How did you know you were in labour?

[user1468957349]

I'm 39 weeks tomorrow and first day of my maternity leave. Saw the midwife last week but appointments are always so rushed. Just curious as to how everyone knew their labour had started? What did you notice first? Midwife talked about waters breaking but I hear that's not particularly common as the first thing. Hope she doesn't leave me waiting too long now I'm off work!

First of all I felt uncomfortable, like bad period pain and back ache. I went to lie down and woke a couple of hours later and it was clear that the pain was coming and receding clearly contractions. Good luck

I am 39+5 and have been wondering the same thing! I'm hoping it's obvious, we have a logistically quite difficult trip to hospital and I'm keen to avoid going and being sent away again so watching with interest

1st time - bloody show then contractions, like stronger rhythmic period pains. 2nd time- waters breaking and instant contractions.

I'm exactly the same - good 45 mins drive without traffic. Guess everyone must feel the same way with their first 😊

My three labours all started with mild contractions that gradually got stronger and closer together. On each occasion my waters didn't go until just before the baby was born.

My waters broke (at 39+6) and woke me up. Called the hospital. Midwife checked all was ok with colour etc. Started to feel a slight ache in my back just after I put the phone down. Give birth 12 hours later.
Didn't realise until about 2 weeks ago though that waters breaking first isn't that usual. Ds is now 15mo

Waters went first with both of mine! Followed by contractions. Even if the waters hadn't gone, there was no mistaking the contractions for anything but labour and I was also wondering how I'd know if gone into labour with my first... what surprised me was when I phoned the labour ward 1st time they seemed more interested in length of contraction than frequency.

I felt sick all night then by morning I felt my tummy muscles contracting and relaxing. It started off very subtley, wasn't sure then the contractions slowly became more intense. Also, and I didn't know this, I had the squits the day before. Thought nothing of it, but mw explained it's your body getting ready for labour. By clearing the gut/rectum, that leaves space for the baby to pass out your birth canal. Clever! Best of luck with birth, don't worry, your body knows what to do!! also the drugs are awesome

My first i was induced, with my second I had a sweep and it set off early labour for 2 days. That night the 'braxton hicks' really ramped up so I decided to go for a bath to settle it as it couldn't possibly be the real thing.

Felt something wet between my legs and it was loads of blood, so got dh to ring triage, I still didn't believe I could be in labour (despite being 40+2 and in loads of pain) because the contractions weren't absolutey perfectly in sync.

Got in to triage and I was 5cm dilated.

Looking back it was pretty obvious I was in labour but I was just denying it because those 2 days of early labour had made me think it would never happen!

I had regular period aches for around 90 mins, they were initially 11 mins apart and then 8 mins, I got up to go to the loo and when I got back into bed I had a small gush of water and kept getting it everytime I got up. Within an hour I had my first full blown contraction which bought me to my knees, my waters went fully two hours later, and DD arrived just over five hours after that first contraction.

Waters broke with all 3. In fact, with number 3 they went with an actual "Pop".

Back pains at 2am. Bloody show at 4am, contractions 4 minutes apart from 7am that increased in intensity over the day. They got closer together in that time. Felt like red hot bands around my hips. Freaking hurt!

DS born the following morning by EMCS. Little sod did not want to come out lol

I went for a routine exam a month before my due date. Dr told me I was 2cm and put me on a ctg - turned out I was having regular contractions but I couldn't feel them. Dr told me to take Thurs and Fri off work (I was not happy!).

On Saturday night baby stopped moving. Went to hospital for ctg - all was fine, still contracting, still couldn't feel it.

Second appointment on Sunday, still contracting, still couldn't feel it. Told to stay home Monday (still not happy).

On Sunday night I cried a lot for no reason and was so, so fat and uncomfortable, more so than at any other point in my pregnancy.

Next morning my waters broke, proper contractions started immediately and DS was born seven hours later

With dd1 I knew I was in labour when a midwife on the maternity ward examined me prior to a planned induction and she informed me I was 7cm dilated - hadn't felt a thing, nor did I for the rest of the labour.

With dd2 my waters broke at home about 8:30 pm. Think I had been contracting most of the afternoon/evening in hindsight (after doing some hoovering) but also wasn't aware, didn't feel anything else 'til urge to push (hadn't had this with dd1) breathed during those urges, dd2 born about 20 mins after.

So...didn't really know I was in labour with either!

Thanks everyone for sharing - shows how different everyone's experience is. I'm sure I'll know when it's time but good to have some idea what others experienced before hand. X

I didn't know

Yeah, yeah, I know now, but I was 38 weeks and I just thought my back (having suffered back problems for years) was really bad. The fact that DS was "back to back" so the pain was constant didn't help, but even so...

I'm better than my mum though... she didn't know she was pregnant!

Waters broke (both pg), contractions, show

When things have really started, you will definitely know!

With dc1, waters just went in the middle of the night without warning, at 38 weeks.
With Dc2 & 3 - two separate births, but both very similar and both born at home - I felt very heavy (as though the baby was very, very low) and started getting mild pains early afternoon. I carried on normally around tea time until waters suddenly went and contractions became intense - that was when we called the midwife to come! I was lucky to have quick births with all.

I was induced with no 1. I apparently had a show early that morning, but since I didn't have my eyes open as I peed in the jug, I didn't notice! I went from no contractions to full blown minute and a half contractions just like that. No warning. Gave birth 3 hours later.

With no 2, my waters broke with a huge pop. I rang the hospital and they told me to come at once, given the short time I'd laboured first time. Luckily, we lived about 2 minutes away from the hospital, but I didn't go into labour for another couple of hours. I gave birth 90 minutes later.

Waters broke at 11am, I had a bit of a denial moment and decided to paint a radiator. When DH got home at 2 we went in for a check up as they advised on the phone. They booked me in to be induced the next morning but told me to expect it to start naturally before then so I expecting it.
As soon as I went to bed at 10 the contractions started. They were very mild to start with but I'd have known for sure after the first half hour even if I wasn't expecting them that night. At 4 am, I ignored the mw on the phone and got Dh to take me back in as they were lasting 1min every 3 and the hospital isn't close. The pain was bad but completely manageable until I was given a sweep (without being asked) and taken straight to a delivery room. DS was born at 10am.

With DD2 I didn't know! I was having niggles but nothing bad. Went for a sweep and cried when the midwife said she couldn't do it! Turns out I was already 6cm dialated! She sent me straight to the maternity hospital.

On the 1st labour, contractions came first. When they start, you'll know! Nothing at all like Braxton Hicks!
On the second, my waters started leaking, not a pop or a gush, just a trickle. When your waters break, it doesn't mean you are in labour BUT your midwife should book you in for an epidural for 24 hrs after waters go (if labour doesn't start naturally in that time, mine did). When your waters break it puts the baby at risk of infection which is why they don't leave you go longer than a day.

My waters broke in the morning so I drove to the hospital to be checked out, then the contractions started as I was driving home, there was no mistaking them! DD was born the next evening

I had a sweep and immediately started getting mild crampy contractions. I thought it was just from the sweep but I woke up in the night and the contractions ramped up - I counted them using an app I had on my phone. Just as I was wondering whether to call the hospital, my waters broke spectacularly