How Did Labour Start For You?

angelsgirl · Apr 28, 2008

Just curious as I am very close to my due date...

So how did labour start for you? What were the signs you had?
How did you know you were in labour?

sparassidae · Apr 28, 2008

#1: Loss of mucous plug, 10 minutes later strong contractions started that were 5 min apart, 60 sec long.

#2: Mild contractions that were 1/2 hr apart, slowly built up

#3: General cramping and lower backache, mild contractions started about an hour later and slowly built up

#4: My waters broke (trickle) and mild contractions started 15 min apart.

So yeah, they are all different.

Crazy thing was with #1 I wasn't even sure if they were contractions (yeah I know it sounds crazy). The whole "it's like period pain but stronger" didn't mean much to me because before then I never had period pain but at my antenatal clasess was too embarassed to say so

It was only the accelerating timing that made me admit they must be contractions.

ShannonMcCatholic · Apr 28, 2008

Let's see if I can remember...
#1 -- lots of mild contractions that didn't go away and got closer together. I wish I'd have known that it wasn't just how far apart the contractions are- but more importantly how long they are lasting. I went to the hospital too early.

#2- I had an abrupted placenta and felt a gush, which was my water breaking,, I think, but there was also bright red blood. Luckily contractions started on my way to the hopsital

#3 I had a bit of bloody show, and then in the middle of the night I got up to go to the bathroom and my water broke--then big ctx started.

#4 LOL! I was having ctx, but was unsure until I was in transition if I was in labor or not Water broke during pushing. WIth this one though I was really backache-y throughout the day.

#5 I had an abrupted placenta again (but my waters remained intact until we deided to artificially rupture at the hospital)- and also ctx.

#6 I had some bloody show and ctx soon afterwards. Water broke during pushing

#7 Ctx... that got progressively longer and stronger. Water broke during pushing-lol! all over my husband's shoes

Linnis · Apr 28, 2008

I had mild but annoying slightly annoying contractions for the better part of 4-5 days. Ended up out at L&D Friday but got sent home. Then Saturday I got contractions which were tight across my back and lower belly and felt like pins and needles on top of my belly. Seven hours of that I ended up at L&D and I got my 'bloody show' at the hospital. My water didn't break and it was broken after I got to 10.

MyaShane · Apr 28, 2008

Passed mucous plug 1-2 days previous.
Mild contractions started. Contractions came every hour and started to increase intensity for the next 7-8 hours. Then my water broke and the real fun began! Contractions then increased (A LOT!) in intensity and were coming every 3-5 minutes.

I was really worried that I wouldnt recognize the contractions, but when they come, you know! For me anyway, I had never felt anything like it.

lucypevensie · Apr 28, 2008

Mine started with a serious constant cramping pain that lasted a day or 2. Then it started going off and on at "regular" intervals. I was a very slow laborer.

CrystalBrooke · Apr 28, 2008

I was induced..that's how I knew I was in labor

Green Orchid · Apr 28, 2008

A contraction woke me up in the middle of the night, a week past my due date. I tried going back to sleep, but another came 7 minutes later and they didn't stop coming after that, every 5 minutes and closer and longer.

gracepaints · Apr 28, 2008

I woke up in the middle of the night (two days past my due date) to go to the bathroom and second I stood up, I thought I wet my pants. I changed, went back to bed and then realized I was having contractions. On my way back the bathroom, I leaked pink gooey stuff all over the floor and realized that my water had broken. My contractions were already 1 minute long and 3 minutes apart. No early labor for me! DS was born 10.5 hours later.

~Mrs. A2J~ · Apr 28, 2008

My two labors were like night and day. The first I had the text book contractions starting out mild the day before DD was born and getting closer together and longer over the next day. When the contractions were regularly 5 mins apart we went to the hospital and DD was born 7.5 hours later.

With my second I had had some irregular contractions on his due date but they petered out all together that night. The next day the irregular contractions came back but I figured they would peter out again. But then they started getting really intense and much more painful than anything I had experienced with my first labor though they were still at irregular intervals. The contractions had gotten so intense when they were coming that my hubby raced to the birthing center. When I stood up to get out the car my water broke. My son was born 17mins later while I was sitting on the lap of a midwife

Menuet · Apr 28, 2008

We had just left church and on the way home my water broke,I had Betsy just 7 hours later

Menuet · Apr 28, 2008

I should say "leaking" not broke so as not to freak new moms to be..my water was "leaking" so I had to go in and eventually the baby came.

MyaShane · Apr 28, 2008

Menuet said:
I should say "leaking" not broke so as not to freak new moms to be..my water was "leaking" so I had to go in and eventually the baby came.

Actually, mine broke, as in broke! Not to freak anyone out either, but I think new moms should also know that it's not always a little leak, sometimes it's a gush.

