How did you know you were in labour/ what were you doing beforehand

[Mummy2beAT]

Hhi everyone I know people say once your in labour you know. I was just wondering how labour started for you, what were you doing and how far along were you. I'm 37 weeks today and have been having period pains this morning . I've had them a couple of weeks ago but they eased off

Trying to enjoy my birthday... With my twin had nice birthday breakfast lots of twinges attempted to ignore...untill I couldn't anymore was absolutely determined not to have to share MY birthday with a third person... Gave up around 10pm and asked dh to take me to hospital, she was born the next day.....just.
My next pregnancy was a planned section difficult twins, I booked the date a month in advance :)

Now of course I have spent the last decade of my birthdays seeing my twin and preparing for dd's parties :)

I'm a ftm and I'm scared I don't know what to expect. I've been feeling a little under the weather and sick yesterday and this morning but it passes have the odd cramping atm but not too painful

I'm a FTM, baby is now 11 weeks. I had 3 days off work because day 1 I lost my mucus plug and DH was scared I would have the baby in the office - amazing -, days 2 and 3 the dog was really sick so I stayed home with him. After I lost my plug I had period like pains and back ache but in no pattern. I was convinced it was early labour but at 37+3 I talked myself out of it thinking I would go overdue. Day 4 was a Saturday, DH at work so I decided to deep clean the house, he then returns, we went food shopping then got in bed with the dog to watch tv. Suddenly we both heard a big pop, I stood up and gushed everywhere. Called hospital and was told to go in. I packed our bags, packed up the dog and dropped him at the in-laws then got to hospital. I had baby 5 hours later!

You will know when it’s really labour because it keeps ramping up and and up and up. If you feel like something’s starting and you want to encourage labour to progress I would (and did) try:
A long brisk walk
Scrubbing the floors
Sex

People also say walking up and down the stairs sideways is good!

I was 37 weeks and knew something was off but couldn't put my finger on what it was/didn't cross my mind I was going into labour! I thought I'd have a few more weeks left! For a few days beforehand I was more irritable, really thirsty, had terrible heartburn and quite uncomfortable. My waters broke just as I went to bed for the night but before that I had been quite active in the day, doing lots of errands and a big food shop. I was meant to be induced the next week because of LO's breech position.

Was bum shuffling round the upstairs rooms painting skirting boards & half way up a ladder helping put stuff in the attic at 36+wks (we were mid renovation). Had a sore back off and on all day, not relieved by a soak in a warm bath. OH convinced me to call midwife early evening who said I might as well pop down as they weren't busy. Was a bit uncomfortable sitting in car (felt like I needed a big poo) Just as well I went when I did as was 8cm dilated when I arrived & delivered DD 50mins after I got to delivery room!

I was just sat there watching TV and I just went into labour. One massive ripping contraction after another. Like being hit with a tonne of bricks, no possibility of mistaking it for anything else. Then my waters broke and the baby came out. There isn’t much else to be said!

Sleeping!

DS1 I woke up confused because my hot water bottle was no longer helping with the cramps, it was just making them worse.

DS2 I woke up and felt significantly damp down below. Woke DH up and said I think my waters have broken. Stood up to walk to the toilet and water (and a bit of blood) splattered all over the floor!

Both of my labours were slow.

Am 37 weeks today too!.This is my second.Can barely remember how my first labor started as it was 5 years ago.But I do remember it started at night with period like cramp that got more intense in the early hours of the morning.By midday I was in hospital and dilated to about 5cm.Screaming the place down, I was finally offered epidural and baby arrived the next morning.This time am so terrified baby will arrive so quickly and there will be no time for epidural.
I dont think I can cope without epidural.Am such a chicken.

Dc1- was eating and my waters broke
Dc2- was sleeping and my waters broke

I was a week late, the first sign for me was when my waters broke. Contractions started soon afterwards. Good luck OP!

Sorry for a stupid question, I'm only 18 weeks atm. What does waters breaking feel like and is it obvious? I think I've heard it's like wetting yourself? Is it a big flood or not?

Yes it’s a bit like wetting yourself, but the liquid is clear and doesn’t smell. Also it continues to come out rather than stopping.

Nothing like wetting myself. It was a massive gush of water which soaked me, pyjamas, the mattress. Every time I moved, more would gush out. I was a birth partner for my friend and her waters audibly popped and projected across the room by several feet.

