How did labour start for you

[eatsleeprepeat123]

I'm 39 +3 and looking out for any signs this baby is on its way! I'm also panicking about whether I will 'know' I'm in labour althohgh I'm sure I will from what everyone says!

So how did it start for you?

I had a dodgy tummy last night followed by some stomach tightenings (worse than Braxton Hicks), but then they stopped again and have had nothing since!

Did it start in the day/overnights/etc?

I know it's different for everyone but just curious really...

I went for a wee in the middle of the night and realised I was still weeing 5 minutes later. Called hospital they told me to have some breakfast and come in.
Contractions didn't start until midday. I was 39+3 too.

I had had Braxton Hicks throughout in hindsight possibly more painful the day I went into labour but I had no symptoms then my waters went 5 hours later my baby had arrived.

Javelin arse turned out to be the beginnings of a long back to back labour!

I started having mild cramps throughout the day, then at night as I swung my legs up to get into bed, my waters broke. The contractions didn't start until the early hours but then they tapered off again. I ended up having to go in as my waters had been gone for over 24 hours and I needed a section as I was not suitable for induction due to previous pregnancy complications.

2 days before my due date, at my midwife appointement my blood pressure was a bit higher. Was told a sign that labour was imminent. Head engaged. About 5ish in the morning of my due date had a show of mucus and felt as if someone was pressing down on my hip bones. Rang hospital at 8.30am went in, dd born just before 2pm.

Forgot to add, I was 38+3.

Literally no clue whatsoever, then woke up at 3am to a massive stabbing pain and a pop a few minutes later!

I thought I needed to do a massive poo - kept going to the toilet to try to relieve myself when my husband pointed out I was going to the toilet exactly every 5 minutes. When I called the hospital they said that was labour. Baby was born 3 hours later (2nd baby but first was an induction so I'd not experienced going into labour spontaneously before).

The first thing that happened was my waters broke. It was around 5pm, I was a week overdue and I'd been having Braxton Hicks for a few weeks.

Like another poster, I went for a wee and it just kept coming. I had mild cramping overnight and the next day.
The pains got stronger, but the midwife said I still wasn't in active labour.

Late that evening I was given an epidural and put on a drip. DS was born by emergency section the next morning at 9 o'clock.

Started having period pains in the night that kept getting stronger and stronger until the painkillers stopped working and I just knew I was in labour. Called the hospital who told me to stay at home until I couldn't take the pain any longer and then to go in.

I was watching a darts final at home - Kevin painter and Phil Taylor - all the excitement It started me off !

I had backache with my first that turned into contractions that I felt more in my back. Started late evening, had our son 30ish hours later.

With my second, I started bleeding at 41 weeks so was obviously worried and went to get checked. I went into labour whilst being monitored and our daughter was born only a few hours later.

A feeling a bit like period pain which came and went throughout the morning then became became increasingly frequent. Hospital at 2.30pm 3.5cm dilated, contractions became more regular then my waters broke just before my baby was born at 8.44pm. Everyone seems to be different but you’ll know.

My waters never broke with either child, I had a slow build up of the contractions. Someone asked our midwife how will we know when we’re in labour because people just say ‘you’ll know’ her reply was when you can’t do anything but deal with the contraction, can’t walk, can’t talk, just breathe through it then you’re in labour. I dreaded the thought of being sent home because I wasn’t actually in labour so I went in at the time I couldn’t move when having a contraction. DC1 contracted from about 9pm went in at lunchtime the next day had her at 5pm. DC2 started contracting at 10am went in at 1.30pm, had him at 6pm. I’m not suggesting this as a birth plan! But I did have easy births both times. Good luck.

I’m 38+2 with my second and I’m having the same thoughts even though I’ve done it before! I remember from my first that when I woke from a nap and I was having braxton hicks type tightenings but they felt more uncomfortable and slightly painful. They were also regular, about 12 mins apart to start with. My plug came away a few hours later so I knew for sure by then. Waters didn’t go until I was in hospital. I just knew so hopefully I will again this time.

Woke up to waters breaking in bed with both of mine. Proper Hollywood style huge gush of water. DS1 was born 3 hours later at 37+6. DS2 we rushed to hospital and they managed to delay labour for two days but eventually he came at 32+6.

I went to 41 weeks in both pregnancies. The first labour was kicked off with a sweep which gently got things going (although MW who did the sweep said I was already 2 cms then so was probably already in early labour but hadn’t felt anything up to that point) and then I had DD about 17 hours after the sweep.

Second baby, 41 weeks again. I woke up in the night and suddenly felt very alert and energised. Went to the loo and passed the plug. Went back to sleep for a few hours and then woke at 7am with mild but regular contractions and had DS just before midday.

I had obviously seen too many TV births as I was expecting waters going to be the first thing to happen, but both times my waters didn’t break until I was pushing the baby out.

Mild period pains and diarrhoea (sorry TMI) but it's like my body was trying to get rid of everything in my digestive system before I had to push the baby out. That said, that was a Sunday and he was born on the Tuesday at 14:30. So it was a loooong process. But that was the first sign. Also lost some mucus plug a few hours after the period pain started so that's when I was sure!

Woke up in the middle of the night on my due date to a 'rubber band snapping' managed to hot foot it to the bathroom before waters completely went. Convinced it was the long walk (4 mile waddle) and lots of birthing ball bouncing the day before that got things going.

Braxton hicks for days and days but woke up around 3am one morning with cramps, half asleep thought it was just annoying tummy ache until I came round a bit and realised they were coming every 5 minutes or so! Laboured on my bouncy ball at home all day using hypnobirthing breathing then baby was born just after midnight! Good luck op you’re about to do something amazing!

Period pains, then stronger pains, and the worst diarrhoea and vomiting of my life - complete clear out.

Once you feel contractions you won’t be doubting if it is or isn’t, you will know!

It was strange because I had pains in my bum/ legs which were contractions lol but I never birthed vaginally, ended up in an emergency section.

I was in a really, really bad mood all day and didn't want to eat or do anything. Couldn't sleep, then about 3am felt a distinct pop so toddled to the bathroom, wee'd for ages and vomited repeatedly! Contractions started every 2-3 minutes which I was extremely emotionally unprepared for because everything I'd read said your waters would go and not much would happen (and my husband was 4 hours away).

I climbed over a small wall and felt a pop. Called the midwife and baby born two hours later. Next time felt a sensation like a bunch of grapes being trod on, again baby born 2 hours later.