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

[louisdog]

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

Tightenings are like BH (they are BH really). They're when your whole bump goes hard for about 30 seconds. In my case, the difference between BH and tightenings were just a matter of degree - tightenings were characterised by all of the muscles in my uterus acting in a co-ordinated way.

Ah right, thanks for the explanation. I'm still not sure what's a BH and what isn't- first time pregnancy. I'm 38+3 and had a sort of spasm in my lower belly whilst having a wee before. Slight backache since, like a period, and pelvis has been feeling a bit.. melty. But nothing else, no shows or anything. so who knows?

I have had three babies and the only sign I had was a show with ds3, about 4 days before he was born.

Other than that, with all three labours I woke up in the early hours with regular early contractions. No feelings of labour when I went to bed the nights before.

I didn't have any BH with my DD at any point during my pg, so the first indication that anything was happening was a slight period pain/back ache late morning, the show early afternoon (after a short walk around the block), first contraction soon after. DD was born 12hrs after the show. So yes, you can go into labour without any signs.

Oh and, only a week before, DD was only 1/5th engaged, which I believe, is less usual for first babies, as they tend to engage earlier.

FB, does your bump ever go rigid? Like all the muscles in your bump tense at the same time (although mine sometimes started at the top and went down in a wave over the space of about 30 seconds).

And, as an aside and knowing this makes me weird, I'm so jealous of all of you who have immient labours.

I love being in labour. Yes, it hurts, but I have never before or since experienced anything as intense, or powerful, or wonderful as my 3 labours.

I hated being pregnant, and I don't particularly enjoy newborns, but I would happily give birth every week.

I was 40+2 and happily sat there at 2.30pm watching telly when I had a couple of slight twinges, then wam full blown contractions! got to the hospital at 3.00pm he was born 4.08pm! No show, no waters breaking just a sweep the day before!

If it helps a friend of mine had her second DC a few weeks ago, and it was much the same as the first - she went overdue, so was booked for induction. When she turned up to be induced they discovered she was already 2cm dilated with DC1, and 4cm dilated with DC2. She'd had no idea, and both babies were born fairly shortly after. So it can happen!

Incidentally, not everyone knows when they're having contractions I was convinced I was having BH or just stretching pains until the doc surprised me by telling me I was 4cm dilated and they were in fact contractions. They did eventually ramp-up to being undeniably painful contractions in the end though!

Good luck!

The OP has been offline for five hours. Does anyone else think she might be in labour?

I had nothing until 7 minutes apart contractions waking me up at 2am. Show only happened when I was 4 cm dilated and got to hospital. I had braxton hicks from 26 weeks so whether these intensified I can't remember. Had to have waters broken during pushing.

Yes it does Cinnabar, and one side often looks bigger than the other when this happens. If it were up to me, you could do the whole thing for me!

Oh wow, thanks for all the replies, it's really great to hear people's experiences. I do hope I do start naturally, and soon too if poss! Been out today visiting a friend and her young baby, wondered if holding her little boy might start off some sort of hormonal reaction but nothing so far!

I wasn't sure whether to accept the sweep as it seemed soon but I suppose I might as well. I asked the doctor what he meant by tightenings and he didn't really explain, so who knows!

OH has just asked if I fancy going to see the new Batman film tonight, which is 1) really long (nearly 3 hours!) and 2) scary - maybe that might start things off for me? :)

Great to hear from the person who said giving birth was a great experience too - am currently terrified!

I was the opposite like CinnabarRed with DC2.

Constant, strong Braxtons from 25 weeks, at 37 weeks midwife examined me and said I was fully engaged, fully effaced and nearly 4cm and not to go back to work that afternoon as this baby would be coming in the next 48 hours.

I went on maternity leave a week early. THREE weeks, 1 day later, DC2 finally arrived AND the labour (i.e "proper" contractions 10 mins apart to pushing) took 17 hours.

Conversely my friend had a sweep at 40+6 at 10am, told cervix totally unripe etc. At 4.30pm she felt the first twinge and her DC2 was born 3 and half hours later. No stitches. Grrrrrr......

I had no warning signs untill my waters broke. No tightenings, no show, no niggles, no nesting. Nada.

I went to see Return of the King at 41+2 with DD1, and only needed to go to the loo once! Go, and enjoy it!

Just wanted to offer my experience of induction. (I have no natural labour to compare it to though) my induction was heavily medicalised as I had a glucose/insulin drip as well.

It really wasn't the awful experience you hear about, my MW was fab, I had gas and air to start with, a pethadin injection a few hours in (and I did finish with an epidural and forceps but that was down to DSs position rather than the induction)

Despite the fact I had a drip in each hand (which you wouldn't have for a 'normal' induction you will probably have one though) I was still able to move round on the bed, kneel upright etc with the help of DH and MW. So not all inductions are bad.

Yes, ds2, 40.6 no signs. 11pm one horrible contraction followed by bleeding. went to the hospital to get checked, next contraction at 00.30 the then quickly became regular, ds2 arrived at 2am.

Thurs 5pm midwife confirmed posterior cervix and head free.

Baby born Friday 8:14am. First contraction 3am.

I assume at some point my cervix moved and head engaged!

Seems a daft thing for the Dr to have said. My first was born 10.5 hours after waters broke - which was first sign of anything. No pains, tightening, BH, show, nothing at all until waters broke. She was born at 41+2.

Different areas have different policies but where I live they don't even offer a sweep until 41 weeks. No induction until 42.

Is there a particular reason you were offered a sweep on Monday?

My own feeling and I accept that my feelings are relevant only to me, is that I don't like the idea of interferring unless there's a medical need.

Best wishes for a straightforward arrival.

I had no warning signs pre-labour, and no BHs at all throughout pregnancy. First sign of labour was my contractions starting, I then had a show and waters broke about 4-6h hours later, gave birth about 3 hours after that. I was in a bit of shock afterwards and as I did expect a bit more warning. Good luck OP, hope everything goes well for you.