Can you go into labor with no signs?

[psychocandy]

I'm just curious - not in labor! But I was wondering, can one go into labor if the baby hasn't dropped, no bloody show, no loss of the mucus plus, no dialation, etc?

[feminist~mama]

Yes! It's not as common for there to be no "advance prep" from your body- most women- especially first time mamas- notice the baby drops, they lose the mucous plug, etc. eventually- but how far ahead of time certainly varies person to person. Mamas who have already had a child frequently notice that they carry the baby lower the whole pregnancy and there isn't a big "drop".

[MsMom]

With ds I had absolutely no signs until I started having really strong contractions. So, I guess it can just happen at any time for you! Good Luck

[my5girls]

It is entirely possible. It has happened to me every time; no signs, just fast and furious contractions, then delivery.

I am still waiting for this time...lol I have lost some mucous plug this time, but since people can lose it weeks in advance, I don't consider it much of a sign. Gotta have those contractions!

[Shiloh]

Yes.
I had dc3 at 36 weeks
No signs.
No dropping, no effacement, no dilation, no false labour, no prelabour, no mucuous plug, no show, no nothing....

I just had a few killer contractions and went to the hospital..
The triage nurses hooked me up to the monitors...contractions were weaker than they wanted to see....I told them no this is the real deal (insert patronizing pat on the head) told me they might send me home, send me for a walk...I was closed, no dilation, no effacement and I was holding my baby boy within the hour. (uc'd in the hospital as the doctor was in a section and I had PLENTY OF TIME if I was even going to deliver...ah ha ha)

[jennykilbo]

This is what makes me nervous about being 40w5d with no signs whatsoever!! Either I still have a lot of prelabor ahead of me and no baby anytime soon... OR it is going to hit me anytime now like a ton of bricks! Not even sure which I would prefer at this point, it scares me a little either way.

[jule924]

My water broke randomly at 38 weeks, 5 days with #1. I never noticed when I lost my mucous plug.

But don't be scared and be glad you're not having loads of painful ctx. Surely your body is preparing itself in it's own way!

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by MsMom

With ds I had absolutely no signs until I started having really strong contractions. So, I guess it can just happen at any time for you! Good Luck

when you finally went into labor was it fast?

[sapphire_chan]

I'm a bit worried about this since I keep reassuring dh "oh, you'll be able to do XYZ, it'll be hours before anything happens when things start up."

[MsMom]

Originally Posted by ChristSavesAll

when you finally went into labor was it fast?

I wish I could say yes...I remember it was a Tues. night around 9pm and I curled up next to dh complaining of "cramps"...I thought the Mexican food I ate came back to haunt me. So that was 9pm Tues., and ds was born at 10:07pm Wed. night. We actually ended up doing a c-section because I got stuck at 7cm, and he was "sunny side up" (posterior I think it is). I went to the hospital at 7am that Wed. and I was dialated to 4cm. So actually, it may have gone faster if we weren't stuck.

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by MsMom

I wish I could say yes...I remember it was a Tues. night around 9pm and I curled up next to dh complaining of "cramps"...I thought the Mexican food I ate came back to haunt me. So that was 9pm Tues., and ds was born at 10:07pm Wed. night. We actually ended up doing a c-section because I got stuck at 7cm, and he was "sunny side up" (posterior I think it is). I went to the hospital at 7am that Wed. and I was dialated to 4cm. So actually, it may have gone faster if we weren't stuck.

Oh great... and I've got a girl here who loves the transverse position... this labor is gonna be hell if she doesnt move before birth. lol

[Klynne]

I don't ever remember loosing my plug, just had bh like normal. Woke up after dtd to cntx's. My water never broke, dd was born in the caul. Birth lasted a little under 6 hrs and it was my first!

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

I'm a bit worried about this since I keep reassuring dh "oh, you'll be able to do XYZ, it'll be hours before anything happens when things start up."

That's exactly what we thought with #1! lol I was in active birth around 3am, woke dh up, the first thing he thought to do was to EAT A LOT because he surely has hours of intense massaging ahead of him (he read birthing books). so he spent like 30-40 minutes eating a really hearty breakfast and running to me during ctx's lol, baby came out 3 hrs later! It's one of our fondest memories of birthing together.

My mom was staying with us to help with the birth and she was like "call the midwife NOW!" and we're all "No, we still have like 10 hrs of this birthing stuff ahead of us... we'll wait a little longer." she finally convinced DH that he really needed to call. lol thank God for mothers!

So ja, you never know how much time you have!!