Signs of labour??

[ipredicttrouble]

Hi

I'm almost 39 wks pregnant with DC2. You'd think that I'd be able to detect the signs of imminent labour but I think somehow my brain has turned to mush!

Seriously though with DD1 the start of my labour was not particularly 'normal' in that my waters went in the middle of the night with meconium in them. At this point I had felt no pain or discomfort. We were told to come straight to hospital and when I got there I was examined and told that I was 2cm dilated already and that they would have to induce me using syntocin due to the meconium. I hadn't fely a single contraction at this point. Anyway, the rest of the labour was then fairly straightforward despite going from 0-60 with the intensity of the contractions .

So what I'm trying to say is that I've not experienced the 'normal' kind of build up to labour so am looking for people to tell me how they started off. Just interested really!

At the moment, I'm being sick every morning after breakfast and have fairly loose bowel movements (sorry TMI!). I have days when I can almost feel DC2's head burrowing down and days when my bump feels high up again. Plus I've had the odd BH (I think, didn't get them last time) and twinges.

Hope this makes sense? Guess what it boils down to is that I'm getting a tad impatient and want something to happen!!

[Coppernoddle]

It definitely sounds like it's imminent, but you could still be a few days yet! There's no telling! Wouldn't it be soooooo much easier if we knew when it was going to happen! :) but it definitely sounds close! Good luck x x x

[ipredicttrouble]

Thanks copper. It does sound close doesn't it. But I'm definitely paying too much attention to every twinge at the moment & driving myself mad in the process!

How did your labour(s) start off? If indeed you've ever been in labour?!

[ipredicttrouble]

Anyone else?

What were the signs of your labour(s) starting?

[Eviepoo]

With DD I just 'knew' before the contractions even begun. I was due for induction 3 days later but awoke at 7.30 thinking today is the day. I emptied bowels. I put tens on after breakfast as had achy back. I started having very mild contractions far apart at some point in the day. At about 5pm asked OH to make me some dinner as was hungry and I recognised they were a regular 20 mins apart. At 6.30 ish I decided to have a bath. That kickstarted things they were suddenly 5 mins apart and getting strong. Got to hospital at 7.45pm and the were 2.5mins apart. I was about 3 or 4 cms. I had a diamorphine shot, dozed between contractions and about 11.30 went through transition. Then the tried to ge me to do little pushes to break waters. Did not work. At 12.30am they broke my waters and the pushing started. 13 mins later = DD. That was 11.5years ago.

I think that is a pretty much classic build up... Hoping for something as simple as that this time. Though MW has warned it's likely to be quicker this time :)

Good luck I hope you don't have too much longer to wait. 9.5 more weeks for me.

[Coppernoddle]

Yes, I'm on my third pregnancy!! My first, I had a sweep I was +4 and the midwife said your no where near I can't even reach it! So I went home, had a show, went to sainsbury's where my husband made me carry all the bags, had sex, had the smelliest most disgusting poo you've ever smelt and wham!! That was it! My waters broke just before giving birth, was a long labour, also had maconium (spell :( ) , my second it was 7 in the morning (+7) had a fab nights sleep, the first hour I thought was Braxton hicks so labour kicked in at just after 8, so got in the bath, then just after 10 my waters broke and gave birth instantly! The second I really enjoyed! Sooooooo different to the first! My first lasted 18 hours, second 3 hours!! 3rd, I'm having c section :( not looking forward too, especially since I birth so well! But I had no warnings signs whatsoever until it was actually happening! I still had them, but all in one go just before or during labour!! Don't know if that's much help to you! I think you sound very ready but the more you wait for it, the more anxious you get, the less likely your body will let you go into labour, which is proven too! Try not to get to giddy and relax! Bet you can't wait!! Good luck x x x

[ipredicttrouble]

Thanks so much for your stories, both of you. I do find them really interesting!!

It's true, I can't wait - I just want it all to get started. Will probably change my mind once the big contractions kick in

[Coppernoddle]

Anything today?? You'll have to let us know now when your labour starts!!! :)

[ipredicttrouble]

No nothing ! I will definitely let you know!

Feeling quite under the weather though - nauseous, weak, dizzy etc. Not sure if this is a sign or just a coincidence?

[Coppernoddle]

Get some rest! Eat well and drink plenty!!!! It may be that you've got a virus! Put your feet up and have a

[ipredicttrouble]

Thanks copper. Easier said than done with a little DD here as well . Oh well DH is home at 4 today. Cup of tea and lie down on the bed then

[Coppernoddle]

Any news?

[Eviepoo]

Yes I too am excited to hear how you are doing

[ipredicttrouble]

No nothing . Had a midwife appointment today who said that the head isn't even slighltly engaged .

I'm not even at my due date yet - why am I being so bloody impatient?!

[gillykins2011]

Ipredicttrouble - I am the same as you. 39+5 and feeling quite poorly. Am nauseous, weak and keep feeling like I'm gonna faint. Had her monitored today and she is very quiet too so would be perfect if she would just come asap and then I could stop worrying!!!

