Generally speaking - do you tend to go into labor when you're feeling "ready to burst",...

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I'm nervous about being really, really not ready for my baby to come at 37+ weeks.  Although I've felt uncomfortable on and off throughout the 3rd trimester, I recently starting sleeping better and am feeling pretty comfortable again, which is NOT helping me feel more excited to have the baby.  

I remember with DC being SO, so ready.  I was mentally ready, the "house was in order", but I was also very physically ready in that I was uncomfortable and wanted badly to not be pregnant anymore.  

So, my question is...is the fact that I'm pretty comfortable a good sign that labor is still a few weeks off?  How many of you went into labor feeling like you could go another month or so?  Or is it (as I hope) that the discomfort towards the end of pregnancy nature's way of making mama feel ready to give birth?  

[CookAMH]

I think you are asking something that can't be answered, fellow DDC member.  It's got to vary so much, and I wish I knew the same thing!  I feel like I should get bigger, yet my water broke with DS at 38w3d and I could have gone longer when it came to my emotional/physical state. I really wanted him to come early because of events in our life around his due date (DH's seminary graduation, lots of family coming to town) but I didn't really do anything special to have him come early (just EPO and chiro).

So, my answer is, I don't think you can know, whether you feel ready and baby doesn't come or you don't feel ready and baby comes . I am very eager for baby to come not as much for the baby to be HERE but to complete the circle of the last two years of having a c/s and preparing for a long time for a VBAC and being so ready to do and and achieve a vaginal birth. I'm ready. The house is ready. I feel like my body is ready but maybe *baby* isn't ready. (37w5d or 38w0d based on two different possible dates). It IS still a little bit early for me to expect labor at this point but it's really hard to embrace that. I check for bloody show every time I pee...

[lunarlady]

With my first I felt great right up until labor. She was 8 days early. With my second I felt lousy and ready to pop for weeks before the birth. She was 10 days late. I actually think that feeling lousy is more about baby's position, mama's diet, and general attitude than any real indication of "doneness". It would be nice if it worked that way!