Did you feel 'different' before labour or not?

[MillyStar]

evening!

I'm 38 weeks tomorrow and finishing work on fri so hoping to go into labour ASAP!

I know everyone is different but I just wondered if you ladies who have had babies before felt any different for a few days and you knew it was going to happen or did you literally just feel normal - well as normal as you can feel whilst pregnant!!

[melliebobs]

I was 42+3 when I finally went into labour. I had no signs though what so ever. But I think the threat of induction later that day was enough for my DD to get a wriggle on under her own steam!

[Pomtastic]

I was really hyper and jumpy for a few days beforehand. Literally could not sit down because my limbs would twitch - I HAD to be up and sorting things out.

On the Sunday I absolutely had to mow the lawn; couldn't explain why but knew it NEEDED to be done (even had a proper foot-stamping tantrum when I couldn't find the extension lead!)

Got up early on the Monday & spring-cleaned the whole house way more thoroughly than usual (scrubbing on hand & knees stuff) - had masses of energy all of a sudden. Deep down I think I knew the birth was imminent.

Went into labour on the Monday just before midnight; DD born on the Tuesday morning (2 weeks ago so quite fresh in my mind )

[minicc]

I was 10 days overdue and felt a bit off in the morning but no more off than I felt the other days! Thought my bh felt different as baby had moved (had Acupuncture the day before)- but no, waters popped (and I felt them go) and my gorgeous girly was here 7 hours later. Strangely, my mum sensed something was different that morning- spooky eh?

[Bartiimaeus]

I was a lot more aware of my bump-was literally thinking non stop about it and the fact that i couldnt feel ds moving. Even went to a&e cos was so worried (was 38+4). Ds born the next day

[NorthernNumpty]

I made a huge mess of cooking dinner, forgot to put any seasoning, stock or anything in the gravy, was just a roux a bit of wine and water, started with contractions that evening. Took 3 more days before DS arrived but that's another thread entirely!

[BoffinMum]

If anyone feels the urge my grass is getting a bit long

[ll31]

Long time ago now but was 38 w plus 1 day and had no signs whatsoever until waters broke .. luckily after i'd got off bus as opposed to on bus. Got home, got taxi, got into taxi with no other signs, 30 mins later reached hospital with contractions every 3 or 4 mins. Baby born 50 mins later! Best of luck!

[recall]

With my 3rd, I was very laid back about the whole pregnancy, and had a 1 and 3 year old to sort out too. One day, three weeks before my due date, I suddenly felt sort of concerned about the whole birth. This prompted me to to pack the bag and make preparations like trim mi muff, and paint my toenails etc. My waters broke that night. I just suddenly focused on it all.

[carocaro]

Waking up in the middle of the night needing yet another wee, then a pop sound, like finger pop sound, as aItrundled across the landing and leaking waters, not big gush, just leak, like a tap left to run gently. With both babies, just the same, more water with number 2 baby, all over the bedroom carpet!

So they were they only signs for me!

[carocaro]

Oh and do remember being ravenous for sweet food the day before with both, with the first I had two big portions of lemon meruingue pie because I could and with the second I ate a whole bag on mini malterser packets in one go, again because I just could as I was pregnant and fat anyway!

[Annunziata]

No, I didn't feel any different.

With DS1, my grandmother managed to predict it down to the day though- spooky!

[Flisspaps]

[mumblecrumble]

I just felt incredibly focussed. i remember on the wway to the car while DH was gathering his stuff, i sat on a stool on the garden and felt so in the zone.

I also remember that as soon as I went over due I totally relaxed. it was almost as if my body thought - '"nah, she's not coming, just chill now" and I could daydream for hours.... suually i cna;t keep still for long!

My grandma knew I was pregnant before we did. Grandma's know.

Strange also as I was induced so didn't have that rushing to the hospital type thing.

[susiegrapevine]

I had no idea with ds was shopping with my sister the day before and she said you had better not go into labour I laughed and said it was much too early for a first baby (was 38+2) in the evening my and dh even had sex (tmi?) Which probably started the labour as my waters broke at 5.20 than morning this was the 1st I knew of it! Ds was born 5hrs later.