They can be a huge gush, but not necessarily. My first baby was just a dribble here and there as I changed positions. Second was manually broken and that was a flood!

Have you ever been so drunk/ill you're just vomiting liquid now? It feels like that (repeatedly) except out of your vagina instead of your mouth. Very, very, odd, extremely annoying, especially when it isn't even accompanied with any labour signs urgent enough to do anything about.

I had painful twinges for 36 hours low down at the front. I knew it was the start immediately as had never felt anything like that before or since. It took that long however for active labour to kick in.

You will definitely know one way or another.

DD, we were at a friends bbq and was getting period cramps mild enough to ignore. Went home and decided to time them to see if there was a pattern. There was. They ramped up through the evening until there was no doubt. Labour went on until 3.20 the following afternoon. It was bloody awful.
DS, was watching Tom Daly on that diving programme he did and kept getting uncomfortable cramps. They got worse quickly. Hung on as much as I could at home, decided at 3am i was going to hospital. Waters went on the way out of the door. Arrived at hospital about 4 am, DS was born at 5.45. Much better 2nd time round.
It was obvious to me once i started to time the pains and they were regular.

Ooh thank you to everyone that's answered about waters breaking, I've got a much better idea now

I’m a FTM, little girl is nearly 4 months old. I had no idea I was in labour, I woke up that morning with a feeling today was the day. Sat on the birthing ball listening to songs all day. Went for a bath and had my show about 1pm. Had a few twinges but didn’t think anything of it, went for a walk and went to my friends for dinner. My waters broke on her sofa and I just thought I had wet my self, this was at 8:30pm. We then went home and I started to feel in pain but still didn’t believe I was in labour, we phoned the hospital at about 9pm and I still wasn’t 100% I was in labour, they told us to wait, an hour later I couldn’t move with the pain, got to the hospital at 11pm she was born 2:50am. Some people might say when you know you know but I didn’t know my first contractions were contractions for hours.

I started having back pains in the night, enough that they kept me awake and I got a hot water bottle and sat on the sofa. My waters broke at 10am, but only trickled (no gush) I was allowed 24hrs to go into labour naturally and I woke up in the night contracting and there was no mistaking... I was in labour. Baby arrived 7 hours later. You know when it’s your turn. I was 39wks

As much as I hate to agree with my mother, it's nothing like on tv.
DD - period type pains which increased intensity until about 12 hours later when frankly, a paracetamol wasn't going to cut it.
DS - waters broke, increasing pain with no bloody respite.
Good luck! And remember, it can't be that bad or nobody would have more than one 😶.

With two of mine I was asleep and was woken with a mild contraction. All three times my waters came out with the baby. No dramatic gushes here.

Bree88 My experience has been very like justgivemesome peace said. My second was much quicker and much easier than the first. Contractions and giving birth are painful, but four hours is considerably easier to bear than twenty four.

On the subject of breaking waters, for five years I scoffed at dramatic TV going into labour scenes after the long slowly getting worse time I had with ds1. The ones where the waters go every where and she grabs the nearest wall with the immediate contraction. Then I did exactly that with ds2.

DS1- 37 weeks, we had friends round for the evening and I was just uncomfortable with backache and period type pains and fidgety. I felt distracted from conversation and couldnt wait for them to leave. They left at 10.30, we went into hospital to be checked at midnight and he was born at 7.10am
DD1 - I was 8 days over, had a stretch and sweep at 10am, went to see friends who were going on holiday that day and whilst there I started with niggly, irregular pains, I couldnt sit down and was pacing a bit. Contractions properly started at 2pm.
DS2 - woke up at 6am needing a wee, wee seemed never ending and when I stood up to wipe, carried on and I knew my waters had broken.
DD2 - was in hospital at 39 weeks after a heavy bleed which settled, was being discharged home the morning after but woke up to a wet bed at 5am. Waters had gone with no contractions so opted for induction, born at 4.30pm
DD3- woke up at 5am again and didn't know why, went to the loo and waters and bloody show cascaded over bathroom floor. First contraction hit in the hospital car park at 7am. I remember leaning over the car and a man walking back to his car saying ' oh I've just brought my wife in but it's a false alarm' and I said through gritted teeth, well this isnt. Born at 9.35