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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Anyone gone into labour with no warning signs? Looking for some hope!

45 replies

louisdog · 20/07/2012 11:04

Hi all

I am 40+2 and saw the consultant yesterday for a regular check-up, he asked whether I had had a show or any tightenings and I said no. He has booked me in for a first sweep on Monday and says I will be offered induction for a week on Monday.

I said that I may go into labour naturally over the weekend or next week but he didn't think so as I have had no signs. Is that true? I wondered if everyone gets the tightenings and show in the days leading up, surely some people mustn't or am I just being overly optimistic?!

Have heard such horror stories about induction that I would prefer to avoid, but que sera I guess.

Thanks
Alex

OP posts:

dontgobacktorockville · 20/07/2012 11:13

With both of mine, I had no pre-labour signs whatsoever, no show, never had tightenings. The first indication that labour was imminent was a very slow build up of contractions - both children were born about 24 hours later.

good luck, hope it happens soon.

Original poster

louisdog · 20/07/2012 11:15

Ooh thanks I feel a bit less stressed already! I guess I will definitely recognise what a contraction feels like, straight away.

OP posts:

booksandchoc · 20/07/2012 11:17

I had no signs whatsoever ever before my waters broke, except BH that I had been getting for about 2 weeks before hand. Not a sign of imminent labour iyswim.

melliebobs · 20/07/2012 11:19

I was booked for induction at 42+3 and had no signs at all. No Brixton hicks, no show no nothing! I had a very uneven full pregnancy

Then 2am in the morning of the day my induction was booked out of no where I had regular contractions. Just like that! Was about 1pm my waters broke and the rest I won't bore/horrify you with

melliebobs · 20/07/2012 11:20

*with the rest

Original poster

louisdog · 20/07/2012 11:31

This is great to hear, I can still hold out some hope for natural start. Dr was so down on the idea, as he said it wouldn't happen with no signs.

I think I need to go and eat some pineapples and curry lol.

OP posts:

GizzyBoo · 20/07/2012 11:35

Yup I went in to labour with #2 at 41+5 with no previous signs. I was booked for induction the next day.
I was a little restless that afternoon then noticed I was feeling uncomfortable in waves and these were in fact contractions! This was about tea time and DD was born in the early hours of the following morning.

I had no show, braxton hicks, waters breaking or anything. I was pretty much resigned to the induction so had given up hope lol.

Good luck

JambalayaCodfishPie · 20/07/2012 11:38

At 4.20pm on my due date I posted on my MN ante-natal thread to say it obviously wasn't going to be today - DD was born at 9.50pm.

GizzyBoo · 20/07/2012 11:39

Ha! Jambalaya that's brilliant

MissPollysTrolleyed · 20/07/2012 11:40

I didn't have any warning signs before contractions started at 40+4. I never had Braxton Hicks nor any tightening, nesting, sense of calm / panic or any of the other things that some people get before they go into labour. You have another 10 days before you need to worry about induction.

For what it's worth, the pineapples and curry did nothing for me but I did go into labour after some serious hillwalking. I don't know if that was the trigger or if baby would have come anyway but I'll be doing that again this time when if I go over.

ClaimedByMe · 20/07/2012 11:43

With dc2 I had sweep at 1.30pm where the midwife said my cervix was closed, unripe, and it was unlikely I would go into labour myself and booked me in for an induction for a few days later, I was 40+9 at midnight my waters broke, by 1.30am I was sitting with a baby in my arms at 1.30pm I was back at home!

Imnotaslimjim · 20/07/2012 11:46

My friend went for a sweep to be told thy couldn't do it. 20 mins later her waters broke and her DD arrived less than 24 hours later!

She'd had no signs, baby was still high up, and it just happened

boohoohoo · 20/07/2012 11:51

I went into labour with absolutely no sign at all, was seen by the midwife at 9.00am (I was exactly 42 weeks) and after examining me told me that I needed to be induced to go home and she would speak to the hospital with view to me going in later that day.

