Can you share your experiences?

[HereForAdvice123]

Hi,

I am almost 38 weeks pregnant and looking forward to meeting baby! I was hoping to hear some of your experiences of how your labour started out? I am currently getting constant period like pain since yesterday but not sure if this is the start as have no other signs lol

TIA xx

Hi, hopefully you'll be meeting your little one soon!

I was 41+1 when I went into labour. I'd tried absolutely everything to start him off but no luck, in the end I resigned myself to the fact he wasn't coming, so went to a social event the night before. This was the Wednesday and I'd lost my plug the Monday.

Woke up at 5.13 Thursday morning with unusual cramps that weren't going away. Got up and started timing them and they still wouldn't go away. Ended up getting stronger, was more sharp pain in my back / bum as if I was horrendously constipated. Went into hospital at 5cm at 14.00 and he was born at 16.13 😊

I was 40+2 and woke in the early hours of the morning with what felt like strong period pains and then projectile vomited all over the bed! My partner was trying to get me up to go to the hospital but I was putting it off thinking it would be too soon and they'd only turn us away. He started timing them and they were three mins apart so off we went to the hospital. Got there and I was already 9cm dilated even though my waters hadn't broken. Took a few hours before my little one eventually arrived as things progressed slowly from there. Had to have my waters broken, followed by episiotomy and vacuum delivery. Sounds like yours could be on its way!

I started with clear twinges in my lower back early on Saturday morning, about 30 mins apart.

They increased to 10 mins apart by Sunday morning and I went to hosp at 3pm on Sunday afternoon when they were 6 mins apart. The hospital was 45 mins drive.

Forewaters broke 6pm Sunday evening, ds born after a struggle and some help, 7.50 Monday morning. All safe & well.

My bump was going hard pretty continuously but no pain on the Thursday night, I went to bed and then woke up about 7 and they were like period pains but regular started timing them and by dinner they were very close and painful... 4pm went into hospital dd was born 10:46 x

I was 40+5 and woke up at about 1am purely from my normal pregnancy insomnia. I was hugely uncomfortable as always but not in any pain specifically. I went to the loo and had diarrhoea (sorry for tmi) and a few typical diarrhoea cramps that I didn't think anything of. I got back in bed and watched a bit of tv, still no pain as the cramping stopped as soon as I'd finished in the loo. About half 3 I needed the loo again, more diarrhoea and cramping but again, the pain stopped as soon as I'd finished so I just assumed it was an upset stomach. I decided to have a bath to help me relax and hopefully get some more sleep. I enjoyed my bath for about half an hour, even shaved my legs. Suddenly pains started, similar to the diarrhoea cramps again but were coming every few minutes and then disappeaing again. I didn't believe this was labour at all as there was no tightness in my abdomen as I expected from contractions and they were also coming far too quickly for what I expected the labour to be like, especially for my first baby. But they were getting stronger and stronger though never lasting more than a minute and always just a few minutes apart so I went to get my husband to ask for some support as I was starting to get worried. It was now about 5:30am, he had barely woken up properly to help me breathe through some of the pains when my waters broke. I knew instantly that the waters had meconium in them so we rang the labour suit and they told us to come straight in. On arrival at the hospital by about 7am I was 8cm dialated and my daughter was born 90 minutes later at 8:30am. In total from noticeable pains that I now recognise were my contractions when I was in the bath, my labour only lasted about 4 hours. It was absolutely nothing like I expected it to be and I hadn't even lost my mucas plug that I was aware of so I didn't believe I was in labour until my waters broke.

Wishing you the very best of luck and hope you have a safe and healthy delivery xx

Writing this with 2week old DS in my arms. Finished work on the Friday at 38 weeks and was looking forward to a couple of days down time to get things sorted.
Saturday was feeling very grumpy and tired but put it down to finishing up work and looking after DD while all working from home. Sunday morning my waters went at 3am. Check up at hospital at 10.30 am and sent home as no contractions and too busy to induce.
Home by 12, contractions started around 3pm and went straight to 2-3 mins apart. Held off going to hospital as I was worried they would stop and we'd be sent home again. DH eventually insisted it was time to go around 4.30/5 ish.
Admitted, requested epidural. Took some time for anaesthetisy to arrive but all sorted and then was checked and found to be 10cm. DS arrived 11pm on the dot. It didn't seem to take that long though. Focusing on the contractions and the questions/checks and then the epidural set up made it all seem very fast!
Because of how long my waters had been broken before delivery I had to stay 2 nights and that was the hardest bit. I was definitely ready to go home after the first night even in a single room.

Dd arrived 2 weeks before her due date...my waters went at 2.30am and contractions immediately went to 4-5 mins apart. Got to hospital at 3.30, given paracetamol 😄 and examined at 8, found to be 5cm dilated so was permitted to stay. Was given codeine and g&a (did nothing for me, just dried my mouth out!) And was examined again at 12, found to be 9.5cm ans started to push. Obviously too late for an epidural...so the only option then was diamorphine, which I didn't really want but did a great job of chilling me out. 2 hours of pushing and a small labial graze, she was born safely . The midwife was absolutely wonderful as were the other staff. Amazing experience - if it wasn't for the PND I had afterwards I'd do it all over again happily ....
Best of luck to you! Best thing you can do to help yourself is try to remain calm. Sending positive vibes your way ❤️