[boxyfoxy]

Nope, no idea, I shrugged it off as just a bit of tummy pain when I woke in the morning, around 7... (unusual for me then) I was having a home birth anyway, about 8:30 I complained a bit more, and my partner was the one who said, "um, dear, I think you might be in labour, I'll call the midwife!" DD was born at 3pm that day.

[VickityBoo]

Oh a post just reminded me, the day before my contractions started I was re-packing my hospital bag! It had been left as it was for about 3 weeks but I had to rearrange it, make sure I knew where everything was etc.

[JustOneMoreQuestion]

I had a MASSIVE rush of energy.

I was teaching aerobics that morning, and all my ladies said "today's the day, we can see it in you"

I absolutely KILLED the class, I felt AMAZING

Then I went up to my Grandma's for lunch, and she said "today's the day, you're changed"

It was eerie that every old lady I saw was telling me (and I wasn't due for another 8 days), but sure enough, I went into labour that night and DS was born a few hours later :o

[Scaredycat3000]

I thought a massive shit was the key to it all, as I had done with my first. So with my second, despite contractions I decided to wait for the big poo before I was going to wake everyone up in the middle of the night. That was a mistake. I arrived on the ward 6 min before DC2 was born, I started pooing at the ward doors.

[pinkyp]

With ds2 I was sick felt awful the days leading up to it

[Astr0naut]

Nope. With both of mine I conveinced myself that I had every symptom going, but nothing.

With ds, my waters breaking was a sign, but even when I started having contractions, I wasn't convinced.

With dd, I'd had contractions on and off for 3 weeks, so I just ignored them when they became real! It was only when I couldn't settle to sleep and felt really agitated, that I realised that this was it.

dd arrived 2 hours later.

Actually, the energy thing could be right. With dd I'd marched ds to nursery and back, done my online banking, wrapped xmas prsents ( almost 2 months early!), dyed my hair and eaten pineapple.

[shezzle]

I have had two bubbas so far and pregnant with number 3. I felt really vague about everything the day before and a bit out of it both times. Also woke up to killer contractions around 6am exactly same time for both and had 13 hr labours really wierd! First time I had waters break at 10am, second time had a show on day I was due to be induced (42+3)then contractions as I said at 6am. The night before the second bubba someone told me to get on my hands and knees and scrub the kitchen floor for ages, as I was petrified of being induced(god knows why you just get these ideas into your head when preggers!)It worked- So DD2 came naturally on induction day, she was HUGE. This time am 38+1 and booked in for section due to medical things but baby tried to come early 6 weeks ago and have had labour symptoms ever since and a show! It's strange how different each time can be, off to tescos for a mooch in a minute, if you have your baby in a big store do they give you free stuff?.... I heard M&S do, we all get goodies from there to munch at work and everyone kept saying oooh go into labour when you fetch the cakes!

[MillyStar]

I love these stories thanks everyone

[MrsApplepants]

The day before I went into labour I felt hungry, massively hungry, all day. Had a huge bowl of pasta and sauce for dinner and then another before bed (wasn't going to do my heartburn much good but was so hungry!) Woke up in small hours with contractions and delivered later that day. I'm convinced it was my body's way of ensuring I got enough energy for the labour ahead! Good luck and congrats!!

[BionicEmu]

I went into labour with DS at 33 weeks - for 2 days beforehand I'd been on a cleaning frenzy, got obsessed with pruning the garden and scrubbing the floors. My pelvis and back had been screwed all pregnancy, and I'd been v tired, but all of a sudden had this rush of "must do something productive" energy. As you can imagine, I had no intention of going into labour at that point so can only think that the cleaning thing is a sign of imminent labour!

Labour ended up slowing, and I had contractions every 10-20 minutes for 5 days. On the fifth day, the docs were all very "this is good, it's all slowed down so baby will keep cooking for a bit longer, probably a few weeks now." That day my mum came to visit me in hospital, but I couldn't stay off the toilet. Seriously, I had diarrhoea constantly. We went for a drink in the cafe, and it was take a sip, go the toilet; take a sip, go to the toilet...Mum was convinced I was going to have DS very soon despite what the docs said. She lives quite far away and she was that convinced he was coming that she didn't go home, just stayed at ours. He was born the next morning :) Guess that proves that mums know best!