signs you were in labour

[Chocomama1]

What happened when you went into labour?
How did you feel?
What did your body start doing?
I need to know everything to understand if I am on the verge or not. Thanks :)

I woke up with contractions! literally that was it. no other warning that day. contractions started, waters went a few hours later and dd born a couple of hours after that.

i have only had one spontaneous labour (2 induced) but was v. similar to awitch's experience. woke up with backache 6am, waters broke walking onto the ward at 10.50am and dd arrived at 10.56.

when are you due?

Dd1 started with mild, regular period like pains that just got more and more intense and painful as time went on - this was for about 12 hours at home before making my way to hospital.

Dd2 I was asleep in bed and my waters broke which woke me up, strangest feeling ever it was like having a big wee but having zero control over it! Started intense contractions almost immediately.

Currently pregnant with dc3...hoping for more of a dd2 like experience!

Contractions generally

I had what I thought were painful braxton hicks wasn't until my waters broke after about 5 hours that it clicked that I was in labour. I'd had a show the day before.

another one that had really bad 'Braxton Hicks' - note: they were the real thing

Don't believe all that 'you'll know when you're in labour' bs...not everyone does!

Woke up to go to the toilet and lost my plug. Then my bowels opened (tmi!!) then within an hour contractions started. Waters didn't break spontaneously.

Contractions here too - I never had Braxton Hicks or any warning signs either time I went into labour. Just woke up with very strong, regular contractions (strong = unable to stand upright and they really bloody hurt) Never had an obvious show and only with my third (DD) did my waters break spontaneously and I'd been in labour for a good few hours by then.

The day before the night I went into labour, I was so hungry, I just couldn't stop eating. It was like my body was storing up the energy. Then before I went to bed, aehm, I went to the toilet and had a massive "clear out". Five hours later, I woke up because of strong contractions.

Dc1. Waters broke and contractions started within the hour.

Dc2. Mild period pains but with contraction regularity. stopped at ten until six the next moringnwhen they woke me up again. A full night's sleep before labour. She's a good girl :).

5 days of what I thought were increasingly painful Braxton Hicks. A little bit of blood. First time I went into the maternity
Unit they thought it was nothing too. DD arrived a couple of days later.

The first time I woke up with period like pains and waters trickling. Kept feeling like I needed a poo! And had been very teary the day before.

The second time I had had a "failed" sweep, but whatever the mw did worked because 3 hours later I started having mild contractions and my waters broke as soon as I got in the bath. Also had been grumpy and emotional that day.

I had a few days of period-type pains and then had my first obvious contraction on Sunday night. Thought great this is it, baby will be here soon and baby arrived on.... Friday

woke up on a Wednesday morning and I remembered that just before I woke up I remember having period like pains but never thought that's what labour pain will be then after waking up I couldn't feel them then about an hr later when i went to the toilet i had a bit of a pinkish discharge on the loo paper i was later told it was probably the the plug. then gradually that day i got the period pains more and more but only by about 8 pm i thought i had to stop while contractions lasted as they were getting so painful that i realised that it was the beginning. ds wasn't born until following afternoon 3pm.
second time was induced but it was great as it was very fast.
we'll see what happens third time around
good luck x