-~Truth_N_Trust~- · Apr 28, 2008

well, I did LOTS of walking the week before my due date with my first. Then at about 7am on my due date I got up to visit the toilet, where my waters broke (but I thought I had just gone to the toilet :o I was very tired!), so I went back to bed and to sleep for a few more hours. When I woke up I was just laying in bed, and I felt a little trickle - which felt exactly the same as a period starting, I got up and rushed to the toilet, and the trickle kept coming, then it twigged that my waters had broken! We went for another walk that morning, and I started having mild contractions (around 10am) all through the day, but nothing serious. We decided to go to the hospital that night since my water had broken (I was very naughty not telling them sooner ), they said I'd have to come back the next day for an induction. Which I did. The contractions kept going (I'm talking MILD - but I just thought I was awesome and labour would be a breeze! lol! ). They were doing something though, by the time they induced me I was 4cm dilated (and on the edge of actually going into labour anyway...) and then contractions started! Heralded by me vomiting everything I'd eaten, lol!

Wow, that was long...

My second labour started spontaneously after a week of mild contractions, 5 days after my due date. When it kept on waking me up in the middle of the night I figured I'd take some notice, and when I threw up in the shower I figured it was time! lol.

You'll know they're real contractions when the stop you in your tracks, when you just have to stop everything you're doing and focus on breathing through it.

~Mrs. A2J~ · Apr 28, 2008

Menuet said:
I should say "leaking" not broke so as not to freak new moms to be..my water was "leaking" so I had to go in and eventually the baby came.

MyaShane said:
Actually, mine broke, as in broke! Not to freak anyone out either, but I think new moms should also know that it's not always a little leak, sometimes it's a gush.

With my second my waters broke too. I felt and heard an audiable "pop" and then there was a big gush of water.

gracepaints · Apr 28, 2008

We gushed here too - several times, actually. I couldn't believe there was still fluid left!

appleofhiseye · Apr 28, 2008

I didn't feel anything except slightly uncomfortable, but at 9mos preg. I didn't know it was contractions and not just general discomfort.

Then my water broke, and I knew I was in labor, but still no major pains. the labor pains then started after I was in the hospital.

faithmom · Apr 28, 2008

My water broke with 2 of my kids. On the middle one, though, I woke up and it was a tightening that was not painful, but very consistent. I went to the hospital. Told hubby to stay home with the phone by his ear in case I was wrong. They couldn't even find it on the monitor at first...then wham, I went straight into active labor a half an hour after I arrived there. (Hubby called his parents, they came over, he arrived in time).

She was born within 4 hours of when I wondered if I was in labor.

I did have one round of false labor with my son....my water broke a day later, and he was born in 3 hours time. So I don't think it was actually "false".

Trust yourself, and if it is "false" labor, don't feel bad. They see it all the time.

My gage is this:

If your water breaks (duh)...go in.

If what you feel is regular and consistent for an hour, and less than 10 minutes appart...either getting closer or staying that way. Go in.

If you feel pressure like something is pushing on your tail-bone/rectal/back bowel area....and you don't have anything to offer in the way of a bowel movement. Go in.

If you just have a sense of panic/urgency/somthing just isn't right. Go in.

If you are just nesting like crazy, arranging the baby supply shelves over and over, doing marathon shopping (all of which I did). Pack your bag and get ready to go in.

Did any of that help?

angelsgirl · Apr 28, 2008

faithmom said:
If you are just nesting like crazy, arranging the baby supply shelves over and over, doing marathon shopping (all of which I did). Pack your bag and get ready to go in.

Last night I was nesting like crazy... I just had to iron the baby wraps (god know's why... they are just to wrap the baby in!!!).
I rearranged the loungeroom...
I cleaned the back room and dusted it... (i don't think i've dusted since we moved it!!!)
I vacuumed the bathroom, kitchen, loungeroom, dining room, hall and the baby's room.
So i guess you could say i nested last night... and this was all after 11pm!!!)

From when I started ironing i was getting pains that were coming and going... they got worse after i vacuumed. I lost a little of my plug too i think. Not all of it though.
I had a shower and they settled down a bit... then got into bed and they started back up again... about 12-15 mins apart. They weren't BAD pains, but enough to keep me awake. Then finally at about 3.30am they settled down and i was able to get to sleep. I was so hoping it was labour... i want to meet my baby!!!

sparassidae · Apr 28, 2008

Don't worry, your body is getting some practice- that's great!

Regarding the whole waters breaking thing- I've had it both ways.

#1- waters broke during start of second stage, didn't even notice

#2- trickle sometime during strong contractions

#3- that was the 'pop' and gush. Right before transition.

#4- trickle that started labour. Dont worry leisamd- I called the hospital a few hours later, contractions were regular and they said only come in when I wanted to- that I didn't need to get in there early just because my waters had broken. I was really glad, I prefer to labour at home.

How Did Labour Start For You?

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