For those who have birthed your babies . . .

[lexbeach]

I have a few questions for those of you who are no longer stuck in this seemingly timeless place called waiting for labor. Our baby isn't even due until this coming Thursday, so we haven't really gotten to the impatient stage yet (and I wouldn't say that dw feels "done" yet either). But because I'm the obsessive type, I'm wondering if there's any way to sense when labor is about to start.

So, in hindsight, was there anything different in the day or two before your labor began? Of course bloody show and leaking fluid and mucous plugs are one kind of sign, but I'm more curious about the non-physical changes. Like, did you have a sense that something was about to happen? Or did you feel suddenly energetic after weeks of listlessness? Did you want to scrub the floors? Did you feel especially emotional?

OR, did labor start just sort of out-of-the-blue with no real change from the previous day or week?

I keep thinking that we'll have some idea when labor is close, but I'm not sure that this is true. Maybe we'll be completely surprised by fluid just flowing down her legs (for some reason, dw thinks her water will break first, despite the statistics).

I'd love to know what the last couple days of pregnancy were like for you! That is, if you're not too busy snuggling up your new little ones to share.

Thanks!

Lex

ETA: Despite the fact that we are expecting our fourth baby, we've never experienced spontaneous labor before, hence my clueless-ness.

[Erinz]

My first was induced so I hadn't experience spontaneous labor before either and was curious about the same thing I kind of knew it was coming (or was hoping at least) because I did accupuncture inducement (looming high bp was going to necessitate a medical inducement if the acu didn't work) but I'd have to say I didn't feel any different in the previous day so when I got up to pee and my water broke I was surprised! (and thrilled lol). The only thing I can think back on was that for the previous several mornings I had contractions starting up at the same time I ended up going into labor (4:30am). Almost as if my body was trying the time of day out or something!

At least your wife isn't OVER it! haha!

[groovynaturemama]

i totally got this huge urge a few days before to cook and bake. then, the day before the birth i had this huge urge to go out and get some things to set up for a water birth (which i didn't even think i wanted this time). i went all around town and even ran some errands that had nothing to do with the birth and really could have waited, but i had the energy so figured "why not"?

at about 5 pm that evening i was having some mild to moderate, regular contractions. however with the commotion of dh coming home from work and dd bouncing off the walls all of it had stopped by 9 pm. it was at this point that i had some bloody show and lost a lot of mucous. still, i was not convinced.

that being said, i went ahead and called dd's care person and had them come and get her even though my rational mind was extremely doubtful that labor was going to happen. i now realize that my instincts knew what was going to happen.

after dd's care person came (about 8pm), i began frantically vacumming EVERYTHING, told dh to set up the birth pool, and i laid out the towels and heating pad for the baby once he was born, still in extreme doubt, but thought better to be safe than sorry.

by this time and for about 2-3 hours before, my contractions had slowed down, were VERY short, and didn't feel like more than BH ctx. dh and i ate dinner went to bed around 10:30p, dtd, and by 12 am i was in full on active labor, and holding my baby at 2:03 am .

[DevaMajka]

:

My water broke with ds, and I was induced before I went into labor. So I don't know how a "normal" (for me) labor progresses.
You'd think I'd remember what was happening before my water broke, but that was almost 5 years ago!

[MangoMommy]

I was induced this time around, I had decreased movement, went to my mw to be checked out and my fluid was very low and I was sent to the hospital right then and they started the induction.

I was also induced for the same reason with my 2nd. My first was my only labor that started spontaniously and I didn't even know I was in labor.

I hope it happens soon for you!

[blumom2boyz]

Two days before I went into labor, I got this HUGE urge to clean my entire house. Even though it was already relatively clean, it just didn't feel clean enough. I also felt different...really hard to explain, but there was a shift inside of me. The night before, I did a fear release session from my hypnobabies. I didn't sleep well at all even though I was not having any contractions. Then at 5am, labor began. FWIW, I never had bloody show or lost my mucous plug with this one. Also, my water doesn't break until right before crowning.

[Voltige]

Still waiting to look back on this birth

With my first I was working full time and intended to continue until I went into labor. I went into work on Monday and by that afternoon just could not do it anymore. I was DONE. I told my supervisor I was not coming back until after the baby was born and I took my time off. I don't know what, specifically, I was feeling- just that I simply could not tolerate another day at work. That was Monday. Tuesday I did nothing. Read books and watched chick flicks and cried at the sappy ones Wednesday morning I woke to a little bloody show but nothing else. I went into labor Wednesday evening- about 48 hours after I first felt "done" at work. So in retrospect I knew something was happening and needed that Tuesday as a rest day. But I sure didn't see it coming at the time. I delivered 4 days before my EDD btw.

[lovingthis]

What's strange is that my pre-labor symptoms were pretty different all three times, but every time I had this strange sense of "knowing" that I was never willing to give much credit to. It kind of felt like a sense of impatience coupled with this immense realization taht regardless of when baby showed up ,this week or next kind of thing, my life was about to change forever. my suggestion is to journal everything right ow- journal everything that you notice about your body and everything you are feeling- then it is really awesome to look back at that later and see how whether you wanted to give yourself any credit or not, yu really do have an instinct for it ( and it is great for looking back on in subsequent pregnancies and comparing ).
Blessings for you and your baby to be !

