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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Does anyone ever go into labour during the day? Due date with DC3 and I've been assuming things will kick of at night, but maybe...???

37 replies

NightLark · 20/06/2011 11:07

Has anyone experienced waters going / labour starting in the daytime?

I am on my due date with DC3. DC1 came at 40+7, DC2 at 39+0, so I'm more than a tad grumpy and impatient.

I've been in some kind of slow labour for a few days - irregular but genuinely painful contractions (the type you have to concentrate on / breathe through), always in the small hours, then vanished by the morning, upset tummy, miserable and restless (and tired, because of all the broken nights).

I've just realised that I'm assuming I will not go into labour during the day. Both times previously my waters went at night, then contractions started slowly, then baby was born: 24 hours later for DS and 10 hours later for DD.

So, am I being daft / naive? I've sent DH out for the day, assuming nothing will happen.

OP posts:
Secondtimelucky · 20/06/2011 11:11

I've heard that women with older children are massively more likely to go into labour at night. Something to do with the production of oxytocin and the body recognising that it is a 'safe' time to labour. Certainly applied with DD2.

That said, you'll get loads of people saying that they started in the day.

piprabbit · 20/06/2011 11:13

Well, second time round, my contractions woke me up at 5:30am and progressed well from there. Baby arrived at 2pm. So I guess my body was getting ready overnight - but nothing kicked off until morning.

motherinferior · 20/06/2011 11:13

Yes, of course they do. It's like saying 'all first babies are late' - statistically, it may be the case that labours tend to start in the night, and first babies to be born over their due date, but plenty of us do not conform to that rule.

FWIW both my labours started - the second one with a dramatic pop of the waters - during the day. (and ahead of schedule.)

aliceliddell · 20/06/2011 11:18

Yes. Most likely when it's so bliddin' hot nobody got any sleep, dp gone to work, wake up with uncalled for dampness. You can then phone dp who can turn straight round and come all the way back, but this time, in rush hour. Then you can both spend a further 24 hours being kept awake by chattering midwives. Eventually your baby will be born. It will be beautiful. By the time you go home, it will be day again. There will be phone calls and builders. Eventually, they will all leave you in peace. It will be beautiful. Good luck! (Congratulations in anticipation!)

lucysmum · 20/06/2011 11:20

DC3 - started at 7am, luckily before DH had left for work, she arrived in time for lunch. Clearly knew that by no3 you can't afford too many sleepless nights...Other two were night time babies.

Original poster
NightLark · 20/06/2011 11:25
Grin

I'm going nowhere near a hospital unless there is immediate danger to me or baby! This is hopefully my 2nd HB.

Had 1st birth in hospital, was told my waters were me 'wetting the bed', was told they didn't know where they were going to put me, was on receiving end of other mothers' pissed offness for having the only crying baby on postnatal bay and got a student midwife who spent half my labour telling me how much she disliked midwifery and wanted to go back to geriatric nursing, and what did I think she should do Hmm.

I had to go in for a day last week for ECV and I was in tears as soon as I got into the labour ward.

Am now on Due Date and it is nice to know that some babies come in the daytime. I was figuring on getting a range of replies and doing a kind of personal 'probability', which is what I've unconsciously done by going on my prev experience and friends / family...

OP posts:
notbothered · 20/06/2011 12:49

hello op
my waters broke at 10am and my DD was born 40h later at night..
good luck

Hope88 · 20/06/2011 12:57

Proper contractions started around 4pm

gallicgirl · 20/06/2011 13:21

My contractions started at 6am and DD was born at 8:40 that evening.

At home Grin

DP wasn't too impressed at me forcing him out of bed at 8am because he thought the previous night would be a really good time to play FIFA until 2 am.

Get lots of sleep anyway and good luck with your home birth.

chocolateyclur · 20/06/2011 13:22

My labour started around 1pm.

HSMM · 20/06/2011 13:27

A couple of twinges at 7am. 1 huge contraction 4pm. 'Proper' labour started 10pm. DD born 2am (after at least an hour of the midwife telling me I couldn't possibly be ready yet, with my first child! - I reckon she should have been born before midnight ... but that's another story).

So ... most action at night time.

Linnet · 20/06/2011 13:37

with dd2 I woke up about 4.30am with some twinges, gradually getting stronger and was in hospital by 11am dd2 was born at 5.28pm so I laboured all day.

With dd1 I went into hospital after waters broke at 2am and she arrived 22 hours later, so laboured through night and day and evening with that one.

Egg · 20/06/2011 14:01

My labour with my twins started about 8am and they were born around midday. First labour was evening into night.

BertieBasset · 20/06/2011 14:02

dd2, my contractions started around 9am and baby arrived at 6.30 in the evening.

Original poster
NightLark · 20/06/2011 15:19

Sounding good! Mind you it's now gone three in the afternoon and not a twinge all day. Grrrr. Looks like this one is going overdue...
Thanks allSmile

OP posts:
gourd · 20/06/2011 16:51

My labour started around 12:30pm and LO was born at 2:55pm, so yes definitely a possibility!

JJWMummy · 20/06/2011 22:59

DS1 started @ 8pm born @ 2.40am (6hrs 40 mins total)
DS2 started @ 1pm born @ 4.05pm (3hrs 5 mins total)
DD1 started @ 4.25am born @ 5.23am (58mins total)

Waters broke at 9pm with DD but nothing happened till 4.25am.

So in short it's very possible it can happen during the day.

Good Luck :-)

1Catherine1 · 21/06/2011 00:33

I went into labour during the day. I was woken up by a phone call from my mum at 11:05am, had a quick chat, posted something on MN complaining I hadn't gone into labour yet and then went to the toilet only to have my contractions start while attempting to pee - not fun...

I had also had pretend labour for the 3 days before which meant when I went into hospital at 11:30am that morning I was already 8cm dilated. Shame the other 2 cm took 13 hours....

xiaoqss · 21/06/2011 01:19

This reply has been deleted

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VeryHungryKatypillar · 22/06/2011 10:07

Waters broke at 1.30am in morning with DD2, est labour started around 6pm ish, born 11.18pm. I'm crediting the pineapple you know...

flybynight · 22/06/2011 21:13

Four babies, and I've never laboured at night. Not as much as a twinge at night. All born in time for tea. None of them are as co-operative now.

mrspear · 22/06/2011 21:15

Yes! Went into labour at work at 3pm. Didn't realise until 7pm Blush then mad rush to hospital (was early but DS is OK)

mrspear · 22/06/2011 21:16

Oh and he was born two later (you have to cross your legs Wink and have bed rest for the drugs to work) at 1:18pm

mumblebum · 22/06/2011 21:19

DC1 started at around 4 am, arrived at midnight (by cs though) and DC2 started at 6.30am and arrived just after 9am! Waiting impatiently for DC3 now...

thisisyesterday · 22/06/2011 21:24

i had ds1 and ds2 in the day.
ds3 was born at night