What happens the days leading up to labour?

[Thatsmoneyhoney]

Hi all!

So I'm 38 weeks pregnant and I'm getting excited about the birth of my little one and finally getting to meet him ❤️
What were all your experiences of labour starting? Did it start suddenly or did you have things happen in the days leading up to it?
I find it so interesting hearing people's stories 😊

Felt like I didn't want to go too far from home, not even a walk around the block.
Really faint period pain feelings at night.
Mucus plug lost a few days before.

Nothing at all in my case. I went to a family funeral 60 miles away the day before my first was born. Second was similar (although no funeral) - it all happened in a single day.

Days of cramping. Maybe like 10? A few days where it really ramped up. A few days where I felt like a nausea too. On the day itself I lost my plug so it was a sure sign shit was getting real. My waters broke movie style and proper contractions started within half an hour.

Child one: mucus plug went on the Tuesday morning. Very mild cramps and contractions all day and night. Wednesday morning it ramped up to proper contractions. Late Wednesday night she was born.

Child two: woke up with slightly damp knickers. Waters had trickled. I had strep b and so had to go straight in and it was all sped up by bursting rest of waters. He was born that evening.

Good luck

Absolutely nothing with my first. Waters went pop at 39+5 and that was that. I’d been to the gym earlier that day and met a friend for lunch.

With my second I felt very heavily down below, like baby was about to fall out. This went on for about a week before ELCS at 39 weeks, I was amazed I made it to the scheduled date. But no other signs at all.

My first was induced at 38 weeks after 3 weeks in hospital with pre eclampsia and low placenta, the midwives kept checking my cervix to see if it was softening, when it got to 3 cm dilated I was whipped down to the delivery room and put on a drip, 3 hours later Dd was placed into my arms. It was quick!
No. 2 due Xmas day, towards week 38 I was getting tired, my bump dropped, I knew the head was engaged as I could feel pressure down there, wk 39 I was suddenly infused with energy, nesting, cleaning, organising wrapping presents, six days before Xmas I insisted DH take me shopping for a real tree, the assistant asked when my baby was due. DH was bringing the car round to strap this tree to the roof. The assistan said I think you’d better get her home, she won’t last until Xmas Day. I felt fine, not a twinge, anyway we got home, put this tree up for DD, I cooked tea, sat down to eat it and got a contraction, then passed the mucus plug so DH rang for an ambulance at 9pm, DD no2 was born four hours later.. quick births seem to be a thing in our family, my sister was the same.

Nothing at all. I stood up and my waters exploded, contractions started several hours later. Have you done the positive birth hypo digital course? It changed my life!

5 days before labour ‘started’ I woke up with a clear throat and nose and could breathe easily. (I’d been congested the whole pregnancy.)

4 days before, I had a ‘bloody show’ ie a bit of blood clot came out, the size of a 50p piece. Freaked me out as I’d got in habit of thinking blood = bad, but apparently this is fine.

2 days before, my waters started very slowly leaking (this is not good by the way and I should have gone to hospital as it makes infection possible. Didn’t know that).

On labour day I started feeling a bit weird and restless. Couldn’t watch tv, it made me feel sick. Tried to eat a sandwich, threw it up. Lots of pacing/walking. Slight ache and tum felt very heavy but nothing I’d call a ‘contraction’. Called midwives. Midwives cane and said I was pretty fully dilated. Eventually the contractions started. 3 hrs after that, baby was out. All this timing of contractions you see on tv was nonsense to me: I went from zero contractions, to full labour with contractions every few seconds, pretty much instantly.

For me, nothing - straight into labour (contractions three minutes apart from the beginning). No show. Both times the waters had to be broken.

At 40 weeks I had a sweep and bloody show, then four days later there were specks of blood in the toilet every time I went for a wee, that night I got up for a wee and got back into bed and.my waters started to go, she was born six hours later.

Currently 37+2 and willing this one to arrive before induction at 39 weeks :)

Hopefully rest rest rest rest and rest.

My waters broke in the middle of the night. Contractions started a few hours later. Very long labour and three days later DS was born! Nothing much before that to indicate it was about to happen.

I had mild pains in the middle of the night, which I assumed was nothing. Went out for breakfast with DH, still thinking nothing of the pains I'd had in the night. Waters broke suddenly at 11am whilst we were out!

