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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

What were your first signs of labour?

62 replies

Jessybear90 · 16/12/2017 21:11

Hi all Smile

38 weeks, first timer here.

Just wondering what your first signs of labour were? Had midwife last week and she said baby is head down but "not engaged"

On the look out for signs. Most people have said contractions start off not that painful and then build up in intensity and closer together. Hard hardly any braxton hicks at all so would have no idea what a contraction actually feels like.

I feel very crampy "down there" tonight, almost like a period pain, and baby is moving around like normal.

Thanks for any advice Grin

OP posts:
GinIsIn · 17/12/2017 07:24

None - went for a sweep and was told I was 6cm.

60percentofthetime · 17/12/2017 07:37

With both my labours I had Braxton Hicks and period-like pains randomly for a day or so, then I noticed that they were regular and 10 minutes apart. Then it just progressed from there.

scrivette · 17/12/2017 07:51

With all of mine it was my waters breaking and the contractions started pretty much immediately, very much like the films!

Original poster
Jessybear90 · 17/12/2017 08:54

Thanks for all messages ladies, very interesting stories! And I don't need the pill to be sugared. I like being told how it is! Thank you Grin

OP posts:
NC1990 · 17/12/2017 09:11

Woke up at 3am with period-type cramps and a bloody show (mucus plug had gone a few days before). Contractions continued to get more intense throughout the day and DD was born at 9pm that evening.

squizita · 18/12/2017 21:12

I "knew" it takes days and starts off not too bad.

So when I was struck my THE MOST AGONISING stomach cramps (with associated crapping) that left me screaming on the floor within 20 min of starting, the MW were concerned I might be at risk and called me in. 4 hours earlier i had been checked: not dilated at all, noy ready to go, induction booked for the next week. The taxi driver tentatively suggested I might be in "big labour" and in between agonising cramps I said no, impossible.
An hour and a half later I had a baby.

Thanks "everyone says".

And for the record it sounds jammy but apparently it was "like an induction gone badly wrong" and now I have a frankenfanny.

squizita · 18/12/2017 21:16

...btw frankenfanny works fine - had to do some exercises but wee holding recovered and it just looks/feels a bit bumpier than before. Which unless you are some kind of exotic model is between you, OH and the bedroom wall.
So don't worry!!!

AtSea1979 · 18/12/2017 21:19

The midwife said "your in labour" I replied oh I wondered what that 'buzzing' feeling was. Like a gentle slender tone on my tummy.

honeyharris · 18/12/2017 21:20

No warning signs, woke up to waters trickling and contractions every 8 minutes apart. DH tried to tell me it was Braxton Hicks and I needed to calm down. 2 hours later arrived at the hospital and was 6cm dilated. Baby would have been out in about 6 hours if he didn't have his hand next to his face, as it was my labour was just under 8 hours. I suspect stitching me back together was a bit like collage.

TinyTickler · 18/12/2017 21:24

Woke up at 6am with what felt like cramping in my bladder. Like when you have wind sometimes. Got stronger and more regular throughout the day.

BrawneLamia · 18/12/2017 21:25

Both times my waters broke without any warning.

Dc1 it took a couple of days before I had a baby.
Dc2 everything happened similarly but much faster and I had a baby within a few hours

Bananarama12 · 18/12/2017 21:26

10 days overdue, woke up at 11pm with very painful contractions immediately every 3 minutes! Calles the midwife to be told to take paracetamol and have a bath Hmm ..

MotherofKitties · 18/12/2017 21:36

Very painful quick contractions close together; went from semi-painful braxton hicks to very strong contractions very quick!

Waters broke after an hour and baby born an hour after that. Will be going for a home birth for any future babies I have as DD was very nearly born in the car...!

namechangedcantthinkofnewone · 18/12/2017 21:38

Baby no1, contractions on off then waters went

Baby no2 induced @ 42 weeks, absolutely zero signs, niggles or pain and few failed sweeps.

Baby no3 induced 4 days early due to my health, if I didn't get induced then, I imagine it would have been 42 weeks again. I had few tightening here and there but think it was dehydration.

