What did you do during early labour?

[Ladyks3]

I am pretty sure I’m in early stage labour with my 2nd. Lost my mucus plug (sorry if TMI) this morning, very irregular contractions that feel very similar to ones I experienced with my first born. They hurt, but currently bearable, some more so than others so far. Currently just bouncing on a birthing ball in my dimly lit bedroom listening to the Freya app...

Overall just feeling quite bored 😐 (I know this will change soon!!) what did you get up to while in this early stage??

I read my book, had a bath, watched queer eye on Netflix, checked mine and the baby’s bags, cooked a meal though I can’t remember what, ate nuts and raisins and had a lot of wees!

Hope you’re as comfy as you can be. Best of luck

(& just to say I’m not pre-term, I’m 39wks +4 and my first born came at 39wks)

Went for a walk while I could, watched TV while bouncing on the ball then a long bath until I had to leave for hospital.

@AnneLovesGilbert wow! So productive! Good shout, I think I’ll grab my kindle 😊

Good luck!!

That’s so exciting OP! Best of luck!

Thank you!

Bounced on the yoga ball, watched Scandal (American TV show I had been binging on during pregnancy), timed contractions on an app, drank ice cold orange squash, I did have a quick shower, I kind of wanted a bath but didn’t want to slow things down. I sent DP to work during the day, he got home at 4pm and we went straight to the hospital and I was 7cm and DD was born at 7.23pm. She’s now 9 weeks old.
Good luck!

Yes good shout from @AnneLovesGilbert to remember to wee regularly as a full bladder can obstruct baby’s descent.

My early labour lasted 6 days so I did a lot basically anything I could think of to try and get the bloody baby moving and out of me.
Walking, cleaning, horses, gardening...you name it, I tried it

Back and forth to the hospital -
I was told I was having an inpatient induction but once they did that (and contractions started soon after) they said I could go home if I want. So we did, they said to come back if waters broke which they did that evening, went back to hospital they confirmed waters broke and sent me home telling me to go back at 11 the next morning, so we did, were told there was no bed for us and to come back in the afternoon, same thing in the afternoon, told to go back at 11 that night -
That time I ended up staying in!

In between - got DH to take me to mcdonalds as I needed fries and milkshake and literally nothing else would do, walked the dog (short walk as needed to wee a lot), watched films with DH, watched a lot of Queer Eye on my tablet, walked up and down the (tiny) garden, cleaned out my cutlery drawer (??), had a few showers and cleansed my face about 100 times as I was obsessed with the smell of my new cleanser and it calmed me down! Also listened to Freya app and the playlist I’d made for the birth. Hot water bottle for contractions which were all in my back. Bounced on the ball.

I was in early labour for 4 days - hopefully you won't be! So I did a lot including walk the dog etc as usual. But when it got semi serious I watched an entire season of something on Netflix that now I don't even remember the name of (it was only last summer!!), drank raspberry leaf tea, bounced on the ball, had a shower, ate some snacks, and tried to snooze when I could. How exciting OP, not long now and you'll have an incredible, delicious smelling, mesmerising newborn in your arms!!! I'm so jealous!!!! Enjoy and good luck!

I went and sorted my horses out... and then my mum dragged me out for a dog walk, which was great as it kept me moving. Then I went home, had a nap, a shower (because suddenly it seemed super important to try do some blind downstairs gardening 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣🤣), then pottered about the house until hubby got home. I went into hospital for a check at 8pm and was only 1cm. Went back in at 4am and was admitted

I timed my contractions (they started at 5 mins apart), told my partner, kids, best friends and mum what was occurring, checked my bag then went in when contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. I was then examined and was 2-3cm. 3 hours later: Baby!

Ate, walked around, hot bath, kept active to keep things going, had fast labours. Good luck

Our 2nd I just thought I'd been having braxton hicks until the consultant examined me and said I was 1cm dilated. I continued doing all the usual stuff for 5 days when contraction picked up so went to hospital. I was 5cm but they refused to break waters due to polyhydramnios so I was then stuck on a ward with constant contractions for over a day before they agreed to break waters. 2hr 19mins after they were broken we met our chunky boy. 3rd I went for a wander round a shopping centre and when they were slow to progress I convinced my reluctant husband to have sex with me, that kicked things up a gear and I couldn't sleep through contractions. Went to hospital the next morning and was 5cm, 6 hours later I was 8cm and they broke my waters. She was born 11mins after that with just a few pushes but tore from v2a.
1st was induced, 4th&5th were breech twins so elcs. Not sure if I will labour with this one yet, 25+3wk now.

I've had 4 babies but only one spontaneous, my second.

Contractions started around lunchtime and got to the "need to go to hospital now" stage around 1am.

In early labour I got my eldest from school, walked the dog, made and ate tea, had a bath, bounced on my ball, listened to my hypnotherapy CD, tried to rest.

It was a long time so I just carried on as normal until I couldn't.

DC1, 3 and 4 were all induced so I never had a slow start with them.

Called the midwife, called my mum to get her over. Had a shower, shaved underarms, legs and tidied up my pubes, straightened my hair and put basic makeup up on then watched films after getting my birthing area ready as was a home birth.

My husband and I decided it was an appropriate time to watch Sausage Party . . It was not! but it did take my mind off some of the earlier contractions lol

Went out for dinner.

Thought it might be our last chance for a while. Strolled a mile to a local bistro type place, had a relaxed dinner, strolled home, went to bed, slept in and off, contractions in full flight by following morning.