11.00am, waters suddenly broke, my DS was born seven minutes later! DH rang MW to tell her that DS was here, she didnt believe him!

FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 20/07/2012 11:58

Seems quite early to be panicking - you are only just past 40 weeks! Booking you in for a 'first' sweep on Monday isn't really giving you much chance.

You are perfectly entitled to opt for active management (scanning regularly to check placental function) rather than induction. I am pregnant, and barring complications, won't consider induction before 42 weeks. But obviously it's a personal decision.

Get some sex and walking in over the weekend!!

crazypaving · 20/07/2012 12:19

boohoohoo

boohoohoo · 20/07/2012 12:34

I know crazy, it was crazy !!! Though tbh it was far too quick, I went into shock afterwards and started shaking teriibly, cue hot tea and sugar blurgh, and poor DSs head was shaped like a pointy cone as he had zoomed out too fast, DD and DSS were terrified when they saw him, they genuinly believed that there was something wrong with him and that me and DH were in some sort of blissful ignorance. (it was ok it rounded itself within a couple of days!)

Chocaholics · 20/07/2012 12:38

I had no signs either, no nesting, no tightening, no show. I basically stood up and heard a popping sound and realised my waters had gone, was 37 weeks so totally unexpected. So it can happen! Good luck

hackneyzoo · 20/07/2012 12:39

I had no idea I was in labour with DC1, had a mw appointment about 9. At about twelve had a bit of bad back ache coming in waves, DH suggested to me it might be labour, went to see MW as was 6cm... no show or waters going or tightenings or anything!
Good luck

Paintyourbox · 20/07/2012 12:43

Hi,

I went into labour spontaneously at 40+13 having had no signs at all. Waters broke suddenly and she arrived 7 hours later- I was booked in for an induction at 40+14 so she came just in time!

I declined a stretch and sweep at 40+3 as I felt it was a tad early, she was my first baby so I knew she'd likely be late. Just do what you feel comfortable with!

CinnabarRed · 20/07/2012 12:45

Conversely, I had severe tightenings from 18 weeks with all three of mine and spent the last half of each pregnancy anywhere from 2-4 cm dilated. Yet all three of mine went to term .

Everyone's different.

marriedinwhite · 20/07/2012 12:50

DS1: Waters broke 36.4
DS2: Waters broke 27
DD: Induced at 41.5

OP, the induction was fine. I don't think they did "sweeps" in those days but I had gel inserted in the morning not much happened, refused to have my waters broken because I didn't like the registrar and neither did the midwife who said - don't worry wait until the change shifts, my waters broke naturally at 8pm(ish), nothing much happened and they said they would rig up a syntocynin drip. I said fine but epidural first having read up about the force of the contractions. While the anaesthetist was coming contractions started anyway but had the epidural because I don't like pain and they said my cervix was only 1/2 cm. Half hour later I needed to push and dd was born at 11pm - 8.13 and no stitches.

It was a fantastic experience and ended in my only full term, healthy baby who didn't need any special care. Please dont listen to the horror stories and remember that you can insist on the epidural before they start the drip.

Good Luck.

kdiddy · 20/07/2012 12:53

No braxtons, show, tightenings or breaking waters here. I just started having contractions. Had show at about 4cm and waters broke at about 9cm. I thought I was going to go over by a long way and kept looking for the signs but there were none! I had him at 40+2.

thanksamillion · 20/07/2012 13:00

No early signs for all three of mine. DC1 was induced but with the other two started contractions early in the morning and born mid afternoon. I was so convinced nothing was happening with number 2 that I was booked to play the piano for a church service on the day he was born, and I was at the rehersal the night before assuring them I'd be there .

FlangelinaBallerina · 20/07/2012 14:13

What do people mean by tightenings?

Sossiges · 20/07/2012 14:20

They're offering a sweep and induction, you are under no obligation to accept. It's entirely up to you.

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