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Original poster

what were your 1st signs u were going into labour?

173 replies

jimmijam · 26/08/2011 14:49

hi, just curious really
with our 1st it was the contractions and i just knew
with our 2nd i had a show and just knew that was the day
this time around tho-was in pain etc last night, thought that may well have been it, but its all eased off today...

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rococopops · 26/08/2011 16:20

First time induced due to PE, was terrified and didn't know what to expect

Second baby after a bit of sexy time with DH first contraction 1/2 later, contractions throughout the night DS2 was born around lunchtime

Woke up early (never happens) full of weird energy gave DS2 cuddle who was also awake, later in day cat miaowing at me like crazy, was literally following me around the house and garden, then I spotted him out the bedrrom window looking up at me miaowing Confused, waters popper about half hour after that.

rococopops · 26/08/2011 16:20

popped Grin

Halbanoo · 26/08/2011 16:31

I had a dull backache for a day or two (which I really didn't even associate with labor since it was well over a week until my due date) before the ever-delightful "show" appeared one morning in the shower. Things happened pretty fast after that. Water breaking, etc.

OhdearNigel · 26/08/2011 16:37

Mine was contractions as well - hadn't had any until I went into labour properly. I just knew, and said to DH when he came home to watch Silent Witness "I think we might have a change of plans".

Valetude · 26/08/2011 16:39

Gentle contractions, noticed they were pretty regular
Nice
Better than waters breaking and nothing happening, I dreaded that

yok2t · 26/08/2011 16:42

My waters breaking at 2 am just as I had waddled back to bed from the loo. I just made it back to the loo, thankfully. I had bought a mattress protector the day before. It was in the washing machine. :o

joruth · 26/08/2011 16:44

DC1 Show and vomited then spent 48 hours in labour
DC2 woke up and just had to do the ironing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!born 20 mins later 3 weeks early
DC3 classic pains from back, told midwife baby was coming soon...examined 2cm dilated told not to be silly...born within 5 mins!!!
DC4 had inexplicable urge to get moving...walked around house...born almost before we'd got the towels out
DC5 took forever with on off contractions through weekend!

No wonder we all get confused about whether we are in labour or not!

Best wishes with your experiences...and may all your troubles be little ones (mine are) :)

WalterFlipschicks · 26/08/2011 16:44

My waters broke all over my dress and shoes! Thought id pissed my pants! Blush

NeedToSleepZZZ · 26/08/2011 16:45

ohdearnigel very odd, I watched silent witness through early labour!

First sign was loads of diarrhoea Blush, hth!

thefirstMrsDeVere · 26/08/2011 16:52

All of mine, diarrhoea (sooo relieved that needto can spell that so I could copy it).

I am mad for a few days before though. I march around issuing orders 'that skirting board has to be painted NOW! How can I bring a baby into this house?!!'

I also iron duvet covers Shock

thefirstMrsDeVere · 26/08/2011 16:54

joruth my No 5 faffed about like that as well! Drove me mad. Everyone had joked thoughout my pg how he would pop out Hmm

I didnt really know I was in labour until I was well on my way.

thefirstMrsDeVere · 26/08/2011 16:55

Forgot to say HOW EXCITING!!!!

schroeder · 26/08/2011 16:58

Was induced with ds, but with dd, I literally leapt out of bed at 2am with a painful contraction.

I'd been worried that I wouldn't know when it started.Confused Shock

Good luck Smile

sjuperwolef · 26/08/2011 17:00

ooh congrats! with my first it was a real insistence on needing a poo - turned out i was dilating, i was 5 cm when i got to hospital Grin DD was born 4/5 hours later.

this time round im hoping its as easy!

toobreathless · 26/08/2011 17:18

I was in hospital awaiting induction when started vomiting, contractions started about two hours later.

rowingboat · 26/08/2011 17:30

The most conclusive sign that labour was imminent was my waters breaking, but still didn't have contractions for almost 24 hours.
I do remember feeling much more tired than normal the night before and having no appetite, kind of drained.

BigusBumus · 26/08/2011 17:34

No 1 - Waters popped all over the bedroom floor with a WHOOSH!

No 2 - Thought I was constipated and sat on the loo for ages reting to poo. Suddenly realised it was the babys head!

greenbananas · 26/08/2011 17:34

I didn't know that I was in labour Grin- I had the 'show' on my due date but it took a further 3 days to really get going. It was so slow that I failed to realise it was actually happening, and I was 9cm dilated by the time I finally got to hospital.

The first sign that my baby was really imminent was when I had a desperate urge to tidy the house. I suppose I kind of knew that I would not get a chance to clean up for a few weeks after that. I scrubbed and washed up and dusted, while thinking "these Braxton Hicks contractions are getting really strong..."

carocaro · 26/08/2011 17:35

With both DS's my waters just popped with no warning whatsoever, smallish gush, both in the early hours of the morning. Had got up for yet another wee in the night and a pop sound! Bless my Mum on both occasions on clearing up the mess!

MayMummy11 · 26/08/2011 17:35

Pale pink first show then I started to lose some of the mucous plug over a few days and had mild tightenings/stabby feelings which gradually turned into full blown contractions. Had dd by EMCS 3 days after initial symptoms. Waters broke slightly on the 2nd night and then fully in the hospital car park late afternoon on day 3.

Ivortheengine8 · 26/08/2011 17:37

The very first was that I just knew something was up. I felt really irritable and strange. I had been having period like type pains for a few days and that same morning I saw the midwife I was really teary eyed and I think she knew too I would be in labour later that day.

BalloonSlayer · 26/08/2011 17:40

Waters broke!

(Midwife had previously told me that it was very rare for labour to start off with the waters breaking with no prior warning, which I greeted with a Hmm face as that is how my sister's labour, plus that of two friends had started. Of the four of us, weirdly, for three of us it was at approx 4am, don't know about the fourth.)

MotherDoolittle · 26/08/2011 18:10

First time round I had a show, followed shortly by gentle contractions, so gentle that I could see my belly contracting but not feel anything for a few hours.

Second time, gentle contractions which within an hour were coming 3 mins apart. I had a bout of diarrhoea the day before which I think was probably the start of it all.

Best of luck jimmijam! Very exciting time!!!

PrincessScrumpy · 26/08/2011 18:39

My waters broke, and 2 hours 5 minutes later dd1 was born. I had had an achy back earlier that day but my back was bad all pg so I had been swimming and done 11 lengths. (dh couldn't even keep up with my speed). Turns out that was labour starting... oops, could have been an unplanned water birth.

Cbell · 26/08/2011 19:32

I thought my waters had broken. The hospital said I'd probably just peed myself!

I actually think it was a very watery show but I left the hospital thinking the baby could still be days away. She arrived that night all sticky and lovely

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