How will I really know labour's about to start?...

[runlolarun10]

My OH's education in childbirth 'procedures' is largely informed by soaps and Hollywood. Therefore, he's expecting my waters to break while I'm walking around Sainsbury's, crippling contractions a minute later and a mad dash to the hospital with me screaming in the back. I've got a bit more awareness than him but not much so am expecting some combination of losing the mucus plug, dull aches and intermittent mild contractions with my waters probably not breaking until I get to the hospital. Oh, and all of this preceeded by some 'twinges' (whatever the hell they are).
Could you enlighten us both and tell me what happened in the days and hours before you knew you were in 'proper' labour? Would love to know a sense of timescales as well. Completely understand that it's different for everyone and am curious about just how similar and different the 'signs' can be. Oh, and I'm 38+5 so want this baby to start telling me it's coming out soon

You'll get lots of posters telling you that you'll know - but I didn't

I didn't have a show, MW was sure that it didn't work so had booked me in for an induction at the hospital for the end of the week. My waters didn't brake. I went for a sweep then started getting pains, it took for my sister to tell me I was in labour and to get to the hospital. All because I was speaking to her on the phone moaning that the MW broke my fanny well thats what it felt like

I never had a regular contraction either, it was 5mins, then 2 min, then 10mins then one after another ect ect

Good luck

Ds1 was I expected. Plug on the day he was due. Woke up with regular period type pains the following morning. That was the start of labour. Mw broke waters for me in hosp. In hindsight I was very uncomfortable the day before the plug but just put it down to me being huge at the time.

Ds2- no plug. Having a lovely relaxing day in the sun. Cooked tea with the family. Finished eating and had quite a strong twinge. These turned regular within two hours.

Within five hours I was at the hosp. Again mw broke waters. No idea what happened with the plug.

I promise you-once it gets going you'll know you're in labour.

The signs of labour about to start are so vast that I don't think there are any definitive guidelines to follow. Uncomfortable, baby dropping lower, nesting instinct all sorts. But all labours are different

Good luck!

MW broke my fanny :o :o :o

I just had this very light period pains... no plug nor waters breaking....just this cramps like pain.
Then it got worse as if my lower back decided to hurt as well...these two went from irregular timing to regular to kind of close together.
Went to hospital and then my waters broke...
My dh knew because according to him I looked like a "savage".

With my first I had no pre warning signs (plug etc). My first contractions felt like someone tightening an elastic band across my lower back (but inside iygwim) absolutely nothing at the front. So there you are, not all contraction fell like they are at the front just to add to the confusion! These contractions ramped up slowly over the next 12 hours until I was in established labour then went on for another 12 hours and hurt like hell.

With DC2 my waters broke as I rolled over in bed, contractions started 3 hours later at the hospital.

DC3 got woken by contraction at 2am, again in my back they got more regular over the next 4 hours, went into hosp at 7am, he was out by 8.45am.

As an aside, my period pains have always been lower back rather than front, and I have a retroverted uterus which I think accounts for the tightening being at the back rather than the front.

I had niggly, period-type pains for an hour or 2, then went for a little walk. On my return, I went for wee (no doubt one of MANY that day) and discovered the show/mucus plug. Not long after had my first contraction. These gradually got more & more regular. Waters broke with regular contractions in the bath, then I went to hospital. I was 9cm dilated & needed to push. I think G&A slowed things down a little but a couple of hrs later, DD was born. All in all, from nothing much to baby in about 12hrs.

Good luck :)

Oh, all that was at 39+2, she was born early hrs 39+3.

With dd I was sitting eating dinner and, er, my waters went unexpectedly and full blown contractions started v soon after that.

With ds, I was in bed chatting to dh and, er, my waters went unexpectedly and full blown contractions started v soon after that.

So it can be like in the movies...

It's different for every woman.

I just had contractions. Started at 9pm on Monday and were absolute agony - 5 mins apart and lasting maybe 30 seconds. They carried on at same intensity but getting longer in duration till we went in some time on tuesday, and the rest is a blur. No show and MW broke waters a fair bit later.

It was absolutely unmistakably labour, despite no other symptoms. No sleep monday or tuesday nights as far too painful!

I woke up at 3am 3days overdue had a bloody show sorry tmi, stayed at home til 7pm had no contractions went to hospital was 3cm dilated, sent home went back at 3am still no regular contractions and was 6cm so stayed was put on a drip the next day to try and get regular contractions, they werent that bad for me just abit like period pains but I couldnt really feel them too much, had waters broke at about 5pm and not long after began pushing until 7.05pm when I gave birth :) the pushing was far worse for me than all the contractions as I was just to tired.

With my first the very first sign of labour was when my waters broke - as I was getting out of bed to go to the loo at midnight. Not as exciting as in Sainsbury's. I sat on the loo as the water gushed out! Got back into bed, started shaking and shivering then decided to have a shower, wash my hair and blow dry it. Mild contractions started while I was going about these tasks and got gradually stronger.

Phoned the hospital about 2am and was told to take some paracetamol and stay at home for as long as possible, which I did. Also around this time my bowels decided to eject everything I'd ever eaten and I ended up on the loo for another age - it's common to have this sort of 'natural enema' during labour.

Over the next few hours contractions got stronger and stronger until we eventually went in at 7am. Baby born at 10.46am.

You probably will know - though not everyone does realise straightaway, chances are after a few contractions it'll dawn on you!

Best wishes!