[lovingthis]

but on another note- with DS (6) I started lost weight 1 week before he was born, started feeling nauseous again a few days before, dropped about 2 weeks before. I had BH contractiosn the whole pregnancy, but I just knew the real ones when they started.My water and mucus plug did not release until I was around 6 cm dialated.
With DD1, I had what I thought was real labor, gradually closer together, intense contractions for about 12 hours, 2 days before.I lost my mucus plug 2 wees before, and I never remember dropping...I felt low the tire time. Then my water broke, and I had no contractions, not even bh, for 6 hours, bt when they started tehy were strong, and she was out in less than 2 hours.
With my little June baby here...I never noticed my mucus plug go because it was gradual. I never had bh, until about 2 days before, and I dropped, noticably the day before she was born. I think my water broke about 48 hours before, but it wasn't obvious until 25 hours before, which is the point I started counting labor from, since I was constanty contracting by that point onward.
So yeah...very different every time- except for losing weight the week before they were born...

[koalove]

i never knew anything with any of my babes. my midwife for this babe though, insists that i should call her as soon as i "start doing really stupid things, like leaving my wallet in the fridge" because she thinks that is a sign of impending labor. honestly for me, theres no sign, not even a mucus plug, bloody show, water breaking~ nothing. on minute on eating a bowl of cereal, and the next im gripped with painful contractions (my labors go REALLY fast) so you cant really count on anything. good luck with your new babe!

[boscopup]

First one: No warning. Water broke spontaneously when I got up for my midnight pee. But that was at 29 weeks, so I wasn't expecting labor anyway.

Second one: I thought I'd go to 38 weeks - had this strong feeling that I would. DH was planning to go to Boston for an interview at 37 weeks and I told him to go, that I didn't think baby would come yet. Two nights before labor, I got heartburn for the first time ever (I know, I'm lucky and don't usually get it during pregnancy), then the night of labor I got heartburn again - woke me up as I gagged on it. My feet had swollen too (again, not something that usually happens for me). I didn't think anything of all this. But also, the night I went into labor, I finally put the newborn diapers in the birth laundry basket (to take to the birth house), and I was "ready". So out he came... the morning of the day DH was supposed to fly to Boston. He rescheduled for a week later.

Third one: I at least expected to go around 37 weeks this time. The week before, I had loose bowels all week. Kind of drove me crazy. I also suddenly got my diaper sewing mojo back right at 36 weeks. I quickly sewed up the last needed diapers, and then I decided I was done sewing diapers for a while and was "ready". Just a few days later, he came at 36w6d. And that morning I had light bleeding, which signaled that it would happen that day. Baby was out early the next morning. This time was the time I got the most warning of the 3!

[because]

My 3 spontaneous (aka not induced) labors all started differently so I'm not much help BUT

if you chart BBT, a drop below a sort-of-reverse-cover-line signals impending labor (within 24 hours). Or so I've heard... I only got 2 temps before #2 was born at 38w6d and I hadn't even started charting when #3 came at 36w1d. Vets use this tool to predict when dogs will whelp.

[beachcomber]

I felt crappy. Bouts of nausea, irritability, a need to suddenly clean my fridge. Stuff like that.

[shakenbake]

with my 2nd i was not induced but i Swear i made myself go into labor my Horrid OB told me on monday at our check up that he was going to induce me in 2 days i said UM WHY? he said well i am going out of town sat and we can just get it done b4 that I SAID NO WAY! im only 41 weeks i am Fine he wasnt happy
and i didnt care i hated him! so friday our bowling night i wasnt still bowling at the time being huge LOL it was 11am and i went potty and i found the plug and Freaked called my mom saved it and showed it to her she said not to worry that was normal i had light ctrx nothing bad on and off 10-15mins apart all afternoon it came time to go bowling i said hey im not to much in pain lets go!
i thought it wasnt really labor just bxh
so off we went cnts 9mins apart no big deal everyone kept asking me every time i moved ARE YOU OK? IS THIS IT?
NO go away!
got done with bowling at 10 came home cntc 7mins apart THEN CAME 1AM
after haveing loose bowels bad! my cnts where so strong i woke everyone up and said lets go!!!!!!
got to the hospital ugh cntx slowed and didnt hurt near as bad
they let me get in a warm bath ahh felt so good labor almost stoped
i was like great all for nothing
they put me on the bed to check me and BAM water broke here comes transition!
about 1hr after that i was pushing and pukeing ugh if im in bad pain i throw up
5mins of pushing and he was born

i just remember the day before thinking wow i need to have this baby now


OH ya and! my JERK of an OB came in sat morning at 945am! when i was almost ready to push leaned over me and said well if you had LET me induce you this would all be over with now
i told him to GTFO of my room he was not delivering my child and he didnt!
yay!

[Alohamelly]

I didn't notice anything special beforehand, really. I always worried I wouldn't know when it was time though, but when labor started this time, I just knew it was time. I don't know how.