Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

1 2 3

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

Did you feel 'different' before labour or not?

65 replies

MillyStar · 28/03/2012 21:01

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!!

OP posts:

Report

MrsApplepants · 30/03/2012 11:18

Forgot to say that 2 days before giving birth I had a huge urge to repaint the bedroom, luckily DH talked me out of that one, but it was weird!

Report

neolara · 30/03/2012 11:25

With dc2, driving home from my in laws, I suddenly got a very strong visual image of a cat circling around and around in blankets as if building a nest in which to give birth. When we got home I got my dh to organize everything we needed for the home birth. Twelve hours later I went into labour at 36 +6. Didn't have anything like that for dc3 though.

Report

marshmallowpies · 30/03/2012 12:00

I got in a really foul mood yesterday afternoon and suddenly caught myself thinking 'is this it?' and then 'I blooming hope not!' as I had plans for the evening and was only just past 37 weeks.

I decided it was just work colleagues getting on my nerves and not to worry. Bump is changing shape all the time but nothing else down there really feels 'different' - I can't work out if I'm getting BH or not.

Report

LDNmummy · 30/03/2012 12:29

I had dinner with a friend the night my water broke and as we got up to leave the table I stopped dead in my tracks because I thought my water had broken and even asked my friend to check. A few hours later, it did.

I was not due for another week exactly and was completely unprepared.

I put it down to my natural instincts as it was such a funny feeling I had, as if I knew it was about to happen. I have always been very aware of even the tiniest changes in my body though and am a very hypersensitive person, I can't even take paracetamol without having funny side effects.

After that, I had to be induced anyway. But I definitely knew something was happening. I had no nesting feeling or anything like that, just this very strong sense that my water was breaking some hours before it actually did.

Report

Magicrabbit · 30/03/2012 12:53

On the morning I event into labour I felt really uncomfortable, whether sitting, standing or walking. I went to a Market and felt a bit 'high' and really fancied buying sweets which I did (not my usual choice!). I went home and 3 hours later my contractions started... My ds born 11 hours later.

Report

jumbly · 30/03/2012 14:21

I had no idea that either DS or DD would soon be on their way if I'm being honest. However, in retrospect, I should probably have stopped and thought twice as to why I took it upon myself urgently to clean out the fridge and freezer shelves (this is not the sort of thing I usually...aka ever...do) one Saturday night around 9pm. DS was born around 9am Sunday morning.

Report

ByTheWay1 · 30/03/2012 14:36

mine were both textbook starts - nesting for 2 days, a "show" of goop, 4 hrs later waters broke, 1 hour later contractions start... then it all went odd with breech etc, but the start to labour was textbook!

Report

snoozed · 30/03/2012 14:48

As I was still 2 weeks from the due date, i ignored the strong period type pains I'd been getting, along with the sensation that the baby's head was between my legs making walking difficult, telling dp that 'my body was preparing itself but the baby wasn't coming yet'

I now realise that these were signs of early labour, as I went into labour 2 days after the cramps started.

Report

BalloonSlayer · 30/03/2012 14:51

I always love these threads because they are so "Woman-Goddess" like!

Unfortunately I never have anything to add. I think my waters broke because something had to bloody well happen at 41 + 6, and then my uterus thought it might as well contract because otherwise all the other uteruses would all talk about it behind its back or something, but it was all rather half-hearted and there was nothing Goddess-like about it. And then I had 2 elective c-sections.

I can report however that my sister had the utter, unexplained exhaustion thing the day before it all kicked off. And my calmest, most even-tempered friend whom I have never seen even mildly tetchy, said she was in a foul temper the day her 2nd labour started.

Report

Flisspaps · 30/03/2012 15:01

You lot are all talking a load of old baloney I think.

I have however had to mop the kitchen, dining room and hallway which is a Big Thing in my house (usually it's one room, not all three that get done in one go), I've been to the Post Office and I even bothered to get dressed today instead of sitting around in my vest and pants.

Report

MillyStar · 30/03/2012 22:28

I've had twinges all day today

Dd has been on my right side for weeks and weeks aswell and tonight she's shifted so she's directly down the middle!

I'm still only 38+2 but got a massive feeling she will be here soon!!

OP posts:

Report

spannermary · 31/03/2012 13:29

I've been in a mega shit mood since last night - and slept in till 11.15!

Also yesterday I cleaned out the bathroom drawer.

...it's got to be the start of something.... (although maybe just more grumpiness and lethargy)

39 weeks tomorrow.

Report

Dozeyland · 01/04/2012 20:59

I was bouncing on my birth ball typing away on MN, then at 4pm had back ache, then started to progress. got to hospital by 6:30pm then she was born at 8:33pm...

I dont remember feeling any different as such, I know a few days before I was a bit tearful. but on the day I was fine i think? Just taking it that "It was another day being overdue" - DC1 was days over.

Wonder how this DC will appear.......... 7 weeks to go

Report

jaggythistle · 02/04/2012 03:39

i had painful BH on and off for a few weeks while i was on maternity leave, they started to last for an hour or so now and again and I'd get all excited!

it never lasted though but the morning i went into labour (a week late) i remember my MIL was round and i was sitting on the couch thinking "this feels different" and not being able to concentrate on what she was saying at all.

my waters went later that evening while i was sitting on my ball messing on the computer.

DS was eventually born by cs 2 days later, have recently found out he was thoroughly back to back and wedged there.

dc2 due in 3 and a bit weeks so reading these stories with interest!

Report

lolajane2009 · 02/04/2012 20:24

nope, my water broke a day before my baby was born and only realised i was in labour when i went to the hospital 7hrs after my water broke to find out if they had because i was leaking.