37 weeks pregnant, what were the signs of labour if different from textbook waters breaking and a show

[Ftmum00]

Hi just wondering if anyone went into labour at 37 weeks pregnant and what were the size leading up to labour if different from textbook waters breaking and a show

I didn't think waters breaking was textbook, unless you watch a lot of American TV :).

Most labours start with niggly cramps and period-like pain. Backache, sometimes diarrhoea. It just ramps up until full blown contractions and labour.

Usually waters don't break until labour is established, so don't rely on that as a sign :)

I think most labours start with mild contractions far apart.

Mine started with contractions 3-4 minutes apart lasting a minute, but not very painful. It was confusing, as my midwife said they would only be that close in well established labour, but it's not the case it seems.

Niggly uncomfortable aches and pains to start, can take a while get to proper contractions.

My hind water went in the morning, and then contraction kicked in early evening, my actual water didnt break until about 30 mins before he was born

Backache and grumpiness! Never saw a "show" and my waters had to be broken for me in hospital.

My waters broke dramatically "TV style" at 37 weeks and contractions started 5 mins later. Never saw a show with either baby.

I'm having infrequent cramps in my lower abdomen which then go to a period pain cramp, this only last for a few seconds but has been happening everyday for the last few days. Also leaking a lot of clear discharge sorry if that's tmi. Along with insomnia, 'nesting' and terrible back pain that comes and goes. Could This be early labour signs?

I had back pain the day before, then it sort of moved around to my front before turning into contractions. The first time it was just contractions with no warning. My show came with the contractions with my first and didn't come at all with my second, my waters went right before delivery with both.

My labour - with dd - started with vomiting - which isn't in all of the text books let me tell you. The labour with her was only four and a half hours so I might just be a freak of nature lol x

Oh but I should also say that I did the nesting thing. I liberally couldn't stop cleaning.

I had period pain cramps on and off for a week or so beforehand. I would lie in bed getting really excited that tonight was the night and then be really disappointed when I woke in the morning after an uninterrupted night sleep (oh the irony!). but as others said the pains just got stronger and more frequent until it was definitely labour. I found lots of baby stuff is like this - I thought the first kick would be a big event but really it was an odd bubbly feeling that got stronger until you could so yup that's definitely a kick, same with first words, first smiles... walking is pretty black and white.

First labour at 37wks started with manageable contractions at regular but infrequent rate, hospital admitted me because I had PE but I didn't want to take up space in the delivery suite and no room in ante-natal so I wandered into town for a bit of shopping!
They got more frequent over night and I could tell a definate difference, they put pressure on my bladder but walking to the bathroom brought on another contraction.
Took roughly 24hrs to get into established labour from first twinge and DD born 7hrs after that. Waters broke right at transition.