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How did your labour start?

I'm just nosey Laugh

Am only 37+1 and didn't picture being early at all really, but yesterday had a bit of a scare/excitement in the form of period type cramps across my bump, every few minutes, which got stronger over a few hours. I also had a bit of a funny tummy, back ache and felt a bit cr*ppy. H and I spent the day running around like headless chickens, cleaning, setting up the bouncer, sorting hospital bag etc. etc. as we really didn't feel ready, but they eased off later and it was obviously a false alarm as here I am!

It just got me wondering though... I kind of assumed I'd have a show first, then contractions, then waters would go, but I actually have no idea if this is the typical thing, or how many different ways there are for labour to start. I don't want to start getting impatient, and am loving ML and still enjoying pregnancy, but of course we did get quite excited that we might be meeting baby a little earlier than expected, so it's definitely been on our minds today!

Replies

  • I was induced with my first child but when I had my second I had pains throughout the day on Sunday then all Sunday night and he was born Monday morning.  We were shopping on the Sat and I did feel crappy and achy and had a bad back but it properly started up on the Sunday. xx

  • Cramps in my back, started fairly regular at every 8 mins then got stronger and more regular. After 3 hrs my waters went then my plug. 4 hours after that I had my H! I had no warning at all, no show or cramps or tightenings!

    Hope things are starting for you (if yoy want then to othetwise hope its bh) v excited for you :)

  • I had no signs at all until I was in bed nearly asleep and felt like I was wetting myself. I got up to go to the toilet and my waters trickled all down my leg, this went on gradually for the next 10 hours right up until I was in theatre being prepped for my elective section. While my waters were going in the night I had a dull ache low down like period pain and at 4am I had two noticeable contractions. Then I had irregular contractions which were really quite uncomfortable but not overly painful and that's about as far as I got. I had no show before hand, my bump was high, nothing at all to indicate that would happen. I was 39 weeks exactly.

  • I had those type of pains for a week or 2 before and on the day it happened! - so no help there. My waters going was the first sign folloed by the period pains becoming more intense and regular.

    EEKK so excited for you lamby! cant wait for your ba

  • My labour with C started with me standing up from the sofa and a huge gush of my waters coming away. No achy back, no feeling crappy, no show, no contractions. I think this is quite unusual, the hospital gave me a leaflet on spontaneous rupture of membranes and in it it said that this happens to roughly 10% of women.

    After that, I'm dreading all the aches and pains and long labours that I hear about on here and feel I was almost spoilt with getting away with a good day or two of pain last time!

  • I had no warning whatsoever - was sitting watching TV, stood up and my waters went. Contractions started about an hour later and my son was born 6 hours later! Hope things happen soon for you!

  • I had those sorts of pains in the days leading up to my labour, Lamby. My waters went when I first had he urge to push, so 20 mins before L was born. You might be meeting your LO earlier than expected x

  • Well technically with a massive bleed! But true labour I'd say I woke with I intermittent period pains. These built up in intensity. Agony all night, continued next day. Felt like I constantly needed a wee but every time I went the pains got worse. I couldn't focus on anything. By time they realised I was in labour I was fully dilated, they broke my waters

  • Ooh I got a bit excited reading these! Perhaps it wasn't a total false alarm then, eeek!

    It's so interesting to read the different ways things can kick off - I didn't even realise about the period pain thing until I looked in my book yesterday, and it does seem quite common.

    DS - My heart skipped a beat reading that! Very strange to think that our LO could be gearing itself up to arrive :)

    Aw thanks Willow and LM - I'd be fine and happy with bambino coming anytime from now, I just never pictured it! I still can't imagine reading my BA!

  • As a couple of others said, no signs, no warnings etc.  Went to bed as usual at 10pm on the Monday night, woke at 1am feeling like I needed a wee, just got to the bathroom when my waters went.  Contractions started at 1.30am and M arrived at 7.20am!!

  • Fingers crossed for you then!

  • On and off pains (lower back period type pains) at nighttime for 3 days then a sweep finally got things going.

    I didn't have a show or anything really and I'm sure it was the sweep that kicked things off.

  • Felt so tired and slept most of the day, next day had a big show, then tightenings (no pain) every 3 to 5 mins, still

    No idea I was in labour, heart nurse demanded I go to hospital when I said I felt I was going to wee myself and got to hospital and was 5cm!

  • Show on the Wednesday, a little bit more on Thursday, waters started to slow trickle from early Friday morning. Was having a few cramps by lunchtime which hospital monitor said were contractions - if I was having those pains without the show and waters I'd not have been convinced it was labour at all. They stepped up a gear or two by tea time, I definitely knew they were contractions then!

  • I was induced with my first. But was 2cm dilated already with no pains

  • With G i had a big show on the Weds morning and contractions started on Thurs. My waters were broken in hospital.

    With P last week i had vague contractions Mon night and on/off when i was out and about on Tues. Had show after stronger contractions Weds and waters broken in hospital.

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