What were your early labour symptoms?

[Mummytobe333]

Just wondering what everyone’s first signs of labour were & how long before contractions started? 😊
love hearing how it all started! First time Mum due in 2 weeks 💓

A faint gush of waters on my kitchen floor 😬

Not faint, giant 😂

It was my due date. I was full of beans and went to the woods with my neighbour to walk her dogs. I was jumping over tree trunks.

I had to get home to have a chest freezer delivered. I pushed it into the kitchen.

I then had to run to the loo. Blamed it on the green apples I'd eaten earlier.

Felt tired and had a nap. Then went to the loo and found the mucus plug had come away.

A couple of hours later I had a few painless twinges. ExH broke down on the way home and was an hour late. Told him I thought things might be starting. He panicked and rushed me to hospital. They weren't busy so put me in a room where I relaxed and read a book. About 9pm I started to feel some pain. By 10pm it was starting to get more painful. At about 10.45pm I felt the baby moving down the birth canal. Ex went down the corridor to tell the midwives. They laughed and said I was imagining it as it was my first and it would be hours yet. Reluctantly came to take a look. Horrified that they could see the head. A couple of pushes and baby was out, blue and shocked at the sudden birth. I tore and had retained membranes and placenta. Baby was taken away while doctors delved inside me and decided I needed a rest as I had lost a lot of blood. I got to see and hold my baby the next morning.

Iv been reading these as I’m almost 39’weeks and looking for signs left right and centre. My last children were early inductions for medical reasons. So this is the longest I been pregnant lol. I have been loosing clear mucus when going to the bathroom I often see it in the toilet water, I keep having bouts of regular contractions that stop this has been going on since 36 weeks. I have an IOL booked for next week if she doesn’t come, but if she does come I pray it’s a reasonable hour so I can get my baby sitter over in time.

For me, I had the mucus plug come out about 6pm one evening but nothing else. Felt weirdly tired and went to sleep, I think I actually slept through most of the early contractions which is NOT like me, I am very light sleeper! Woke up at 2am with strong contractions and was told by the midwives to take a bath which really helped a lot.

@DreadingWinter your experience makes me so mad! I also had midwives who didn't believe how late stage labour I was. They kept telling me to stay at home when I called them and I even told them the time between contractions and length of them and looking back it was obviously late stage labour. Had i listened my daughter likely would have died, she had the cord around her neck and was born in meconium. I ignored them and went in anyway and she was born in 10 minutes 😖 I had been trying not to push in the car journey to the hospital. I feel angry for you, I wish midwives would take mum's more seriously sometimes. I have many friends with similar experiences.

On that note OP if I have any advice, I would go to the hospital whenever you start feeling very sore, and just be aware that the midwives are knowledgeable but they do make mistakes. Don't let them walk over you and do what you feel is right for you in that moment

Thanks everyone for sharing! 40 weeks now and feel I am analysing every little movement in my body haha

I went to bed, half asleep & my waters went. Got told to go to maternity as I’d technically pprom’d.. tightenings we’re picked up on the monitor& I started with period about 40 minutes after my waters went.

@Emmyhm my face is bright red but im
Not at all hot it’s been like this a few hours and iv been having irregular pains for 8 hours. I hope it’s all the start

I was exactly the same!!
hopefully it’s the start :-)