Did you have a 'feeling' when baby was on its way?

[DroopyLeaves]

Hello everybody! I'm overdue! Grrrr! 40+4 at the moment, and I haven't even had a single twinge, apart from the odd braxton maybe although I'm not even sure about that - it might just be the baby stretching his legs for all I know! I just wondered, is it common before labour starts to have some kind of 'feeling' that it might? At the moment, my main feeling is that this baby might decide to stay in for another 9 months!! Never thought I'd be this desperate to be in pain!

I never did, and I was convinced I would never go into labour on my own, barely had any braxton hicks or any of the usual signs you hear about.

Was just woken up about 1am (at 40+6) with contractions and gave birth at 11pm that night.

I felt really sick and couldnt eat a thing, but that might have had nothing to do with being about to go into labour

First time I felt that the baby would come soon, had a sweep which started things off and she arrived soon afterwards.
Second time was convinced would be pregnant forever despite several braxton hicks, he was 3 days early.

First time - no took me completely by surprise was 37+5 never had a twinge or a BH until waters went and 4h 20 mins later she was here, I think I went into shock for a bit.

Second one - 41+5 you have my upmost sympathy being overdue is the pits. Loads of BHs some quite painful, twinges, feelings of pressure etc thought she would never come put. Thought I was having a bad BH but it was the start of labout 2h 30mins later she was out.

Third one - due July, few moderate BHs and it flew out in about 10 minutes

My DD2 was exactly like you describe SweetKitty - absolutely no warning until my waters went at 6pm... first contraction at 9.30pm and baby born at 11.45pm. In fact that morning I was out at a soft play centre telling the other mums I thought I probably had weeks to go (was 38.5) as I felt so normal.

So, no, not with DD2. Come to think of it, not with DD1 either, but it was a much longer labour and built up much more slowly, so I had a bit more warning.

Like Kitty I am due in July and hoping that I will wake one morning and think "wouldn't it be nice to have the baby today?, and that later on I will cough and the baby will pop out

Ds was born at 39 +1 and I'd had no feeling at all that it was coming- no bh's, period pain, backache, show etc. My waters broke completely unexpectedly at 11pm on my last loo trip before bed and then ds was born at 3.30am.

However I did nest furiously but didn't realise that at the time. (Batch cooked about 40 meals for the freezer in a marathon 3 day kitchen stint) So check to see if you're nesting, better still ask someone completely objective if you are as you might not recognise it- i.e. not dp who will be terrified of giving you the wrong answer

With second baby, I was driving back from Christmas at the inlaws and had a very strong image of a cat making a nest / den to have her babies in. I got very twitchy and sent my DH out to buy bubblewrap for our planned homebirth. He thought I was making a bit off a fuss because I was only a day off 37 weeks. Then a few hours later I decided I REALLY needed to have a bath, which was very odd because I always have showers. I think it was at that point I suggested to by DH that something might be up. A few hours later my waters broke and about half an hour after that the first contraction kicked in. Three hours later, DS was in our arms.

On the other hand, my first labout had been very fast (four and a half hours from first twinge to baby being born) and I did not have a clue that it was about to start until my waters broke. Maybe I was just more tuned into it second time around.

am sorry but have I missed something on some list somewhere? bubblewrap for a home birth? if am just being thick

I have to admit that I was wondering about the bubble wrap too!

I have been sort of nesting but the thing is, I know that nesting is meant to be a sign that labour is imminent, so I think I've been working backwards, on the basis that if I do nesty type things that might bring it on. That strategy has definitely failed so far!! The good thing is that the house has never been so clean, the not so good thing is my DH gives me very strange looks when he gets home from work and I insist on demonstrating my home-making skills for that day (NOT something I'm usually known for)! Today I shall mainly be showing him how I have pruned our ficcus tree. Come ON baby!

DS was born 40+9. At 40+2 I knew ds would be born the following weekend, and was so convinced that I told everybody he would be.

At 40+8 I went into labour (Sat) and had him on the Sunday.

I had had no signs whatsoever that he was on the way, no show, no waters braking, no nesting etc etc, just woke up in the night with contractions

Bubblewrap - to put over the birthing pool to keep it warm???

Oh, and meant to sat Droopy - it really wont be long now

I suppose it is quite odd. Someone (midwife? friend who had already had home birth?) said, "Oh and of course, you'll need bubble wrap for the floor" and I just kind of thought that was what everyone did. Obviously not! Maybe we came across as particularly clumsy and they thought we might drop the baby. Or that with such a speedy first birth, number two might shoot out at speed..... It did keep the floor warm on a chilly December morning.

Not really. Had a bit of back ache the day before that with hindsight was probably the start but maybe it was just being a big lardy pregnant lady.