36 weeks and no BH. Is this sucker going to ambush me?

[Mixxy]

Hey again. So I'm 36 weeks pregnant and apart from baby being breech at 35 weeks everything is ostensibly okay. I haven't felt any Braxton Hicks contractions, very little if any shortness of breath, baby hasn't dropped (breech). I'm feeling very unprepared for labor as there has been no warnings or dry runs. Is this baby and labor going to sneak up on me and leave me totally unprepared for it all? Has this happened to anybody else?

if this is bub number one ... you may not recognize bh contractions. they are often missed and not hugely " obvious'. This is my #4 bub and i get quite big bh contractions and they are i guess similar to early contractions in labour. However... no.. nothing will prepare you as such or labour contractions.. those you just get through. My #4 bub is also breech as was #3 so will now be an elective caesar. I am also not short of breath routinely. I get short of breath by the time i have walked the dogs, about 2 km. normally I can walk allot more with out being puffed out!

I didn't have any BHs at all with any of my three
Thought I was having them at 36wks with #3 but turned out to be labour
Maybe not everyone has them?

Great MrsShrek3, just what I needed to hear! Real labor! .

Non for me either, I'd seen mw the day before and I think baby was just getting engaged and went into labour that night at 37wks, it really is different for everyone

Not in the same boat... I had loads of BH from 26 weeks up to the day before I went into labour and they were nothing like actual labour. This time from 16 weeks. I knew I was having BH and I also knew when my labour had started. I wouldn't worry too much, as others have said you might not recognise BH. My BH were not painful at all. My baby didn't 'drop' until I was 6cm dilated. I am short of breath after walking up 2 flights of stairs - and I am the same when I am not pregnant! You will instinctively know what to do when you go into labour, just remain in control and go with the flow, so don't be worried that you don't feel prepared because you probably really are prepared in some way x

I'm 41 weeks and still had no BH!

It's very normal not to feel BHs and has no bearing on the labour/birth, don't worry.

I never had any BH with DS1 and went over due and had to be induced at 42 weeks. Have had some strong ones this time at 35 weeks but nothing since and now 37 weeks and no other signs of labour. I really just think everyone is different and you just can never tell when baby will decide to come along!

I never had any BH (that I noticed) with either of mine. Not everyone gets them.

I didn't have any BH (that I noticed anyway) with my other 2.