving. More time in the bath, with things progressing slowly but surely. Early the following morning the midwife advises moving about more, as it had already been a long labour. As I lifted my leg out of the bath I felt 'something' change, and Ds1 born 17mins later. I was utterly elated and euphoric about doing this amazing thing.

DS2, another planned home birth, this summer. 39+7, I was massive, swollen, hot, knackered and mighty fed up of being pregnant. Started feeling nauseous in the afternoon, then woken at midnight by very mild contractions, which were fairly regular at about 10 mins apart, fir about 1.5 hrs....then stopped. Next (DSs due date) I told DP, and was piddled off things weren't moving. Mild and crazily infrequent contractions throughout the day - although I was convinced it was just Braxton hicks. At about 9 DP kindly suggested he'd pop down the road to get a curry. At 915 I texted DSis to moan about nothing happening. DP got back with the vindaloo, and its mere presence in my vast proximity kicked everything off. Called midwife at about 930 and DA2 was burn at 1106. At 1.5 hrs obvs much quicker than DS1, but still a blissful home birth, and me and DP couldn't have been more blissed out, again.

I know how lucky I am to have had such happy, intervention free births, but do want to let first time mums know its ok, it's not always screaming, blood, drama the lurking

Congrats! And good luck xxx

[LouiseD29]

Had a couple of nights where I was woken up by cramping pains that didn't turn into anything, then contractions started very mildly while at hospital waiting for sweep. Had sweep anyway and went home where contractions continued all afternoon getting more frequent and painful. Went back about 9.30pm and baby was born at 11.15pm. Didn't really have much of a show beforehand, and waters went well into established labour, soaking student midwife. No interventions and no time to really consider any pain relief!

[sazzle82]

I had a sweep in the Tuesday at 40+2. Had a show on the Wednesday and on the Thursday in had a bit more of a show and was sure some of my waters had gone in a bit of a trickle.

Went to hospital and was told waters hadn't gone. They also said that if they had gone a bit baby's head may now be stopping any more coming out. Went home.

Woke up Friday morning at 6 am with strong pain in my lower abdomen. Was not sure if they were contractions (despite everyone telling me 'you just know') as my bump wasn't going hard and there wasn't any back pain. Had pinky water so called hospital again. Went in, but they thought they'd be sending me home.

Got there and was 3-4cm at 9:30 am, was fully dilated by 1:30.

Midwives told me after right the contractions never felt very strong in my bump to them (which would explain why I never felt it go hard) but that they obviously did the trick.

In hindsight it was obvious I was on labour, but at the time I really second guessed myself.

[princesscupcakemummyb]

dc1 started with contractions after sweep

dc2 woken by contractions in bed at 41 weeks exactly

[LovesToBake]

37+4 first sign was losing my mucous plug around 5:30pm. Waters broke at 7pm and baby born at 9:45pm - I was lucky to get to the hospital and in the birthing pool in time!

[mrswigglemunch]

40+1 woke up with slight period type pains at around 8. got up and had some paracetamol and bath - thought "hmmm, these aches seem pretty regular" got out and timed them and they were 5 mins apart so rang hosp "it's your first,it won't have progressed that quickly,you won't be in established labour,blah blah"
20 mins later they were every 2 mins and more painful, hospital "well you can come in but might be sending you home again" - 2 hours after my first twinge I was at hospital and 5cm, ds arrived 7 hours after that

[Inaminutenow]

First time: 40+2, waters breaking at 11:30pm, contractions started 30 mins later, baby born just before 9am the next morning.

Second time: 40+4, waters breaking at 7am, contractions started just after 8am, baby born at 10:20am.

[GreenGiant3]

Love reading these, keep 'em coming

[mustardtomango]

Placemarking too! Love to hear how it felt too... Aches /period pains /whatever when it started...

[IfAtFirstUDontSucceed]

Had plenty of effacement pain from about 39 weeks.

At 41 weeks DH and I went for a short walk, got home and felt pretty achy. I texted my mum joking that this could be the start. Pains were really low down and weren't too uncomfortable so I just thought they were effacement pains again or just too much excercise.

By about 8pm that evening they were getting a bit more intense that I had to sit upright each time I got one.
I tried to go to bed at 10pm but the pains were getting a lot more painful. They felt like bad period pains so I didn't actually think I was in labour
I got back out of bed, which made DH panic and name sure everything was ready. A few more painful hours and a soak in the bath at 2am we decided I should go to hospital, although I was convinced I was going to be sent back home. Got to hospital at 4am and was 8cm!
DS was born at 10:01am

[IfAtFirstUDontSucceed]

Oh, my waters had to be broken when I was fully dilated.

[BeetleBugBaby]

With DD, I was in slow labour apparently, pains built up over a few days then had proper contractions for 40hrs followed by 8hrs established.

Don't panic! Cause this is how my second labour went:

Went to bed, woke up two hours or so later leaking waters, went to toilet, lost more waters. Phoned hospital and told them, arrived at 3am, laboured by myself as DP had to go home and look after DD as we'd got an emergency babysitter, DS made a sudden decision to arrive shortly after 9am (and DP arrived mere minutes beforehand. 5 minutes later and he would have walked in on me holding DS! (DS was crowning when he walked in!)

DD was 7 days overdue and DS was 6 days over, lazy gets! :o

[roweeena]

DS1 crampy abdo pain then waters breaking, DS born 7 hrs later

DS2 crampy pains and diarrhoea, thought I had tummy bug. Became regular contractions at about 2.30am, DS2 born about 2.5hrs later. Waters didn 't burst until born.

[emi2989]

Everything was ok I woke up in a morning had a shower etc. when I was cooking dinner I had strange pain, but was nothing serious that why I wasn't paying too much attention. Hubby went to work about 1 pm and I was home all by myself far away from hospital about 30miles. Since my hubby left I start having a contraction!!! But I was so relaxed so I just went to bed to lie down. About 4pm my hubby rang to me ask how am I feeling and I said to him that I am having a regular contraction every 10 min. He asked me if I ring anyone midwife hospital, and I said I was going to do that but it's still bit early as my contractions are not every 3 min. My hubby came back home early about 8pm and I rang hospital about 11 pm as my contraction were about every 5 min and there were quite painful. Midwife said its still bit early but I can come to the hospital but probably I am gonna feel more comfortable at home. I had shower again, the contraction were more and more painful. I got up at5am had a shower again and we went to hospital as my contraction were every 2 min. The midwife check me and everything was ok about1 pm I was in active labour and midwife said I will probably give a birth at midnight, but at 5 pm I was ready to push and 18:47 I gave a birth to our beautiful son. I was over the moon and I forgot about the pain. During my labour I didn't have any painkillers. Our gorgeous son is now 14 months old.