Signs of labour?? How the hell am I going to cope??

[countingdownthedays63]

Hi ladies,

So for the past few days I've had 'loose bowel movements' I thought it was something I ate but apparently quite common on your build up to labour - I am 37+1 weeks.

But basically wondering how many of you experienced this and when it was you actually went into active labour? I've had a few twinges mainly at night but haven't developed much. Also at times when I'm on the toilet (sorry if TMI) the pain is absolutely excruciating for me anyway and now all I can think is yep that's it's I'm totally screwed for labour if I'm struggling with poo pains!! Some reassure me?? sympathy face

Hope your all well x

No advice but I'm 38+3 with dc1 and I literally have no clue what to expect. I was exactly the same as you last week. Had loose bowels and twinges at night and now I'm bloody constipated and the twinges have all but gone! It's so frustrating
I had bad trapped wind the other day and it hurt so bad I honestly cried. Then I cried even more because I realised I have to give birth very very soon and if I can't handle trapped wind how the hell am I meant to handle childbirth!

Loose stools all week- am 35+4, restless/ slightly irritable today, loads I need to do, no oomph to do it (have been nesting like a crazy woman for a week), feel exhausted and a bit achy. Bleugh!
Just remember you'll have loads of support to get through labour and a beautiful baby at the end of it :-)

I've really struggled with trapped wind recently and I feel the same as you. I cry with pain and then freak out about childbirth. If any mums can give us some reassurance, I'd be super grateful! X

I have a bad cold. I am honestly more wimpy about a bad cold than I am about labour. Why? Labour hurts more but it is purposeful pain and comes and goes. You know there is a finite end to it and by keeping calm and relaxed you can do a lot to make it easier for yourself. Bloody cold I can do nothing about other than take a bit of paracetamol, (can't even rest that much as have to look after DS1) its so far gone on for about a weak and my pathetic pregnant immune system can't get rid of it uuurrg. And the midwifery sister who did an overview of my file after DS1 said I must have a high pain threshold! I have a high pain threshold for certain types of pain/discomfort only.

So, don't worry too much, honestly. Its not the same as any pain you will feel at any other time ever. And pethidine is a wonderful thing!

You will be fine because you have to be, women have been giving birth for thousands of years, and honestly if it was that bad nobody would have more than one child. I'm honestly the worlds biggest wimp and I'm expecting DC4. Yes it hurts like hell but trust me, your body knows how to birth a baby, it's your head that gets in the way with worrying about it! Remember each contraction doesn't last long and each one gets you a step closer to meeting your baby.

I had pethidine with DS and felt totally out of control and spaced out. I managed just on gas and air with my DDs which really helped me focus on managing each contraction and was a much better experience.

I had it for a few weeks before dd decided to make an appearance! Its not really a sign of imminent labour.

i always used to wonder how i would cope in labour as my pain threshold is rubbish, but honestly you just do. Your body really does take over and you just have to get on with it because your baby needs you too. And you just do what it takes to cope, whether its moving or bouncing or asking for more pain relief or an epidural, you just know how to cope once in labour i believe.

Because in labour you are doing a job. It is uncomfortable , hard work and an immense feeling (I was never in actual agony), but it is for a purpose and you can feel it taking over and birthing your baby. Breathe, keep moving, keep upright as far as possible, take part, don't be a passive vessel for the discomfort, if you see what I mean.

And if it is too much or you prefer, then you can have an epidural. No one will give you an epidural for your loo cramps!

There's a sodding stomach virus going around at the moment which is causing horrendous loose bowels! I'm 35 weeks today and I admit I got my hopes up to begin with, but then when other, non-pregnant people and then the DC started having loose bowels.. I realised what it was!

That's the big problem with waiting to go into labour - what you'd normally just think of as a bug you can read all sorts of things into! I usually go early (I have a history of 35 weeks, 36 weeks and 38 weeks) so of course I thought it might be "something"!

However, that said, loose bowels ARE a sign! It was with DC1, except I was in denial and said it was from the curry. Which to be fair probably didn't help..

It's true what they say - you cope with labour because you have to! It is only for a very short time in your life. Although I won't deny there were moments in labour where I wished it was some other day and I was fast asleep tucked up in bed

And I can tell you now, the sheer pain I was in after my second c-section when I had a bowel movement in the coming weeks - I honestly thought I was dying at times. It was worse than the labour I had with DC1. And that was precipitous and exceptionally intense.

Yes, labour pain is different, it really it, because as some have said here you are doing something the whole time- not just experiencing pain if that makes sense. The pain of labour tells you how to move and when to push etc. so it's like a useful pain. The other thing I remember is a midwife telling me that when you hear women yelling out during labour it's not so much that they're yelling because it hurts, but that yelling is what helps you deal with the pain. That made total sense to me after I'd been through it- the yelling really helped and it was less scary being in labour than it was hearing other people being in labour. I hope that doesn't sound weird! And there are always drugs. I didn't have any the first time and if I was doing it again I think I would have some.

This time around I am having a section for various reasons and although I won't have the pain of labour I am dreading the recovery from it, but again I feel I will deal with it and even though the recovery is longer than for a vaginal birth it is still a short time in life overall. Good luck to us all! :-)

I'm having sooo many problems and feel so ill that I'm looking forward to labour!!

So my advice would be to greet labour at the last hurdle before getting your baby and the end of pregnancy- the big finale!!

Can't wait to stop anticipating every twinge, fearing every bit of trapped wind and projectile vomiting every where I go!!

Having experienced both IBS and a vaginal birth with gas and air as pain relief, I can tell you that IBS is much much worse. I have been curled up in the foetal position crying helplessly with the agony of IBS. During labour I was quite fine: I used Hypnobirthing breathing techniques til around transition, then had some gas and air, then delivered with no pain relief (the feeling is intense and overwhelming, but I personally wouldn't describe the delivery as painful - it felt to me rather like being sick but obviously down below - an expulsion sensation that took over my whole body).

Anyway, you will feel different in labour because:

1. Labour makes you feel a bit spaced out and 'not there';
2. You will be super excited at the prospect of seeing your baby and holding him/her, which is highly motivating; and
3. You will know that there is a finite period of time that the feeling will last and that there is a reason behind it.

Oh and yes yes yes to the previous poster's comments about yelling in labour - I yelled during the pushing bit, but not because I was in agony, just because my whole body was overwhelmed with the expulsion feeling. If you have ever puked up and found yourself making a noise because of it (like a growly roar), it's exactly the same thing. You're not screaming in agony, it's just an involuntary bodily noise that comes out.