Last time I had no pre warnings - just had a show at 3am and then full on contractions. I read every sign like craving two choc biscuits, going for lots of wees, being grumpy, not being able to concentrate as a major sign!!! Makes you feel a bit crazy.... Hope yours comes soon.

[needsanswers]

hi there.. i had a dreadful labor.. i swear i was traumatized after lol.. i got up at 5 am on the Sunday (41+4) to really heavy bleeding went through 4 maternity pads in an hour.. rang midwife crying saying i was loosing the baby ( after having two previous MC) she assured me it was my show ( which i thought was strange because antenatal class told me a show was a small mucus thing) anyway midwife said go back to sleep i think u will go in to labor today, me and partner got so very excited there was no way i was going to sleep, got a sudden urge of energy and cleaned my walls, sheets bathroom roof etc starting getting irregular cramps around 11am, by about 1pm cramps still happening i didn't really no if i was in labor or not, lol the only way i new was having a feel down there.. things were, how shall i say this.. opening up lmao so new it was the real deal, having endomentriosis i am used to alot of cramps so when my mum rang at 3pm with the sympathetic voice saying hows labor.. i was like fine, im currently watching tv eating chocolate, im gonna be able to handle this fine lol by 8pm im getting in and out of the bath in quite a bit of pain, by 12am iv had enough into hospital i go, the say iv done very well im at 5cm dilated and usually womens 1st labor they are in hospital a long time before that.. i decide to have some gas. (original birth plan was NO DRUGS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE lol) gas makes me very very sick, vomiting, dizzy etc decide to have the pethadine.. by 8am i am only at 6cm!! having not slept in 25hours! (should have listened to midwife when she said get some sleep!) 10am MW broke my waters.. still at 6cm.. 1pm baby starts getting distressed still at 6cm and doc say i have to have an epidural to c if it will speed labor up a bit or ill be having a c section... epidural at 2pm after a sily doc mucking it up twice and a lot of swearing on my behalf of me yelling ur gonna make me f**kn paralised lol i got 45min sleep before waking up.. 5min later the epidural had warn off and i went from 0 pain to 10cm dilated and needing to push.. an hour of pushing and finally had my daughter 4pm.. i then had a retained placenter so had to be taken into theater for them to remove it... took them an 45min to stitch me up down there.. i cried every time i peed for over 2weeks.. was in hospital for 6days after giving birth due to having to have blood transfusions! horrible horible horrible.. so worth it but horrible lol and im 15 weeks preg gonna do it all over again.. insane or what?? i wish u all the very best tho, some women say they were laughing between contraction! hoping ur 1 of the lucky ones lol

[ipredicttrouble]

Gillykins it is driving me round the bend a bit (and I'm normally such a rational person ). I was convinced something was happening when I got into bed last night, felt sick, weak, tightenings all over my bump.

But nothing, still here this morning feeling nothing. Apart from throwing my breakfast up which is now a daily occurence! Nice.

Needanswers wow what a story!

[Coppernoddle]

Talk about scaring the shit out of someone needanswers!!! Mine first was definitely not like that! Very relaxed, long but relaxed! And gas and air is a wonder drug! Loved every minute of it!
Ipredicttrouble, be positive and looking forward to it and feeling anxious is perfectly natural, I used to walk one foot on the kirb one foot off! Bit silly really.
Don't listen to other people's nightmares, you'll have your own unique experience! Good or bad, you'll have your little bundle of joy at the end! Doesn't matter how bad your labour is, it's totally worth it!

[ipredicttrouble]

Thanks Copper! My first labour wasn't too bad so I'm hoping for the same or better .

[Coppernoddle]

My first was 18 hours! Kept my eyes closed the whole time concentrating, my second 3 hours!!!!!!! Enjoy it, I did! It was lovely, and had a home birth! Best experience of my life!

[ipredicttrouble]

Were you on time or overdue copper?

[Coppernoddle]

My first 40+5, my second 40+7. this one is c section!

[ipredicttrouble]

I was 40+5 with DD. For some silly reason I think I convinced myself that this one was going to come early and that's why I'm so impatient! God knows why! There's no reason for him/her to be early.

When are you due to have your section?

[Coppernoddle]

They kept telling me your not going to go full term as she's very low in your pelvis and all ready to go! Bollocks to them!! I'll go even longer thanks!! I have a scan on Tuesday due to complications and they'll give me a date then depending on how my scan goes. I'll be between 37 and 38 weeks.

[gillykins2011]

We all do it! At the begunnung, we Tell ourselves that we wont treat our edd as a deadline and that the baby is likely to be late but as it gets closer it's just too bloody hard to not hope and pray that they come early! Today, I think someone is inflating a beach ball in my fanjo - not a good feeling I have to say! At least I am not sick tho - poor you.

I am now not eating or hungry so just hoping tonight is my lucky night and all of yours too.......

[ipredicttrouble]

A few weeks ago I was finding walking quite difficult and according to the MW the head was 3/5 engaged. At my appt yesterday apparently the head is completely free. I think I can tell as walking has become easier again! Gah!!!