Feeling before labour

[DanDanAdams]

Good afternoon all,
I have a few questions for those that have already birthed their child. I've been trying to find some answers here and have been struggling. So thought I'd ask directly.

Mainly how did you feel leading up to birth?
Either day of or few days before?

1- how was your mood?
2- did you feel any different?
3- did you have any unusual aches and pains?
4- energetic or exhausted or normal?
5- did you have the errge to clean the house / nest?
6- Braxton Hicks, lots, a few, none, or constant
7- spontaneous waters breaking or had contractions leading up to it?
8- when did your plug go?
9- did you know it was time? And what gave you that feeling if so?
10- and any other symptoms that you think are relevant.

Why I'm asking, a bit about my current situation.
I'm 39+3.
I have a child already but was induced early for reduced movement so haven't had the experience of waiting for it to happen.
I'm impatient now as I'm having constant BH'S through day and night but no progression, this has been happening for the past month. I'm just very tired.
Yesterday I had stomach cramps all day and didn't feel like eating anything. I also have been feeling very emotional and down and snappy to my husband.
Today is the same with some extra aches around my lower tummy and back but nothing that lasts longer than a few seconds and aren't happening when I have a tightening.

I know I'm looking for the same answers as many women on here but wanted to get the feel of what others remember from the lead up to labour.

Thank you for your time.

Hi I’m 39 + 3 today and was induced with my first due to reduced movements so very interested in the answers to the questions you’ve posed. I’m too looking for sign S though other than BH some days and not others I haven’t had any. Usually quite mobile but spent the afternoon in bed today as shattered. Hope you’re doing okay x

I'm 41+4 and desperately looking for signs...

Nothing yet, nada 😫

Hi guys,
Thanks for messaging. Hopefully someone will get back to us with their story.
Mine so far is;
after spending two days feeling emotional and miserable.
Loss of appetite.
Had the squits and stomach cramps too.
Went to bed last night after a good dinner, feeling that things were going to happen but after a few more intense BH'S, no progression since.
Continued with BH'S through the night and woke up this morning absolutely starving!

Have had breakfast and raided my cupboards all morning, now looking to have lunch, with all the food I have eaten so far I definitely shouldn't still be hungry ..
Maybe this is all a sign. Who knows. I'll keep you guys updated with my experience until labour.
X

My little girl is 3 weeks old & was born at 39+4. First I thought anything might be happening was a bit of bloody mucus when I went to the toilet (definitely not the whole plug). It was accompanied by some very very mild period type pains, enough to notice but not enough to bother me. That was at about 2pm so just messaged my husband to say I thought maybe something was happening but not to rush home or anything. Nothing much happened until 10.30pm when contractions stared & were 10 mins apart straight away. By 4am they were up to 4 mins, went to hospital at 8.30am by which time I was 5cm & she was born at 4.15pm. Waters didn’t break until 5 mins before she was born (although waters breaking was first sign with my son). Definitely had no urge to clean or nest or anything like that, didn’t really feel any different from any other day in terms of exhaustion or emotion. I’d had Braxton Hicks since about 26 weeks & they didn’t change in amount or intensity. I definitely just ‘knew’ but not sure how, maybe because I was practically at my due I wasn’t concerned whether it was labour or not, if it was then great but if it wasn’t then I’d just wait it out a bit longer, meant I wasn’t analysing every tiny sign. I guess the regularity of the contractions made me know, if they’re erratic it’s unlikely but mine were regular &!consistently about the same time between them. Hope that helps & good luck for when the time comes!

Well I gave birth 4 hours ago so it’s relatively fresh in the memory!

I went for induction yesterday (Friday) at 41+6. Turned out I was already 2-3cm and midwife just did a sweep as nothing else required.

Prior to that no real niggles no nothing! My signs of impending labour were virtually non existent.

I did eat EVERYTHING yesterday though, think my body was carb loading.

Active labour kicked in about 9pm and had him at just after midnight.

@Sexnotgender congratulations on your new baby boy!!

My only symptoms were very emotional 4/5 days before and napping a lot in the days after that.

Then the first strong period cramp started 20 mins apart and continued to increase into contractions from there.

