Pointless survey - for those of you who have laboured more than once

[EmmaBemma]

Hello! I'm 39 weeks pregnant today and feel nowhere near ready to pop - well, mentally I'm ready, but physically I don't feel markedly different from how I felt at 34 or 36 weeks. I remember thinking much the same in my last pregnancy, which ended in a (straightforward) induction at 41+3. This time I'd quite like to avoid an induction if possible but I don't think I'll want to hold out beyond 42 weeks.

So! For the sake of bored curiosity only, I was hoping you could tell me when you went into labour in your first and subsequent pregnancies. I have had a few "twinges" this time which I didn't last time - more frequent and more intense braxton hicks, and a couple of days of on/off period-type pain last week, but I doubt that means anything, right?

DC1 induced at 41+4 born 41+5
DC2 born 38+5
DC3 born 38+6

both dc2 and dc3 waters broke spontaneously and very quick easy labours compared to dc1

DS1 - 38 +2 - 5 hours
DS2 - 37 +3 - 40 mins

DC1 39 + 2
DC2 40 + 1
DC3 emergency CS at 38 weeks

dd born at 40 + 14 after being induced at 40 + 11
ds born at 40 + 11, nearly induced but the hospital didn't have space for me and ended up going into labour that night on my own

1 = 40+ 14days (induced)
2 = 40+5 days
3 = 40+14 days

40+5
40+9
both spontaneous labours (though nudged 2# along with some jiggery pokery)
currently 36 weeks into number 3...though i would go for expectant management personally if i go to 42 weeks or beyond this time.

Thanks again all! This is all really interesting. If I was cleverer, I'd be thinking of a spreadsheet and graph or similar. Anyway, according to the woman who sold me maltesers in my local Co-op today, based on size and position of my bump I've got "ages" to go yet. She is wasted in the Co-op, with her medical/psychic abilities.

dd 40+2 Had contractions, went to hospital, contractions slowed down and stopped. Was induced rather than being sent home, because of high bp. Long, difficult labour - she was back to my back.

ds Induced at 40+14 Fairly quick labour.

DD 40+3. Had regular braxtons hicks on due date which gradually grew and grew until I went into full labour three days later. Length of labour on official paper was 2h 20min which did not honour the three days of lost sleep which went before it!

DS 37+4. I had runs of BH on the monday, tuesday and wednesday evenings but they went away again. On the wed I just 'knew' and got the Moses basket out. Thursday morn I woke up with contractions which grew throughout the day and DS was born at 6:45pm. Length of labour on paper was 1hr 35min. Again doesn't really reflect the pain of pre-labour!

Hope yours goes well and is everything you hoped!

DS1 induced at 39 weeks, 3 days after my waters broke

DS2 induced at 40 +5, 24 hrs after my waters broke, (baby had passed meconium)

so I have no idea what spontaneous labour feels like

DD two days late, felt really positive on due date that it would happen soon, was uncomfy but not too bad.

DS1 39+4 Was huge and extremely uncomfy, felt that it would never happen, had a dream that I was in labour and woke up to find that actually I was!

DS2 38+2 Had been having lots of braxton hicks but not as uncomfy as the second time, thought I would be another two weeks, then I had a two nights of contractions, none at all in the day and on the third night they really got going.

40+11

40+3

I should have said that like you I wanted to avoid induction. For ds2 I asked the midwife to do all she could think of to bring on labour. All the old wives tales etc...

She did a sweep every third day after 40 weeks. It may have helped. When I went into labour it was very quick. 23 mins from 3cm dialation to birth.