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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

How did your labour start?

50 replies

Thingiebob · 09/12/2009 22:35

Was talking to the other couples in my antenatal class the other day and we all were wondering how our labours would start.
I wondered if anyone would be happy to share their experiences.
Did it start with pain, a show, waters breaking? And when did it start. Was it around your EDD or early/late.

I think we are all panicking slightly as we are all around the 35/36 wk mark.

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Overtiredmum · 09/12/2009 22:42

With DS (4 yrs), it started slow around 3pm in the afternoon, gently building. 10 days early, 12 hour established labour. Epidural but very normal labour/delivery. Gave birth 11am next morning.

DD (7 mths), first twinge full on, 8am on EDD, gave birth 3 hours later, no pain relief and just a little gas and air for 2 stitches afterwards.

Both wonderful experiences.

Overtiredmum · 09/12/2009 22:43

Sorry, and congratulations - bet you can't wait to meet your baby!

ilikeyoursleeves · 09/12/2009 22:44

DS1- contractions every 10-15 mins ish for 3 days. Then a show, waters broke on day 4 then DS born 8 hours later. Phew!

DS2- contractions 2-3 mins apart straight away, waters broke on way to hospital, DS2 born en route on SIL's floor 6 hours start to finish.

It can therefore be a different experience for different people and at different times!

Good luck

ilikeyoursleeves · 09/12/2009 22:45

oh and DS1 2 weeks early and DS2 2 days early.

Pinner35 · 09/12/2009 22:46

My waters broke conveniently whilst I was on the toilet. I was 36+1....got to the hospital and DD was born 1 hr and 45 mins later with no pain relief, just paracetamol and my TENS machine.

Congratulations, BTW. Not long to go now......

mistressnicola · 09/12/2009 22:49

My first one started with the waters breaking. Not in a massive rush, but like I had half wet myself. It carried on for an hour or so and I phoned my midwife and was admitted to hospital. The pain only started a few hours after that, and it was just twinges at first, building up to full agony only after about eight hours. My second was the same, but without the waters breaking. The first was four days earlier than EDD, the second two days late. Epidural with first, no drugs with second. First was (obviously) more pleasant when I was giving birth - the monitor told me I was in agony but I couldn't feel a thing, but it took quite a while to recover - had stitches, felt v sore for weeks. Second time was a much faster recovery. Hope this helps, and all the best to you and baby x

Fleecy · 09/12/2009 22:53

DD - waters broke while I was in bed. No contractions until then. DD born 17 hours later. 37+1 'tho was expecting to go overdue as she was my first.

DS - waters broke while I was in bed (spotting a pattern here...). Had contractions on and off beforehand for three weeks and assumed they were all BH until this but looking back, some of them must have been working hard - because he was born just over 2 hrs later. Expected to be early again but he went overdue.

thisisyesterday · 09/12/2009 22:53

1st baby- braxton hicks all evening, went to bed and slept a little but woke with stronger BH at around 3 or 4am. these got more regular and i realised this was it. got gradually stronger and longer and closer together and then i went to hospital

2nd baby- almost exactly the same, only I got a bit more sleep :-)

3rd baby- nothing at all. then woke at about 2.50 having the most horrendously long and painful contraction. gave birth 45 minues later.

SantaClausImWorthIt · 09/12/2009 23:02

DS1 - waters broke at 36 1/2 weeks. Went to hospital, kept in, consultant said they wouldn't intervene as long as we were both OK until I got to 38 weeks. A week later, when I was out of my mind with boredom (as they wouldn't let me go home), I persuaded the doctors to let me out of hospital to go for a walk, I went into labour. First signs were period pains. Fiddled around trying to get tens machine on and midwife did an internal - forbidden unless it was obvious I was in labour, because of the risk of infection - and then all hell broke loose because I was already 9 cm dilated.

Rushed upstairs to the delivery suite where DS1 was born pretty quickly. About 3 3/4 hours after first signs of labour. Had a few stitches. He weighed 6lbs 2oz.

DS2, waters broke at 36 weeks, at 6.30 in the morning, followed immediately by diarrhoea - making it clear he was coming! Went straight to hospital and he was born at 9.15. No stitches. He also weighed 6lbs 2oz.

Had gas and air both times, which was lovely! I don't know if the tens machine helped, but I wouldn't let the midwife take it off, just in case! No time for any other pain relief.

Both were wonderful experiences. Midwives and doctors, without exception (at St Helier in Carshalton) were fantastic.

Original poster

Thingiebob · 09/12/2009 23:03

Wow, they're all really different! I'm guessing that me and the others in my class should probably start packing bags. I think some of us are thinking that it is a bit too early. I know I am. I'm only 35 weeks yet but everyone keeps telling me to pack. For some reason I keep putting it off!

I suppose it is because of the general belief that first time births are usually overdue.
Any truth in this?

OP posts:

sparklycheerymummy · 09/12/2009 23:04

dd..... waters broke a day early, nothing for 12 hours then a 10 hour labour....... dc2 not here yet and am being induced 12 days late!!!

blackteaplease · 10/12/2009 07:42

I've been told by my midwife that most first births are overdue, but out of the 7 in my antenatal class I'm that last one left and I'm due on Sunday, 3 were early, 2 on time and one currently in labour (also early).

