Will I know when it's "that day??"

[Thandiwe]

Okay, this will sound naive, but I have to ask. With my last pregnancy, I was sent in too soon (not in active labor) and then had things progressed medically (hence why I'm hb'ing now). So I never had the "Oh! It's time!" moment that I feel jipped of.

I keep walking around this house thinking it will happen in the night that I will go into labor. Don't know why, just do. So then I find myself assessing everyday, Does this feel like it's the day it will happen? And each day it feels like a no.

But will I "feel" like this is the day? Or will I just go to bed and wake up with that surprising knowing? Do you know the day it's progressing?? I've had really powerful contractions and sharp aches in my cervix/lower abdomen for quite a while now. I've lost the plug (as of Fri night/Sat morn) and have been well effaced (according to my own checks) for many, many weeks. Does it all come on suddenly and surprisingly?

Sorry to sound so silly, but I feel so new to this. Last time was so out of my control. And it had all happened already in my pregnancy, so this is the most pregnant I've ever been (39 weeks).

[HeatherB]

I knew leading up to the "day," though my labors are long and slow and I had also hoped for a slow build-up, so I kept telling myself it could be days or even a week or two. But I did have a strong feeling it wouldn't take that long.

I gave birth on Thursday evening. As of the Saturday before I wasn't really sure when birth would be. By Sunday morning, I was confident that it would be in the next 14 days, but didn't want to commit myself to anything sooner - though it felt like it might be the early side of that timeframe. By that afternoon I was having more pressure-laden ctxs, and began to feel again that I might be in labor that Wednesday. Sure enough, each day they progressed until I was in "real" labor on Wednesday, and did, indeed, have the baby on Thursday as I had imagined many times I would!

[Jenlaana]

I didn't really know. I had sporadic contractions on Friday/early Saturday and thought they'd go away. I had them 7-8 min apart Saturday night through Sunday morning and still thought it was prodromal labor and that I had another week to go. Even Sunday night when I couldn't sleep longer than 5 minutes at a time between contractions, I still thought it would be another couple of days. Then Monday when I had to stop through the contractions, I told DH that I hoped we'd have the baby by the middle of the week and told him I wasnt going to be able to pay attention to Monday Night Football because I was uncomfortable...

I had DD at 4:30pm on Monday.

For me though, denying that I was in labor was a tactic that made it seem more tolerable if that makes sense.

[IfMamaAintHappy]

mine comes out of nowhere, but I usually have some prelabor during the week before thats not like real labor for me.. it usually radiates down my thighs instead of being abdominal/back. But actual labor just shows up hard and fast for me.

[JessicaDixon]

No help just sending you a and hoping you *know* when the time is right

[mittendrin]

Both my labors started and I was very surprised even tho it was right around my EDD. I am a very patient pregnant, lol. With the first my waters broke and I progressed quickly from there, with the second contrax started in the pm. No other signs, no loss of the plug, no bloody show or any other hint. I never had a feeling like "today is the day".

[marlygf]

I'm not much help. I never "knew". I went right into labor with my first, having contractions every 2 minutes and then they slowed to every 3 minutes. I never even thought "this is it! I'm having a baby" because I went right into hard labor. With my second I had some contractions and still had no idea. I had to call a friend and ask her what it was. She told me it was labor and to go to bed. This was 9:00pm. I woke up at 1:30am with harder ones and had him at 11:30am.

So no, I never felt "this is the day!" It just kind of hits me. I have had breakdowns the day I go into labor. With my first I was walking around our complex telling dh I wouldn't show up for an induction that Friday (the midwife wanted to do that) I was bawling and carrying on. This was Monday I think and I had him Tuesday morning. With my second I went into the midwife at 40 weeks freaking out about having him and being so tired of being pregnant. I was really hysterical! I went into labor that night. I'm kind of wondering if it will be the same.

I guess that's been my warning. When I get hysterical, I go into labor. You'd think I'd learn by now....

[Jenlaana]

DH has an hour drive to get home from work, if he's working when labor starts. I am kind of worried that I wont know fast enough for him to get home. Last time he worked 5 minutes away and I felt guilty asking him to stay home that Monday morning. I just wanted some company "just in case". This time, every prodromal/BH twinge makes me want him to stay home, lol.

