Does labour happen suddenly?

[xTinkerbell]

So I’m pretty much trying to psyche myself up for induction on Thursday when I’ll be 40+13 because I feel like this wee one won’t be getting a move on by themselves but just wondering on the off chance of spontaneous labour...

Does labour happen suddenly or are there signs before? I’m a clueless first time mum

Hi OP, I’m also I first timer so no personal experience, but I was just reading this thread that might give you some answers

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/3767702-positive-induction-stories-please-39-weeks

Good luck for your induction, nearly there now!

I was in the same boat as you. Was due to be induced at 40+13 and he came at 8pm the night before! Lots of people have a "show" I didn't have mine really until I was in the hospital, most definitely in labour. I knew what it was as soon as it started though, even those early contractions can't be confused with anything else. I don't know if it worked for me or if he'd have come then anyway, but I spent the entire Friday walking around town shopping, trying to take my mind off being so overdue. Then I felt my first contractions around 11am on the Saturday and he was born at 8pm on the Sunday, so I like to think the walking and shopping sent me into labour. Good luck with it all.

For me I suddenly knew labour was starting. It wasn’t particularly physical though (to start with), just a switch in my head that went okay this is it. My first was 40+13 and my 2nd 40+10 so you have my sympathies. Good luck

Everybody is completely different. For me, the first sign was actually my waters breaking and contractions did not follow for a long time. When they came, they came with a vengeance and baby was here pretty damn quick!

My waters broke first too. Labour didn't start for another 6 hours though. Starting like food poisoning cramps but the difference is the regularity of both the cramps and the consistency. For me it gradually built up over 36 hours. I recommend a tens machine from the start.

Walk up and down stairs. That worked for me to get things started.

I was induced and labour started about 8 hours after the pessary was put it. The pain came on really gradually, I remember feeling my first contraction in the shower on the ward and thinking is this it. 6 hours later, my waters broke and I was screaming for an epidural!

Both mine kicked off with waters going and strong contractions. one at 4am on induction day and the 2nd infest thing in the morning of due date. No hint before that labour was imminent!

Yep! I went to bed at 39+3, absolutely no signs and then I had tightenings in my stomach that got stronger through the night. Went to hospital at 6am and was 5cm and stayed until she arrived that evening. No show, waters breaking etc. But everyone is different 🙂

1st I got a stitch like pain earlier on in the day that stayed all day wasn't painfull just irritating.. Then around 7/8pm started with the period type pains had him at 2:08am following morning Waters didn't go untill I was about to have baby and never had a show... 2nd baby I had no signs that day and labour started really intensely around 5:30pm had him at 10:30pm that night again waters didn't go untill I was about to have him and never had a show x

With my first I had no signs of labour and then my waters broke at midnight a week before due date. Contractions started an hour or so later and I was in hospital by 8am. Daughter arrived a 7pm that evening.

38+4 with second baby and hoping it will all start soon

I was 39+2 & was woken up at 3.15am with what was unmistakably a mild contraction, then again at 5.30am. I'd had no previous signs that labour was imminent. I lost the plug at around 11am then things started ramping up, getting more intense & painful. I had an epidural in the end. My waters didn't go until DS was about to be delivered by forceps just after midnight the next day.

Well with my first. The first sign was waters breaking from then to bitrth was 1hr20min. With second again waters broe and it was 2hr 15 min. So yes can be quite sudden. (Both prem as well.) Bt when it comes to reproduction issues my body doesn,t like to conform.

I was surprised that induction was very slow at the start. I had 24 hours with nothing. Then my waters went and things sped up by then. My waters broke at 3am and I had an emergency section at about 5pm

With both of mine, an hour before contractions started, I'd have said I was nowhere near giving birth! Then suddenly, I was in labour.

First baby, I was fast asleep and alone in my house with no symptoms of labour at 8am and was back in my bed with my baby tucked up next to me and a nice post birth cup of tea by noon. Good luck !

It’s entirely individual, but my first labour started all of a sudden with one huge contraction. Baby was born 4 hours later! Good luck

Not always sudden. Both of mine stopped and started for over a week before. As a result, i was in very active labour when finally agreed to go in!

I was 40 +10 and was scheduled to be induced on a Sunday, ds decided to arrive on the Friday! You still have time!
I had a sudden urge to poo ( sorry tmi ) and could not quite believe it was happening

With my first two I woke up with contractions around 4 or 5am and that was it. With the third I was awake at 5am, hands on my belly thinking labour was going to start and I suddenly felt what I thought was a "boom" I suppose in my belly. It was my waters breaking. Contractions started minutes later. I've never wondered if I was in labour or not. It's always been clear and immediate.

All women and all labours can be very different. Different pregnancies and labours/deliveries can be very different even for the same woman.

I had three babies and each time was very different.

DD1 - sudden whoosh of green waters at 5am, so full of meconium. No spontaneous contractions so the entire labour and delivery was driven by a syntocinon drip.

DD2, I was already in hospital due to high blood pressure and other potential signs of pre-eclampsia. That said, it was otherwise the most textbook of my three deliveries, only needing the waters to be broken artificially.

DD3, waters broke at 35 weeks so I went into hospital and there was lots of monitoring, a scan, steroids for her lungs and antibiotics for me. Three or four days later DD began discharging meconium but I had no contractions. She didn't tolerate the syntocinon drip so had to be delivered by emergency c-section.

Not all experiences are like mine. All can be different though, with history not necessarily repeating itself. It is impossible to say how things will go until you are in labour or attempting induction etc.

I'll wish you good luck. I hope it all goes as smoothly as possible.

I think it's different for everyone. I lost my mucus plug around 11 am. About 4 pm I was on the bus going to the shops and I couldn't sit still. When I got to the shops I needed the loo, went and immediately felt like I needed to go again but nothing was forthcoming. Later on around 7pm I basically started having one long contraction and had a big bleed. Went to the hospital and had her 20 mins later

With DC1 nothing until my waters broke at 4am at 40+6 and I started having contractions an hour later and very quickly progressed to 4cm dilated (before things slowed down unfortunately). Baby born at 5am the following day, so although the labour was relatively long it started very suddenly.

Currently pregnant with DC2 - been having BH and period pains for weeks, losing my plug for over 4 days, and for the past few days I've been having regular contractions about 10mins apart which last for a few hrs before dissipating off. So a much slower build up this time. Hoping things pick up as Im due to be induced next week too and would much prefer a spontaneous labour.

Both of mine started with contractions, nothing at all before that. Good luck!

Many births here!! 3 less than 3 hours. I less than 2 from being asleep with no hint to holding ds!! Still fully clothed!!
First one was long and awful as I believe many firsts are. Not 'the rule' though as babies don't follow any rules ime!!

Best of luck with the induction OP. I had mine at 42 weeks. It can be quite a long process, so just be prepared for it to add a couple more days to your long wait , but it's worth every minute in the end