Was onset of labour a complete surprise?

[anna26anna]

Okay, so I'm 39+6 and driving myself crazy wondering when it's all going to kick off. To distract me from the torture of the waiting game, here's a question I've been wondering about. When your labour started, was it a complete surprise or did you suspect something in the lead-up? (Doesn't take Einstein to work out I'm hoping it will all kick off out of the blue).

I'm on my third pregnancy, first time I was induced at 38 weeks (it failed), second time I went right to the 11th hour and labour started overnight after some last-ditch efforts just before I was due to be induced at 40+10.

This time, baby's been engaged for almost 2 weeks now, lots of BH and even painful contractions, loads of days I've thought it might be about to start. In common with thousands of other women around the country, I bet....

Anna

I had loads of braxton hicks and regular contractions for an hour a day or so for weeks before I went into labour.

With all of these I constantly thought 'is this it?' , however when labour did start it wasn't a suprise, it was more I somehow knew that this infact was it.

hope that makes sense, and good luck!!

was a complete surprise with my 1st, didn't have a clue, had nothing before hand and was doing the hoovering when I had my first contraction.

Second I had lot's of niggly pains, pressure, BH and everything else for a while before it kicked off, but I ended up a week overdue. First contraction started at night, went to bed feeling fine so it was a bit of a surprise.

I'm 37 weeks with my third and have been hospitalised with a labour that stopped at 35 weeks, went home and have since then had almost continuous period pain and back pain, with thousands of BH.

Hope things start happening soon for you.

With dd1 yes.

I woke after a good night sleep went to the loo felt a pop had very bloody show. Went to the hospital to find out what was happening. and was already 8/9cm dilated. Only had 3 contractions to push dd1 out. At exactly 39wks.

With dd2 and ds both where evicted induced at 40+4 and 40+11.

I had no clues beforehand until contractions and backache started at 7am, and baby was born (after prolonged 2nd stage) at 10.45pm. That was at 40+2. I'd been eagerly awaiting mucous plug/show/BHs, but didn't have anything like that in the end.

Yes! Infact it took me 4 1/2 hours to realise i was in early labour and it was not growing pains. To be fair to myself i was 30 weeks. I then spent 2 days in hospital trying to stop things only for a consultant to wake me at 6 30 am to say you will have your baby today. I cried buckets. But all is well and he is currently on his play mat kicking and smiling :D

Yup, sitting on the sofa eating dinner and watching a rubbish film and pop, waters went. Contractions started immediately and lo and behold, 2 days of back to back contractions later, a baby.

My 3rd was,
I had a sweep on my due date, was 3 cm,
next day (Wednesday) felt really strange and didn't want to go anywhere I just didn't feel quite right but then the feeling completely left me,

so by the Saturday night I was very pee'd off had a bath went to bed,
had a dream that I was in labour then realised I actually was she was born 4 hours later, just got to the hospital and no more

On dd1 I went a few days early. All that day from around 8am when I woke up I just 'knew' something was going to happen. Nothing concrete - no pains, contractions or anything like that. Just wanted to curl up into myself and be left alone IYKWIM.

Contractions began at 3.30am and delived dd1 just 4 hours later.

DD2 was a different story. Because my first was early I convinced myself dd2 would be early too.

I ended up in and out of hospital with high blood pressure.

A couple of times I was convinced I was starting but I went overdue by a few days.

When I went into labour it took me completely by surprise. Went from nothing to full on labour very fast.

DD2 was born less than 3 hours after the first twinge. I nearly gave birth in the car.

With DS (DC2) I had 3 days of on and off contractions, with 10 minute intervals running for several hours. But they never got painful or anything. When it was for real took around 3 hours for me to realise!

With DD (DC1) had a show on sat morning and labour started sat night.

DD1 - induced, expecting similar with DD2. But 5 days before due date, I was getting into bed, big pop, waters went, baby arrived 3 hours later. DD3 - 5 days late, getting worried, felt internal 'twang', contractions started immediately, baby 5 hrs later. No warning signs with either of them but maybe i'm not in tune with my body !

Homebirthmummy, you're right, and I know I will know when it kicks off for certain. Just wish it would be soon

SmallShips, sounds like you've had a real variety of experiences. I like the first contractions while vacuuming Hope the rest of this pregnancy is smooth for you.

Lizziemun, wow, your DD1 did seem to set high expectations for the other two, I imagine the overdue days were hard to live through on the second and third time round? I went 10 days over last time, so really have to be prepared for the same or worse.

BusyMissIzzy, I know what you mean about expecting a show. I haven't had one, although I've had weeks of BH and pain in the cervix area. I'm not even sure though whether you can start to dilate at all without having a show? Today I've had contractions and backache and period cramps for hours, but they've all stopped now.... again

Mrspear, I don't blame you not taking the symptoms seriously at 30 weeks, that was alarming for you, glad your little one is fit and well now.

SaintGeoff, see, I don't think my body would ever do anything cooperative like waters breaking as I sat on the sofa watching TV. And contractions starting right away was good too, though sorry to hear about the long labour.

