Signs you're getting close to labour?

[Firsttimer16]

Aside from the obvious things like losing your plug, or increased pressure down there - did anyone "feel" like they were about to go into labour or did it come quite out of the blue? I'm almost 39 weeks and don't feel like it's anywhere near - but I'm not sure if that means anything or not!

I felt a sort of shift from worry about the labour and birth to an acceptance and feeling more ready. Not just the impatience of getting to term and feeling done with it all, or an excitement to meet the baby, it was deeper than that.

So I think when it really did start I was ready for it and it didn't scare me as much as I thought it would.

Both mine were very gradual onset, slowly getting to a point when you realise 'this is it' rather than just BHs!