Please indulge me by telling me your early labour signs

[DitaVonCheese]

Last time for me it was two days of period style pains and a bit of pinky mucus but no idea whether to expect the same this time. 40+2 today, give me things to obsess over look for

My waters broke.

Ooh actually my waters went last time as well but it was 48 hours before contractions started so I don't really count that as a sign!

I was sitting on the sofa eating rice and watching Kill Bill, no labour signs, no niggles, nothing when whoooooooosh. Contractions started within seconds. And 2 short days later, dd was hauled out the sunroof. I had no signs whatsoever and it all kicked off within a minute. And then went on. And on. And on...

Having contractions in the school play yard, trying to carry on talking to the other parents and being unable to speak and one of them walking me home with a look of panic on their face

Are you at the desperate for anything to be a sign stage?

Actually tomorrow would be more convenient than today (I'm cleaning - unusual for me - is that a good sign?) but I just hate not bloody knowing when it's going to happen. Have MW appt this pm so hoping she'll be able to report back on the state of my cervix for me.

PS love the sunroof

Felt different during the day and a very very very small amount of what could have been a bit of a show, didn't think too much of it as midwife had told me I wouldn't go into labour naturally and would need to be induced. That night started getting back pain every 10 mins and diarrhea. 42hrs later she arrived !!

I thought I could get in behind my fridge to clean the floor the day before DS came - I couldn't even get in there not pregnant!! But apart from the hindsight that that was a sign there was nothing until 4 hours before he came.

I was in the park with DD 6 hours before he arrived laughing with friends about the fact it was my due date! Thought I'd have a couple more weeks

show, then about 10 hours later i mention to DH that the braxton-hicks had started hurting. He said "um, i think that's labour!". Think I had diarrhoea shortly before the contractions too, which is a sign of body evacuating all unnecessary material which is in the way of the baby!

Love trying to get behind the fridge Even nesting yesterday I was still being slatternly and ignoring the bits I couldn't see

I've had loose bum for a couple of weeks (but same last time so not counting on that) and now lots of cramps/lower back ache and part of plug came away this morning, but had sweep yesterday so assuming it's all down to that rather than anything actually happening as such.

Mumble grumble ...

I felt generally unwell for a couple of weeks before giving birth. Definitely had the loose bowels situation for the week before and even quite bad nausea with vomitting in the days before labour. I also had major back pain, cramp and Braxton Hicks for 3 days before which I woke one morning to find were getting more and more intense followed by a pink show then period like bleeding and contractions. OH took AN AGE to get home from work to get us to hospital (probs took him an hour and a half to get home as he was finishing off some stuff at work!!! ) then by the time we got to the hospital I was ready to pop!

Woke up with what felt like really bad period pain at 7.30 (hollow laugh. Five months later, that seems like a lie-in). This stopped, and I spent the day nesting and going to a cafe. That evening at 10pm it started up again, and got more and more intense. Didn't get regular so the hospital wouldn't admit me. When they finally did, I was fully dilated and ready to pop. Baby born less than 2 hrs later.

Hiya Dita - hope it's going okay and tomorrow works out for you. I'm obsessing today too. Am 39+5. Had a show this morning. Was pre-menstrual and a bit crampy for the last couple of days (but mostly put it down to being v moody and enormous). Getting increasingly crampy now - and baby is doing some very odd wiggles. Just got a rollicking from my DH for taking the car out and going shopping - was obsessed with getting some ready meals in. Which we never normally eat and we don't have room in the fridge for. Is that nesting, d'ya think?

Thanks! :) I am sooooo grumpy today :( I've been a really bad mum to poor DD (though did try baking with her to redeem myself). Was grumpy last time as well but that was because we went 12 days overdue so hard to tell what was that and what was labour hormones.

Am still losing bits of plug and feeling pretty crampy but for every post on MN saying that this meant labour was imminent there's someone else who felt that way for weeks.

Thank god today is nearly over and DH will be home soon

PS yours sounds very promising!

I'm 36w tomoro and I lost my plug on tuesday.. Now I'm getting period cramps low down and have all energy zapped from me...

Hey lady - there's a queue here you know!

Im sorry, shall I take a number and sit down in the waiting room

[grabs ticket and a three-year old copy of Country Living]

Fingers' crossed... Just made a massive mug of raspberry leaf tea. Mind you, I've probably jinxed it by emailing our childcare back up (my best mate) to let them know they might be needed tomorrow or over the weekend...

Im blaming raspberry leaf capsules... was taking them for 2 days before I lost my plug

Im not a betting woman but I would say il have baby by weekend. Got my mum on standby, and I have a feeling i wont be coming home after my consultant appointment in the morning.

I've heard the capsules aren't as effective as the bloody tea and am on three mugs a day :(

From what ive read the capsules are stronger than the tea.... who knows

Was going to say ive actually stopped taking them today as I dont want to create more issues with BH until Ive had my scan in the morning.

You mean I've been drinking that foul brew for nowt?

My waters went while on the loo - after 20mins of trickling I figured out I wasn't weeing anymore! MW told me to stay home until contractions started unless I really wanted to come in as they were quiet that night. Thank goodness we went in as dd was born in 2 hours 5 mins! Contractions didn't start until an hour and a half before dd was born and were very intense.