[Inspired007]

I had instinctual feelings that labor would begin soon but I didn't know exactly when. For three days prior to the day my water broke I was having prelabor. On Wed, Thurs, and Fri. morning I had slight menstrual cramp type pains in my lower abs and back for about 2 hours each morning. They were mild and I knew something was going on b/c those were the days I lost my mucous plug. I had an midwife appt on Wed and she pronounced me closed and 50% effaced. Friday, I did lots of walking (in the form of shopping) for about 3 hours and went to a church banquet that night. I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary until around 1 am that night when I was so uncomfortably full that I felt sick. My water broke at about 1:30 am and contrax started at about 2 am. If my water hadn't broken and I just started to contract, I would have still known I was in labor. I didn't really have any early labor (except for the menstrual type cramps the previous days) and I definitely would have recognized them for what they were. I think I was in early labor the few days before my water broke but I never really took them for what they were b/c it was all so mild.

[thorn]

I wish I "knew" - I've been having some wicked BH contrax today and my intestines have been, shall we say, cleaning me out

but I don't know if it is real, or maybe something I ate/dehydration, or what...

[Apryl Srissa]

I'm not worried about it being that day. But did everyone know it was time?

Last Friday I was having so many contractions, with back pain and cramps that I was sure we should go. I knew it would be early, but with my fast labors, didn't mind early compared to in the car lol

But I've never started naturally, and apparently misjudged, still not dialated at all. More effaced (50%, was at 25), but still a wasted trip. Now I'm afraid to even mention to dh when they seem bad. They've been strong since then, some days more than others, but now I'm afraid I won't know it's the right time. And if my water breaks, we don't leave (I've got 15 or 20 minutes after water breaks and I'm done lol).

So did you all know it was time?

[2bluefish]

No, I've never known it was time - I've thought it was time - I've got everybody all hyped up about my false labors - and then we've interferred, so I really don't know what will happen if I wait until I'm sure - I'm guessing it will be fast and furious - and fun :-D

[marlygf]

I only knew it was time because I had no signs before hand. I'm really hoping that happens this time too because I would probably go crazy if I did the false stuff at the first. Sorry to those who it is happening to.

[Jenlaana]

I had contractions 10 min apart last night, so had a drink and went to bed thinking it was early labor and here I am at 4:30am awake because I have insomnia but completely NOT in labor...

[Usually Curious]

Originally Posted by Jenlaana

I had contractions 10 min apart last night, so had a drink and went to bed thinking it was early labor and here I am at 4:30am awake because I have insomnia but completely NOT in labor...

I'm sorry, but I'm with you all the way!

I have never had this much 'prodromal labor' - is it the power of suggestion?! All of the ladies on both the boards I'm on have had it and I sit several times a week timing contrax. Is it me or is it y'all?

I usually know pretty quickly, within the first hour, which is a GOOD thing because I have really short labors and my midwife/friend lives an hour and fifteen minutes away. I know she must drive like a bat out of he!! when she gets my call! I'm praying that this babe doesn't flip to a long labor - after my short ones I don't know if I have the patience for a long one!

[Jenlaana]

my last labor was about 3 days (a day of the kind I was having last night...harder than BH but not "hard" and then 2 days of increasingly uncomfortable labor) I really liked it because it ramped up so slowly that I had a lot of time to prepare, both my home for the baby, and physically/mentally for the states of birth to come. I was really hoping for that again this time, just not today, since its DD's birthday and I have a cake to b ake, presents to wrap etc.

[Thandiwe]

Originally Posted by Jenlaana

I had contractions 10 min apart last night, so had a drink and went to bed thinking it was early labor and here I am at 4:30am awake because I have insomnia but completely NOT in labor...

I'm so sorry!! I had this happen a couple of weekends ago. I didn't notice them at first, but then I realized I was so uncomfortable and was started to get flushed with them...and they were getting more and more painful. I was the only one still awake and started getting excited. Thankfully, I doubted myself and went to bed, because sure enough by the time I woke up to pee, they were gone. I don't even bother counting minutes anymore.....at this rate, I'll always be pregnant...... Though he's not overdue, I know my dates well enough to know that today was my more accurate due date. Grrr...

[jrayn]

Originally Posted by Usually Curious

I'm sorry, but I'm with you all the way!

I have never had this much 'prodromal labor' - is it the power of suggestion?! All of the ladies on both the boards I'm on have had it and I sit several times a week timing contrax. Is it me or is it y'all?

It must be power of suggestion! I don't remember having all this teasing with dd1!