How did your labour start?

[Rainbow714]

Exactly that really, im 39 weeks on Saturday ive had the odd twinge here and there but nothing major untill yesterday. I had back ache all day then started with strong period pains that came every 20mins they lasted a good few hours, i managed to get to sleep and ive woke up with similar cramps although my stomach doesn't seem to be tightening nor last night or this morning. Just cramps that come and go and the constant back pain. Could this be the start of labour? Would/should it have progressed a little further now? And if they were contractions should i have had tightenings? Can't remember with my last DD. Thank you.

My first labour started with my waters breaking and I was induced for my second and third as I was 42 weeks, so I'm not much help. It certainly sounds quite labour like. Theres an app I think where you can track the pains and it helps to build a picture. In all of my three labours, I honestly never experienced tummy tightening, all pains were in my back.

Could be labour, could be Braxton Hicks. Just monitor it and see if anything changes in terms of severity and/or frequency. Good luck!

Thank you both for commenting, i will monitor things. No other signs though.

Op mine started very similar at 40+9 I had painless tightenings but they were pretty regular went to sleep fine and when I woke up in the morning they were still there they gradually just got more painful, my waters then broke and it was pretty rapid from then

Thank you MrsCI19 they are still there although don't feel as painful as they did last night. Just wish i knew if it was the start or just pregnancy aches!

@Rainbow714 have you got a birthing ball? Have a bounce or maybe go for a long walk.

Hi @Rainbow714 i'm 39 weeks come Saturday. Monday night i had some weird cramps, and Tuesday night they got stronger. My normal midwives fobbed me off with 'baby moving' 'Braxton hicks' but you get a bit of an instinct it's more than that! They got so bad yesterday evening i called my local hospital and spoke to the assessment unit there, she told me it sounds like the latent stage of labour and it's my body getting ready but the best place would be for me to stay at home.
Things to look out for- a show with blood in it, reduced movements, waters breaking, and pain being unbearable! I would say the last day or so the pain is really quite bad but it is still borderline manageable for now. Trust your instincts, i would say it's probably the latent phase for you too!

Yes i do have a birthing ball, i will give that a go and planning a walk this afternoon. Thank you! @Oldestchild90s its awful when you are not sure if its the start of it isn't it. The cramps were that bad last night i honestly thought it was the start of things and would of woke up in full labour! Thank you for commenting, good luck to you fingers crossed things move quickly. Keep us posted 🤞

Mine started with my waters breaking. When I went into the hospital they hooked me up to a machine and told me I was already getting contractions. I couldn’t feel them but I did feel a bit crampy like my period was coming . About 3 hours later I started feeling obvious contractions.

I had no symptoms at all. I woke up at 3am when I was 39+1. Went to the loo and my waters broke. Within the hour my contractions were 3 in ten minutes and we went to the hospital.

I vividly remember contractions and they were completely different to what I expected. It started with a tightening feeling in my back that moved around to the front of my body like a band, then rippled down from the top of my bump to my thighs. Once it reached my thighs it was gone. Can still remember the feeling now, 12 years later!

Wow everyones labours are all so different, i haven't had as many cramps today but feel alot of pressure when im moving around and still got bach ache like my period is coming. @Awkwarddough that is so quick! I bet you was glad you made it to hospital on time. I kind of remember the feeling of a contraction from my last DD but that was 7 years ago, can't remember how it started though just remember it went on for what felt like forever!

@Rainbow714 Just like that i had the baby last night 😂 when you know you just know! Fingers crossed for you, good luck 🤞🏻

Alas, I had the period pain thing about 6 times , and ds was 10 days late !
In the end, labour started for me like tiny cramps you get when you've taken laxatives, and the urge to poo ..sorry tmi!
I did not know that was labour until my waters broke .

All sounds very positive. A long latent phase, can result in a shorter active phase of labour. So don’t be disheartened if this goes on for a while. Sleep and rest as much as you can x

I don't think its labour had cramps for past few days, then i had some really strong painful tightenings last night and i thought they might of been contractions but they just stopped after an hour or so. Now wondering if they were braxton hicks, but don't remember them being painful last time.

@oldestchild90s oh wow congratulations! Hope everything went okay and you and baby are well! X