How did you known when labor was coming/ had started? - Page 2

[L&K'smommie]

Originally Posted by SallyNichole 

I keep getting mentally down because I haven't had hardly any BH but then I just remind myself that some women just skip that part and get right to the "good" stuff.

No BH whatsoever with my first...had bloody show and labor started that same night  I was 39w 3d.

Bloody show seems to be a good sign for me, but usually I just have one contraction that is so different from the rest that I know it's real.  I can't even explain what I mean, I just know.

[HappyMamaBeth]

I didn't really have any signs ahead of time with my second (first was induced, so obviously no signs there).  I do remember waking up in the middle of the night feeling kind of nauseous and I was shaky--I thought, "Oh no, I'm coming down with a tummy bug."  A little while later, I had cramping that felt like I needed to go to the bathroom... tried and couldn't, pain went away (contraction subsided, but for some reason I didn't realize it was a contraction since it was so different from all the contractions I had up until that point).  As I walked out of the bathroom, another one hit, and THEN I knew.  And it was so intense, I woke my exhusband up and said, "Either I'm in labor or something is seriously wrong with my intestines... either way we need to go to the hospital!" He was born about 1 hour 15 minutes later. I never had bloody show, lost my mucus plug, etc... and my water didn't break.

[littleteapot]

For me I had at least 3-5 days of constant, 24 hour contractions. They're mostly irregular, moderately uncomfortable and sometimes slightly to moderately painful. This is my pre-labour and warm up. If I just go about my day and ignore it, it's not so bad at all... but I imagine if I tried to micromanage this phase and time the hell out of it I'd probably find myself exhausted and disappointed very quickly. Following that my contractions would usually very suddenly get intense and closer together, usually over a period of less than an hour. I can't really describe it: they just *felt* inherently different. Often for the first hour or so I'd be questioning it, "Is this really labour? Have they really changed?". I'll take a shower, or lay down, or drink a bunch of water and see if they change... and if the answer is NOPE and they get worse then I know I'm probably in early labour! By that point I'll check my cervix to see if baby is down, I have a bulging bag or my cervix has changed, and usually I find one of the three if not all three at once. ;) The last two times I checked myself in that situation, my hand came out with a big clump of mucous plug - ewww!

At that point I just mill about until I can no longer function normally. I do NOT time contractions and do NOT watch the clock. Once it's clear that I can  no longer get up and walk around, even between contractions, then and only then do I call the midwife!