PlumBumMum, that was fast at the end The days of waiting from Wed to Sat would have driven me crazy though... I'm hoping to have a sweep on Tuesday, let's see if that does anything.

Suiledonne, good for you with working out that something was about to happen. My husband (from a farming background) makes these ever so flattering comparisons with the behaviour of cows before they start labour, not unsimilar to your description of wanting to be left by yourself, I do have to laugh sometimes. My own instincts are just pants, a couple of days I've been sure that this was it, and I was wrong each time. So now I'm tempted to just hang around home even when regular contractions do kick off. Trouble is, this would be my second vaginal delivery (first son was a section), so I guess it could be faster than last time and we are nearly an hour from hospital.

MumNWLondon, three days of on-off contractions is like what I'm in the middle of now. It's driving me crazy, I'd be far better off getting busy with some project or other and forgetting about it for another few days. Hope springs eternal, though...

Lucysmum, I love that your second and third started without warning, gives hope that it is possible - and sounds like you're just the right amount in tune with your body, not obsessively noticing every BH like I am today

On cue, here comes another one...

Anna

I didn't have any warning signs or niggles (other than bh's) with either.

ds1 - woke up in the night and realised what was back ache was actually mild contractions.

ds2 - woke up in the night, went for a wee then realised the flow wasn't stopping and thought it was probably my waters. Went back to bed and slept for a few hours and realised that yes it defo was my waters trickling and ds was in my arms 5 hours later.

I never had any nesting instinct, weird feelings, mucus plug or other things people describe. Both times I went to bed the previous night with no idea what was to come.

Oh and you can dilate without having a show. Both times I only lost my mucus plug when I was in established labour.

Thanks, ILiketoMoveItMoveIt, for clearing up the dilation question. Here's hoping I'm nearly 4cm then with all the pains and aches and practice contractions That would almost be worth the wait. Where does the mucus plug hang out, then, while your cervix is opening, I wonder? Think I need a midwifery text for the random questions....

I have the backache you describe right now, and haven't suffered from backache at all until today. Laughing a little at the flow not stopping when you went to the loo, I have wondered about that a couple of times but think I only have my bladder to blame

Anna

I guess sometimes the plug is so sticky and snot-like that is holds on for dear life during dilation

Early contractions with ds1 were just like period pain in the back. They didn't peak like the more hardcore contractions, I only realised they were contractions because it was painful at regular intervals.

I went straight into huge, breathless heavy contractions at about 4/5 minutes apart...

No warning, no show in advance, no BH.

My waters went on cx #2 and had emptied by about cx #5. I was 4cm when I got the hospital to be examined (20 mins later) by which time my show was (sorry if tmi!) in my pants...!

Am due again in May and wondering if I'll go straight into this again or whether I'll have what other people seem to go through more normally - a kind of day of 'is this it, or not'?

I was having BH on and off for days before it happened. The difference was labour started off with period-like pains, not BH. It still took a few hours before I realised that it was getting stronger and more regular, so this was probably it.

Good luck! I'm currently 30+1 with no.2 and counting down the days already, so sick of being pregnant!

With DD yes about mid-day on my due date I felt a tiny pop, with a minute trickle of water, and the contractions started about five mins after.

Had a bit of a tummy ache at 36 weeks. Phoned MW and they said go in to hospital. I was 6cm dilated without realising I was in labour. No shows, BH etc etc and no packed bag either...).
With the next baby had a bit of a twinge at 34 and half weeks and knew we on our way again...

im reading with interest as i am due tomorrow with #2!!
i am so impatient!!

I'm also reading with interest as I've been having tonnes of pre-labour contractions for 3 weeks now, and I'm just worried I won't actually know when proper contractions start! So painful yesterday I couldn't walk or talk but then they tailed off after a bath, grrrr....

When the baby wriggles around it can trigger the same sort of excruciating pain without a contraction - is this normal?

Sorry, should say that I'm now 39 weeks

nocoffee i get that too - the baby wriggling too much and it is painful... got to see midwife tomorrow so will ask...

Hi totasky I am also off to see MW tomorrow so will report back. I did wonder if perhaps the baby has turned back to back...

Hi!
I only ever got Braxton Hicks when I was knackered, usually in the supermarket, very odd.

I had a sweep on my due date which was a Friday. Went for a loooong walk on Saturday, had a huge curry Sat night and by Sunday got that funny feeling that something was 'up'. Didn't feel ill, no waters, no contractions, just the desire to curl up in a ball that someone else referenced.

By 3am Sunday I knew what was happening, I let hubby sleep for another couple of hours then got him to take me to hospital (I had leaky waters so was still unsure), contractions started in earnest about 7am but I definately knew after the icky sweep that things were moving.

Good luck all of you about to go through it x

I had no idea with either of mine DS1 I woke up in the middle of the night to my waters breaking and had him in hospital 5 hours later. DS2 I woke up at 3am to first contraction and had him on the bedroom floor 40 mins later!! By the time I had decided my contractions were regular enough to call my mum to come and look after my son and the time it took for her to arrive there was no way I was moving. I do think my poor husband had a bit of a shock and my Mum on here arrival got a bit more than she bargained for, delivering a baby rather than a quiet night babysitting.