Eldee1986 · 18/12/2017 22:09

First of all congratulations- you are nearly there!
I didn’t have any signs until I had finished eating my dinner and suddenly felt unwell- lay down in bed- struggled to breathe/ catch my breathe and I had strong contractions extremely quickly (less than 5mins apart almost immediately), got to the hospital just under two hours from initial sick feeling- examined and I was 9cm already! The Drs and Midwives panicked as I was due to have a section later that week as DS was breech.... sped along the corridor to theatre for an emergency section but contractions were so close together they couldn’t get the spinal in and I delivered him breech! Entire labour from start to finish was 3hrs and he was 9days early.
Just goes to show you that not all first time Mums go over their date or labour for days Wink
I’ve been told if I have another baby then I’ve to get to hospital on the very first twinge as labour will likely be a lot quicker Shock
And it hasn’t put me off having another! So just try to enjoy each moment! Good luck!

Eldee1986 · 18/12/2017 22:10

Oh and my waters didn’t even trickle or break until I was wheeled in to the operating theatre!

unenthusiasticfuturedancemom · 18/12/2017 22:15

I had a tv style start too,

Dull period ache for a few days and then suddenly one big contraction. DH couldn't measure them on his app because it wasn't stopping. By the time we got to hospital and they did begin to even out a bit I was 5cm dilated.

Speed bumps are the work of the devil.

DonkeyPunch88 · 18/12/2017 22:47

First and second babies my waters went with a big pop and gush, then contractions came quick thick and fast after about half an hour.

Baby 3 I had a freakish birth with no warning signs, got up to go to the toilet in the night, as I sat down I felt this immense pressure and suddenly had one huge contraction and he crowned. I then screamed for then DH who ran in and caught him, still in his bag of waters! Ambulance arrived about ten minutes after Grin

Baby 4 was long and slow to build up but still good. I had a show about 2am, by 9am I was having back pain and 'period pains'. By school pick up time I was having to stop and breathe with each one. Midwife arrived about 5pm and then waters went. That kicked it all off and baby arrived at 6.06pm

AprilShowers16 · 18/12/2017 22:57

Currently 36 weeks here with ds2 so will be interested to see if it’s the same as before. Last time I woke up with period type pains except they were coming and going, within a couple of hours they were full blown contractions and baby was here 12 hours after they started.

CranjisMcBasketball · 19/12/2017 08:10

Speed bumps are the work of the devil.
When I was expecting ds (38 weeks first pregnancy) dh turned onto a road that had at least 800m of speed bumps and awful potholes and zigzag traffic island thingys). After 3 rather painful jolts I screamed at dh to stop. I got out and walked the rest of the way in tears. During my second pregnancy he went to go that way until he remembered the last time. He thought I was being precious until we had my 40 week check up and the midwife recommended driving up and down the road to kickstart labour. I told her I'd rather be pregnant for 18 months than endure that journey.

PetraBstoke · 19/12/2017 12:54

Hi, I had a stretch & sweep about 3-4 days before I went into labour "naturally". Woke up to experiencing some cramps in my lower belly but little did I know at this point that it was the very beginning of my labour. Then I had the same sort of cramping in exactly half an hour's time and another one half an hour later which indicated to me that I had most probably started being in labour! During the day the contractions were getting closer and closer to each other but my waters just didn't break. Cramps were also getting stronger and about 4-5 minutes away from each other. We went into hospital on advice of the labour line, at about 7 pm. My waters broke whilst in the birthing pool, in the middle of a massive push, then I eventually gave birth just before 11 pm. Think I was quite lucky for a first-timer :) Hope all goes well with you and baby!!!

Thissideof40 · 19/12/2017 20:05

With my first I felt ready like I knew it was going to start soon but the first proper sign was first contraction.

With my second, the day before was OH’s birthday and we went out for dinner as Mum had arranged it but I couldn’t eat anything and I felt generally not well like the only place I wanted to be was tucked up in bed. I was expecting labour to start that night as I had also had a show earlier in the day. I couldn’t wait to get home. Labour started the next morning conveniently so we didn’t have to get my Mum out in the night to come and get DD.

YoungYolandaYorgensen39 · 19/12/2017 21:01

First time - I had labour induced because of pre-eclampsia but I had had loads of Braxton Hicks for weeks and was 3cm dilated when I was induced. Labour 6 hours.

Second time - No real warning signs at all. Just felt like I was coming down with a cold and wanted to sleep all day the day before my waters broke, so not obviously pregnancy or labour related. Labour was 2.5 hours.

cochineal7 · 20/12/2017 00:12

Both times: urge to paint the ceiling/clean everything obsessively the day before. With the first waters broke that night, with the second contractions started early the next morning.

badg3r · 20/12/2017 00:42

Both times, slight period pains and Braxton hicks on and off for a day or so. Then waters broke, immediately contractions began, baby born 5h later. I loved having my babies! DH says I remember it wrong Wink