How did you start?

[Tulafina]

I am interested to hear how other mama's started labor. With G I just woke up to cx at 430am that were 5 mins apart from the get go.....and had him 8 hours later. I didn't have any false starts at all. I had BH the entire last 3 months but not a single real cx until I actually went into labor. I also had no bloody show, no mucus plug, no nausea or diahhrea...nothing. So I'm wondering if I should expect the same thing this time. Did your labors start around the same time and the same way?
Thanks for the input!!!
Julie

[MarchWillow]

I always just had contrax. I never noticed really anything else, although with other pregnancies, I was pretty oblivious to my body. I did notice some frequent BM's a few days before my second son's birth but other than that...just contrax. I kinda envy those who get some mucous plug/bloody show or water breaking....cause the constant barrage and increasing strength of these BH are starting to make me wonder sometimes lol. And Im not even 'due' for another three weeks. This may make my head spin before all is said and done.

[sofiasmommy]

with both of mine, I woke up in the around 2-3 am to go to the bathroom to find that my water was leaking. Contractions started soon after. I'm hoping it is the same way this time.

[1babysmom]

Oh oh oh!! Good question, one of my favorites! You ladies are making me so excited to find out how things work for me this time!!

I'm dying to find out if I *might* go a little earlier this time?? With DD I never had anything but dinky BH and mucus plug loss (but no bloody show with it ever) until I was induced (despite being very dilated/effaced for months). But this time I've actually experienced a few "real" contractions so far, lots of plug loss, TONS more pressure/aches, etc.

[kalisage]

Originally Posted by Tulafina

Did your labors start around the same time and the same way?

No & no. Induced w/ds1 after pre-term labor (@26w) for 12 weeks (born early morn), ds2 MW ruptured my water (born at night), dd - had prodomal labor for weeks, labor & deliver total 1hr (born morning), this pregnancy - lots of prodomal labor which happens from 6pm - 2am so I think this LO will be born sometime in there when it actually happen

bloody show/lost mucus plug during transition w/ds1 & dd. bloody show/mucus about a week ago this pregnancy

[amyaebi]

I was induced with my first, about 10 days past my due date. Never had a contraction, but did lose my mucous plug about two weeks before delivery.

For my second, my water broke (two days before my due date) in the morning, but no contractions started until I used my breast pump in the afternoon. Immediately had a regular contraction pattern and delivered less than four hours after that.

I'm VERY curious what will happen this time.

Amy

[Galatea]

Ds1 was induced, but I had lots of BH before that. Ds2 I had horrible diarrhea for weeks and 1 or 2 false starts in the middle of the night, and I was out of my skin irritable. I don't remember any BH.

It makes me happy to read that some people had no warning, b/c I have had NO prelabor aside from more pooping and the crabbiness. I get about one BH every 4 days and I am beginning to suspect she will never be born.

[symesa]

I had that tell-tale sign of the pop and gush of water breaking. That rocked!

[K's Mom!]

Well no, my 2 labors so far have not been the same. With DD, I had had no "prepatory labor" (ie: false starts) at all. Woke up to my water gushing on me in bed. With my DS I had 3 incidents of prepatory labor (starting around 37 weeks) and by the time I was truly in labor, I refused to believe it (despite the MW telling me she was pretty sure this was it. lol) because I didn't have bloody show. Which did eventually come, but not until around 6 ish cm.

The only thing that was similar is that they were both born within 4 days past their due dates.

So this time I truly have no idea what's going to happen. I'm excited to see though. Next week would be lovely.

[joyfilledmomma]

With dd I didn't have contractions that I felt at all until 'labor day.' I woke up in the morning with cramps and just thought "This is it" and it was...I never lost my plug or had bloody show until much later when I was already at least 6cm along. She was born around 2am the next morning after we went to birth center around 10pm.

I'm at 39 weeks with this pregnancy and have had tons of contractions already, so I feel much more up in the air with this babe. I really hope that I know when I'm in active labor versus these annoying practice contractions.

[aishy]

Crampy with the first, turned into contracts at some point.

No pain BH the whole day (I guess regular, though I didn't watch the clock till I could feel em) before #2 was born.

3-4 days of prodrom with #3, I kept thinking it was it and didn't get any rest and ended up exhausted and my body didn't kick into active labor till I napped.

2 and a half to 3 weeks of prodrom with #4, rested this time 'cause I learned the other time around. She was born way later than the other three. When things did start picking up they stopped when my kids were taken away (something I had requested NOT happen) & started up again when I knew they were on the way home, I was dialated to a 10 less than 2 hours after they got home. I think our bodies are pretty cool that way!

[PuppyFluffer]

Tulafina, my first started just like yours did. The contractions began and were 3-5 minutes apart from the start pretty much. I had 15 hours of labor total from start to finish but I was able to sleep through a lot of it overnight. My water didn't break until the very end when I was pushing and it broke in the tub so I didnt have any real point of reference as to how much liquid is really is!

My second started with absolutely no signs at all but spontaneous rupture of membranes and wow was it a lot of water! contractions didnt' start until 3 hours after that and I only had about 4.5 hours of labor until I had a baby in my arms.

[Tulafina]

WOW. So it seems that everyone has had very different labors with each baby. It just makes it even more exciting I guess. I have to say that I would like it if it happened the same way. I just want to be close to home in case the cx start fast and heavy like they did last time. Thank you for taking the time to reply!
Julie