Do you have to have a show before going into labour?

[caroline345]

I'm 38 weeks plus 2 days and this is my second baby. Im feeling very uncomfortable-achy period pains, backache and that sort of tight heavy feeling, anyway was wondering whether this is the start of labour or not? As stated have had no show (yet) and was wondering whether this had to happen before things really got going?

I've had 5 children and never had a show before labour.

You may be starting the latent stages of labour but this can go on for days! so just take things as they come. You do not have to have a show before going into labour I had my show when I was 7cm dilated!

Mine was when I was 6cm and well into labour!

Nope. With dd1 I had show when I was well into labour, with dd2 and ds I didn't have anything that could be called a show at all.

A show can be an indication of labour, but is not needed to prove labour iykwim.

Good luck!

no

I was contracting regularly for 24 hours before I had my show. I thought it wasn't going to happen, or had happened in bits, but it did!

No, I had a show when I was in the delivery suite and about to start pushing. My waters didn't break either. Good luck! :)

I didn't have one - when my waters started trickling I had no idea what they were

Luckily I had five days to get used to the idea before dd was actually born

No I had mine at about 4cms (and I felt like I had been in labour for days - very long latent stage !)

I didn't have show or waters breaking until pushing stage