Start of labour

[amyba]

Can mums please tell me how the felt right at the start of it all (labour) please xx

Ache in the small of my back radiating out to my hips. Sometimes the waters break first.

You won't miss contractions but it's worth keeping track of how often/how long they are because they often go off again. First labours can be off and on for a day or two before they really get going.

Started strong period type pains which quickly turned into contractions and got bloody mucus when wiping.

For me, my waters broke in a big gush.... and kept going. Within a few minutes I felt nauseous and then the pain started. The feeling is hard to describe. Contractions started and ramped up quite quickly. I'd reached 4cm dilated within 2hrs.

A friend's labour started with mild lower back pain that went on for over 40hrs, increasing in intensity. Her waters never broke (had to be broken for her) and she never made it past 1cm dilated. It's different for everyone.

Period pains lasting for around 30 seconds and pretty much every 10 minutes from the get go.

I didn't realise I was in slow labour; for me I lost my mucus plug on the Wednesday, and then Saturday onwards I'd be suddenly having to stop and catch my breath as something 'twinged'. Absolutely no pain, I'd just have to deep breathe through it. I also felt restless &wanted to pace.
The Monday I had him, in the AM I started to feel tightening across my belly& gradually worsening pain, not unlike period pain.
In hospital, I had to wait to be admitted & I struggled to stand in the waiting room (& felt really guilty as there were ladies there waiting for scans & I didn't want to scare them!!). I had to kneel on the chairs & focus on something in the distance.
This was, it turns out, 3cm. In the ward, I was unable to wee, &the pain was like when you squeeze a huge spot (with the same build up and come down!?) in a band around my tummy and upper thighs. I felt in the zone& touched out; I didn't care that my husband wasn't there initially (Covid)!
But it's so random - in recovery, the lady next to me (also FTM) was admitted at 7cm- she'd had no pain at all and didn't know she was in labour, then it suddenly ramped up (or I have a really low pain threshold!).

11am before had a bowel clear out but didn’t think much about it at all just thought one of those things - 3am that morning woke to labour pains and full on labour.
Dd woke 3am massive labour pains born 8:45am .

Tightenings every night for a few nights which I thought were Braxton Hicks. Waters went at 3am, had mild contractions after that. These became strong and frequent at 7am. Baby born at 10;30 am.

First one, I kept what a wee, like constantly. That started about 3am. Took a while to realise what was going on

Second one, started with humongous contractions almost out of the blue, although had been a bit emotional that day.