Can I just ask....

[UCM]

When you have a baby and go into labour, does it just start off with no prior warning or do you get small signs every time, like a few days before or do you just know that it's going to happen.

This sounds ridiculous and I am not experiencing anything abnormal. I was just sitting there wondering if all of a sudden stuff just happens?

Hiya,
With both of mine I had no signs of labour, and I didn't even know I was having early stage contractions (luckily!).

well with my 2nd i thought i was in labour and called the midwife and had contractions on and off for 2 weeks,

then 2 weeks later i went to the park with DS felt nothing all day -absolutly nothing- then it kicked off at 9pm

baby was born at home at 2.31am

so i dont know really, when the false alarm kicked off id been niggling for days and was sure that was it,

but the day before the real thing - zilch!

with dd, all of a sudden a pop happened, waters had gone, no twinges beforehand. took about 3 hrs for contractions to get going properly

with ds, was different in that contractions gradually built up over night, waters never went with him until midwife did it when i asked. i had a feeling it was slowing things down.

sure sign its the real thing with me is an upset stomach.

Thanks girls.

I know I am asking the 64 million dollar question here.

UCM, have you no dcs apart from the one in the oven?!

My waters never broke with any of mine. Despite hours spent in lift of M and S hoping to receive the £250 vouchers if they do.

Small early signs for me were like before your period is due tbh.

I was twitchy, restless, pacing about, going to the loo a lot. Well you asked!

I know I thought you had more dc's too?!

Yes but DS was C/section and I never so much as had a poo beforehand, there was nothing

So I am having angst over how it starts this time.

Nothing before either of mine really... woke up with diaroehhorhoshoshoa (?spelling ) and contactions with DD, and with DS a bloody show and contractions.

it would be nice if got a sign, i agree. Like an email or a text to sat "pack your bag now". fraid tis not like that at all.

Ah thought you had one already.

Dont be scared.
When are you due?
Are you having some signs already do you think?

NO signs of labour w/either girl. No show, no waters breaking, nada.

Just contractions.

oh yes the show thing usually happens and what flamesparrow said about toileting lark,

My waters didnt break until hospital after contractions had stared. Gool luck.

i think being sick and dicky tums are a sure sign

I have 3
DS1 - woke up at 1 am with what felt like constipation. Endless labour after that with contractions never further than 5 mins apart from start to finish.
DS2 - waters broke 4.5 weeks early - no warning. 5 days in hospital with ever increasing pain in the last 2.
DD - Days of will she won't she kind of on and off pains (with me saying Please I hope she will now, please get out, please please please let it all end), then on a day when I was feeling more comfortable my waters broke while I was cooking dinner!

DD1 - her waters were broken when I was 8cm, to get me to 10. It worked.

DD2 - I arrived at hospital 9cm dilated. The waters broke after the first push.

No, having DS was literally like going shopping for a baby - left home in the morning, 2 hours later a baby.

This time I am having a vbac, I am not scared as such. I just don't feel like I am having a baby and due date is about 10 days away. Everything seems to have settled down nicely, considering the stress I am under with my broken ankle and being thrown from wheelchair earlier

I guess I just thought there would have been a bit of a response, something, anything.

I have read threads/answers before about this but you don't really take it in until it's your turn, do you?

I ahve a bit of a cough at the moment and it hurts down below when I cough, but thats it - nada!

God a broken ankle poor you!

You know what they say, you WILL know it's true .
You will be fine. I had my third 10 mths ago and although it was a gross pg I can honestly say the birth was great.

Thanks

UCM, I had a C-section then VBAC. I started with contractions on my due date (which I denied were contractions for some time because they started weak) and then had a show about an hour after. It's different for everyone though.

Good luck.

Apart from being increasingly uncomfortable and pissed off I didn't getting any signs at all with DS1 or DD (DS2 was induced) With both of them I went to bed as normal and woke with contractions at some god awful time in the morning. Didn't even have a show with DS1, and with DD I'd been having strong contractions for an hour or so before all that happened.

I get crazy strong braxton hicks contractions as the time gets closer, usually get a show then I get the runs, then when actual labour starts there is a different pain down below and I know its started. I have 8 weeks to go...good luck with yours!

I spent three days losing disgusting globules of mucas plug. YUK.