How did your second labour start?

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I'm currently 39 weeks with second baby, first born was induced so haven't had the whole contractions starting naturally before.

How did it happen for you? Did you have an inclin beforehand that things were starting or was it completely out of the blue?

I've heard a lot of people tend to start in the night whilst asleep. I hate not knowing how/when it will all be so keeps me busy asking others their stories

Put toddler to bed and sat down to watch the tv and have a relaxing evening the day before my due date. A few Braxton Hicks circa 8pm, thought they were getting a bit... more obvious, but not painful. Got a bit twingy about 9pm, starting recording them on my phone, surreptitiously I thought as I'd had Braxton Hicks a few nights previously and poor DH barely slept for thinking he'd be racing to hospital that night. DH noticed and started giving me the side eye. And put his beer away. Rang the ward at 10 for some advice as coping fine but thought I'd let them know I was definitely in labour. Rang in laws at 11, got in the bath. They ramped up a lot and I called the ward again about 1.30 requesting to be checked on the proviso that I understood the risk that I'd be going home again. Arrived at hospital at 3am, born 10 mins later.
Much happier with that than DS's 36 hours

My first birth I was induced by balloon at 2 weeks overdue, long labour that ended in foreceps.
Second birth, when I was 9 days over my waters broke at home 11pm and contractions started immediately. Turned out to be hind waters that went so then midwife broke the rest when i went in at 230am, broke water about 3.30/4 Baby born at 6am naturally. Much faster second time, my body seemed to know what to do! Best of luck

Mine started 2 days before mild contractions every couple of hours, (plenty of notice) a day later bloody show so knew something was happening. Contractions every half hr for around 30 seconds until late evening. Bearable ones. Got worse after 9p.m. rang hospital they said I need to have a contraction every 5 minutes and it should last for 30 seconds until I can go in. Went in and they said I wasn't ready. But then decided to induce me break my waters for me. Gave birth the following afternoon. So a very slow one with plenty of warning signs for me!

Lost mucus plug then on and off contractions for days, finally they ramped up on the third day. Went to the hospital who told me I was only 2cm dilated, went home and contractions got worse, waters broke then felt like I needed to push. Partner drove me back to the hospital at 130 am and she was born half an hour later in a few pushes. I was begging for the epidural must have sounded a right idiot haha!

On and off for two days. Never became fully regular- still only two in ten minutes at nine centimetres and I was able to talk between them normally. If I hadn't gone in and been examined they'd never have believed I was in active labour.

With each of my four pregnancies I didn't have any twinges beforehand and they all started with my waters breaking.

With my second, woke up with mild pains. Thought they were maybe braxton hicks (I’d never had these before) but realised they were really regular coming every 3 mins. Phoned the hospital and told to come in as second baby and my first labour was quite fast. Felt like a fraud as contractions still not painful. Was 2cm dilated on arrival, MW did a sweep and I managed to go back to sleep for an hour or two as contractions were still not painful and it was 4am. Woke up with strong contractions and DD born 1hr later!