Sod's law says that I'll be the one to go two weeks over though.

Good luck and get that bag packed!

SantaClausImWorthIt · 10/12/2009 08:58

Definitely get that bag packed! With DS1 I hadn't done it, and apart from a pack of nappies and some vests we had nothing. I had to send DH to Mothercare to buy everything! (Even the pushchair/pram/carseat). Thankfully I had been doing my research and knew what I wanted, but even so it was quite daunting for him I think!

HowTheGibbonStoleChristmas · 10/12/2009 09:12

Pack that bag

I didn't and DD was early and labour was only a few hours and I was in shock! just made it to the hospital on time.

madmissy · 10/12/2009 11:43

dd1 2days early period like cramping then woke in night needing loo and fast!

dd2 induced 2 weeks early

ds1 currently 38+3wks beig induced next week but hvaing all the same run up pains and niggles i did with dd2 in lead up to induction

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 10/12/2009 11:46

Waters broke when I went to the loo in the night - I felt a definite sort of "pop" inside and then they kept leaking out.. hospital said to come in and confirm they had broken, but at that point I wasn't feeling any contractions (though monitor said I was getting very low-level ones); then contractions I could feel started several hours later.

You might as well get your bag packed, although you are more likely to go overdue you never know and after all there's no harm having it ready early!

Habbibu · 10/12/2009 11:49

DD - woke at 3am in vile temper, sat eating cereal and googling "signs of early labour" until contractions started.

DS - went to bed in vile temper (seeing a theme); got up at 2:30 am to get dd to the toilet, at which point my waters broke on the landing. DD helpfully said "You can go to the toilet too, mummy". Contractions started about 45 mins later.

mrsjammi · 10/12/2009 11:51

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

Thingiebob · 10/12/2009 13:37

So a lot started with waters breaking then rather than a show.
Do you go in straightaway nowadays if your waters break?

OP posts:

slushy06 · 10/12/2009 13:50

Ds 4yo 38+4 1am I woke up jumped out of the bed as I felt a curious sensation and my waters went everywhere. CC started immediately every 5mins ds born 23 1/2 hours later

DD 4moths 40+10 I had been having regular pains all night for about two weeks but on this night at 2 am I started getting pains and paid no attention thinking it was just like the others but it was different as the pains were irregular at first every 10 mins and 15 mins instead or regularly every 5 mins and every time a cc came I would lose large amounts of clear gel streaked with blood that continued continued right up till an hour before giving birth. DD also born 23 hours after first cc but only 10 hours from regular 5 mins cc.

Habbibu · 10/12/2009 13:50

Had a show 3 days before labour with dd. No show with ds

DisElfchanted3 · 10/12/2009 13:54

DS1- hospital induction.

DS2 - contractions started at 9pm as I was putting DS1 to bed.

DD - after sweep, pains started straight away then heated up about 6 hours later.

Purplebuns · 10/12/2009 14:06

I had woken, as I couldnt get comfy!
My waters went, slightly, I thought they had, (distinctive straw smell!)
The local hospital wasn't sure when I rang them. This is 6am.

I was booked in to be induced at another hospital 10.30 am, so went to be induced.

Had pessary inserted at 3.30pm, and found I was already 3cm and just had 'backache'. (o.p baby)

Gave birth at 4.38am after 2hrs 30 mins of back to back contractions!

Pain relief; Gas and air, Tens machine at beginning and co-codamol!

Fetal distress, narrowly avoided c-section!

Moral of the story? do not get your labour enhanced when it is progressing normally!

Also, trust your instincts, I was quite sure my waters had gone, and I found out I was right when they tried to break my waters and couldn't!

newmomma · 10/12/2009 16:07

At 38+3 I had one massive great contraction in the car park of the crematorium (had just been to a funeral). Waters broke over the next two contractions and when we got to the wake we decided we'd better go to the nearest hospital instead as they were coming every 5 minutes.

Had a natural labour - took just over 12 hours. Gas and air was amazing!

I had no hospital bag or notes with me as I wasn't due for two weeks and fully expected baby to go two weeks overdue. Just goes to show - all you need is your body!! And my dh was amazing too.

Loved my labour and am thoroughly looking forward to doing it again in May (hopefully local to my home and with some of my own possessions around me!)

Don't panic thingiebob - giving birth is amazing - NOT painful like people say. They just use the word pain because its the closest thing we have in our vocabulary. Contractions feel like muscle tensing and having a big poo combined (tmi?). I wouldn't call it pain. I think it's addictive!

Best of luck - you'll all be fine. x

darcymum · 10/12/2009 16:22

With DD1 woke up very early with pains in stomach, not to bad. They started coming at regular intervals so after a while when to the hospital. I thought this isn't so bad, I don't know what all those woman go on about the pain for, couple of paracetamol will do me fine.

Got to the hospital and was told I wasn't in labour. I had know idea of the pain to come!

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