Nothing except getting increasingly more raging at still being pregnant. Lots of crying and lying down, not much else.

I had nothing in the days leading up to labour. I woke around 4am that morning with mild period cramps and was then up and down to the toilet a few times and lost my mucous plug. Things progressed that morning with contractions and about lunch time I felt I needed to go to hospital. I was worried they'd send me home again but they said I was 6cm dilated and DD arrived a few hours later!

Niggles/little cramps out of the blue
Extreme tiredness and broken sleep

The extreme tiredness and broken sleep lasts a few years afterwards 😬

Nothing really. Waters broke when I was in bed and light contractions started. I was totally not prepared at that point (early, expected to go late as statistically likely with first) but knew for certain I was in labour. Second time round I lost my mucus plug and started contractions a couple of hours later. Was still working at my normal capacity in the days beforehand both times so no other signs.

1st- Nothing. I was at work an hour away from home at 37 + 5. Waters started leaking and contractions so husband collected me. Had my son the day after.

2nd- stop start labour from 39 weeks. Was very gradual

1st nothing, although looking back at pictures my bump had definitely dropped the day before he was born in comparison to a picture I took a week earlier. Woke up at 9am with period like cramps which I'd had before but these didn't stop so when they were getting stronger at lunchtime I knew it was go time. Contractions continued to get stronger and at 5pm my waters broke so we went to hospital. I was 4cm dilated so we were admitted. He was born at 1.25am

2nd I was induced

Nothing. No signs or symptoms until I woke up with first contractions. From that first thing to baby being born: DC1 19 hours, DC2 5 hours, DC3 3 hours.

I got to 40 +12 without a twinge then started a slow labour that was contractions every 10/12 mins which would interrupt whatever I was doing but not awful. I should have tried to rest and eat but I didn’t I stayed awake all night timing them. Ds was born 38 hrs later (16 hrs of active labour)

with Dd nothing at all till 50 + 12 and then slow, it was similar but I had a nap and went for a big walk and a pub lunch while in labour and then she was born 13 hours later (but only 5 hrs were active labour)

DD1, literally no signs until waters went pop. Cervix wasn't really ready and it was a long drawn out affair.

DD2, few days of cramping but nothing worse than braxton hicks, woke up the day of ELCS at 4am and couldn't settle, contractions started 6am, arrived for ELCS appointment at 9am and 'only 2cm' baby born in the pool at 11.15am 😂

Pregnant with DS1 now and hoping I get enough warning signs to get childcare for my girls!

I was fine, perfectly active and normal until 40+1. That afternoon I walked around town and remember saying it was the first time it felt uncomfortable (but not painful) to walk. 1am I woke up and went to the loo and muscus plug was there. Then straight away period like cramps started at regular intervals and increased to labour from there. Baby born at 7pm 🙂

DC1, woke up at 7am for a wee but everytime I stood up off the loo fluid poured out of me. It was the due date so I was a bit wtf, can't possibly be my waters?! No signs before. Went to hospital, they wanted to send me home as I was in no pain but I was 4cm with so they kept me in. Born at 2.40pm.

DC2, niggling whilst feeding DC1 breakfast in his highchair about 8am Called midwife as I'd planned a home birth. It was 10 days early but she poked about and then labour properly kicked in. Complicated birth, ambulance was on standby, but baby arrived at 10.30pm which was the cut off for blue light.

Both are adults now. DC2 still never communicates unless there's a blue light involved...whole other story!

But sometimes you just don't know OP! It just happens. I don't remember having shows with either of them. They just sort of decided to arrive! No prior warning apart from being in labour. I wish you all the best and congratulations!

Nothing at all for me, i ended up 2 weeks overdue and was induced. DD was not for coming out haha I was wandering around B and M the day before my induction. After the pessary, about 4 hrs later I felt cramps starting and an hour or so later my waters went pop and I was getting 3 contractions in 10 mins and I was told I was 3cm dilated. Everything ramped up after that. She eventually came about 8 hrs later by EMCS, my contractions went into overdrive and her heart rate wasn't recovering so she came out the sunroof. I feel like I went from nothing to everything really quickly but the epidural made it much easier to deal with hahaha