when did you know you were in labour?

[beckymcfc]

just wondering how everyone felt before they went into labour. Did you kind of know it was going to happen before it did? Did you feel any different? What were your first signs? I'm 36.5 weeks so don't have too much longer to go (hopefully)

For me there were no bh, I said to my husband at 7.30am that my back hurt, I then had a show about 8am and by 8.30 I was straight into 1 contraction every 3 minutes lasting a minute, no gradual build up!

Good luck, you'll know when it's happening!

When I couldn't talk through the contractions.

My top tip is to spend time pretending you are not in labour, until you really are.

I had a lot of false starts on the second baby.

I didn't know until I went to hospital. Had uncomfortable contractions all day but not regular or unbearable, they were 20 mins apart then 10 then 7 then back to 10 then 5 then 7 etc etc. Had loose bowels and some bloody mucus discharge. Went to hospital expecting to be sent home and I was 6cm dilated. Waters went then the contractions kicked in properly.

I had a few contractions the night before. Then nothing the whole of the next day, and it kicked off in earnest at 8pm that evening. I knew I was in labour, as was clearly contractions, but tbh it was all very manageable for the first 14 hours (was just pottering around at home) so didn't go to hospital till 10am or so.