No dodgy tummy no waters breaking no BH no loss of mucus plug- nothing! Was certain I was going to end up induced as had no inkling at all of spontaneous labour starting.

Thank you. A bit shell shocked! Shit got very real very quickly.

Hi guys. I had my baby on Wednesday! I was 37+1 And not expecting him at all.

To answer your question:
1- how was your mood? I was perky and everything was normal. Had no inkling this would happen.
2- did you feel any different? I felt fine but constant BH and tummy contracting. I went to the supermarket as normal but walked around for ages the Monday night looking for stuff. I have no idea if that got him into position.
3- did you have any unusual aches and pains? No
4- energetic or exhausted or normal? Slightly more energetic the week before. I even hosted a dinner party for hubbys family and would not have been able to do that a few months ago.
5- did you have the errge to clean the house / nest? Yes!! I've only just gone on mat leave and barely managed to get anything done as he came so fast bless him. He is my first baby.
6- Braxton Hicks, lots, a few, none, or constant - lots but not in a pattern- some days bad some days okay.
7- spontaneous waters breaking or had contractions leading up to it? Mine broke in bed and it was a trickle. I freaked out and called triage who asked me to lie down with a pad and call back in half an hour if it was damp. I did that and it was so I went to hospital in the early hours where they told me if I don't go into labour they'd induce me as my waters had broken early and there would be a risk of infection if they did not do it. I was sent home for 24 hours and told to come back the next morning exactly 24 hours after my waters broke.
8- when did your plug go? Thankfully it went about 4pm the next day. I knew things were moving.
9- did you know it was time? And what gave you that feeling if so? The contractions are a feeling like no other and you will know trust me! I was lucky I contracted and went in before the 24 hours and the Baby was born half an hour before the appointment to induce me. Also they went from very irregular when I got back from hospital the first time (think about half an hour apart and very mild) to about 5 minutes apart when I returned to hospital at around 10pm the same day And apparently 6cm dilated (my induction appointment was 3am next day) and had him naturally!
10- and any other symptoms that you think are relevant - I felt really frisky the night my waters broke. Maybe for me that was relevant.

I really thought he'd come late or on time but not at 37 weeks so make sure you are definitely prepared. We were planning on getting last minute bits this weekend and now DH has to go alone as I had three tears and have been stitched up. I only got discharged on Friday morning. Best recovery is at home though!

Congratulations to all mummys who had their babies. And good luck to those waiting.
It was the most traumatic thing for me but now I wouldn't change it for the world. X

I never really had any indication as to when I was going to go into labour. But the day before I went into labour I felt weird. I didn't feel ill or had any pains but I had a weird feeling inside of me and my brain kept thinking is tomorrow the day? I woke up early next morning wanting to go for a wee and my waters broke as soon as I got up. I never had any braxton hicks nor lose my plug that happened during my labour. I just keep remembering the day before my labour I had been feeling weird all day.

Thank you everyone for your labour stories.
Still going here and had my sweep and not as far along as I had hoped. Think little one is staying put for a while.

Sorry this probs won't help you but there you go.

1- how was your mood?
No different

2- did you feel any different?
Nope

3- did you have any unusual aches and pains?
Nope. Labour came on pretty much out the blue.

4- energetic or exhausted or normal?
Normal

5- did you have the errge to clean the house / nest?
Nope

6- Braxton Hicks, lots, a few, none, or constant
Never had them in either pregnancy

7- spontaneous waters breaking or had contractions leading up to it?
Consistent contractions for 8/9 hours then waters broke

8- when did your plug go?
Didn't noticeably lose it

9- did you know it was time? And what gave you that feeling if so?
Well I was 17 days late. If I hadn't gone into labour naturally being induced would have sorted it

10- and any other symptoms that you think are relevant.
Absolutely zero signs and symptoms. I was absolutely fine up to day 17. Walking three miles a day with the dog and carried on as normal. Had some unsuccessful sweeps. Randomly woke up in the middle of the night with regular contractions and that was that

Thank you all for your input. Unfortunately I can't add to this and help others as I got induced and didn't go into labour naturally. All the best for everyone and their pregnancies.
Hope this thread helps someone