I didn't really know TBH - it was very stop/start, mild contractions (twinges!) for about 5 days... It wasn't really what I was expecting TBH. In the end my waters started leaking, and I was induced at 8 days overdue. Even when I was in labour I didn't find it very strong until around 4-5cm. Nothing 'unmistakable', just big tightenings. Then once the rest of my waters went it was suddenly very full on labour, but by that point I was dilating rapidly. So, there was no moment early on when I knew for sure.

I didn't get a show, or waters breaking, or anything. Just regular crampy type periody pains throughout the day that steadily got more intense and closer together.

I was in denial the whole time though, for some reason - thought it was some kind of "false start" I'd heard of My denial wasn't helped by the fact that the hospital sent me home just a couple of hours before DS was born!

In hindsight it was pretty obvious that I was in labour, I'm just a bit fick.

With DS I started with pains at about 2am on the Friday and I got up at about 4am. I had a bloody show at about 8am and the pains came and went throughout the day without getting regular. They tailed off and we were able to go to the cinema on the Saturday!

I still needed the sweep I'd been booked for on the sunday afternoon (about 2.30pm) and by 3pm I was having regular contractions. They gradually got stronger and closer together but we stayed at home with a combination of TENS and several baths before heading to hospital at midnight. DS was born at lunchtime on the Monday.

Now I've been having pains on and off for a few days. I'm booked for a section on Friday so will phone the hospital as soon as I think they have any regularity to them. I think these pains are just my body getting prepared for the labour it will not have!

The pains feel like strong period pain BTW and can go round your back and even down your legs (according to some friends).

Good luck!

I didn't know I was in labour. I only realised that I was when the contractions started to be painful and I felt a need to push, so went to the maternity ward and DD was born less than half an hour later.

Before that I'd been having very mild twinges for over 12 hours but I thought it was just Braxton Hicks - I just gone on with my day and even slept through them. Everyone told me I was going to be in agony for hours. That the contractions were going to be so painful and. I was expecting that and I wasn't expecting a really quite mild twinge until the very end.

I think I knew the day before that I was going to go into labour soon. I turned down a cake at lunchtime the day before I went into labour (not like me at all!), and at dinner time I remember saying to my DH and DM "don't be surprised if the baby comes tonight, I don't feel right, but I don't know why."

I woke up at 5.20am the next morning and felt period type aches. I got out of bed and went to sit in the living room and by 6.00am I realised I was having contractions and it felt like bad period pains plus my tummy was tightening up and rock hard when the contractions were coming. I woke DH up so he could time the contractions.

We then called the hospital, and they advised to have a couple of paracetamol, eat some toast and have a relaxing bath. I had the paracetamol, chewed a mouthful of toast and spat it out, I just couldn't eat! I stayed in the bath for about an hour and a half with DH kneeling on the floor holding my hand as the contractions got stronger and topping up the hot water. When the contractions got worse I felt the need to bite down so grabbed a clean flannel to chew on and then we decided it was time to go to the hospital.

We phoned the hospital again and they sounded doubtful, especially when I said I felt like I needed to push down, but told us to pop in and they could have a look at me. DH helped me to get dry and put some clothes on - I looked a wreck as I couldn't be bothered to put a bra on in between contractions (there was about a minute between contractions) and wore leggings and a horrible old t-shirt of Dh's.

DH had meanwhile woken up my DM (she was staying with us as she lives quite far away), and we all got in the car and drove to the hospital. The car journey was a bit grim as it really hurt going around corners and over speed bumps and potholes! My contractions carried on the whole time and I had to keep stopping when I had one and gripping onto Dh's hand.

We arrived in the maternity unit at 9am and a midwife came to meet us (my mum said afterwards they looked a bit doubtful that I was that far into labour as I had to stop halfway down the corridor to have another contraction) but I didn't notice and was still biting down on my flannel!

The MW then got my notes and I laid down on the bed to be examined and she told me I was 9cm dilated! I was half happy as I knew I didn't have much further to go and half scared as I didn't know how I'd handle the actual birth!

I got into the birthing pool as soon as they'd filled it with water and had some gas & air, as soon as I got into the pool I felt more relaxed straight away! The gas and air helped with having something to bite down on, plus it helped me to concentrate on breathing through the contractions. DS was then born just after 11am, so about 5 and a half hours from start to finish :)

Sorry for such a long post, but it was the best day of my life (cheesey I know!)

Clear mucus on the Friday and the next week. Woke up 3.30am on the following Saturday (8 days later) with a 3minute long contraction. DS was born at 8am on the Sunday.

I had nithing. No show no dodgy tummy no nothing. I resigned myself to the fact id be overdue need sweep and induction.

However I woke at 4am two mornings afer my EDD with cxns that were 1min long and 3mins apart. Didnt have dd until 24 hours later.

I was walking round asda, my back was aching, id had a funny 'twinge' and was a bit ahem... Wet !? and I was doing a lean-on-the-trolley-take-the-pressure-off walk.. Early sign? Not a clue!

I ate 3portions of beef stew & dumplings for tea the promptly threw em all up.. Another sign? Still no clue..

I had 'a show' but it was fresh blood as opposed to gunk.. It did prompt me to call the midwife but still did not realise labour was on its way..

Was told to get to Hosp by midwife ASAP.. Just thought they were worrying for nothing! Still oblivious!

Was hooked up to monitors etc and started getting uncomfortable twinges every few mins or so... Still thought I'd be going home to bed!

Midwives sent DH home and booked me onto labour ward.. The fuss was starting to get to me by now...

8hrs of no sleep and uncomfortableness later I finally twigged that I wouldn't be going home without my baby! DH was called back as I was 5cm and ready to go to delivery suite!

I genuinely, up untill the morning of the day I gave birth (had DS at 3pm!) thought I was just being uncomfortable!

..........when the time comes OP... You'll know!!