What were your clues that labor was coming?

[chisub]

For all of those second time mommas or those that just had their first, did you notice any kind of signs leading up to labor starting or did you basically go from nothing straight to labor? I'm sure a lot of these signs are only noticeable after the fact, but I'm just curious what others experienced. Guess it's more of a game for me right now since I know every person and labor varies so much. Please play along!

[Bella Catalina]

I know, I was reading about all these mamas with prodromal labor and cervical changes, and I was starting to get a little discouraged. With Adrian, the first sign was my water breaking, and I didn't think it would happen like that again. But that's exactly what happened with Jasper, too. So I went from nothing to labor both times.

As far as cervical changes, with Adrian I was 2cm, 80% effaced and at a 0 station at 36w (2 days before his birth). With Jasper I was 1.5cm, 50% effaced and at a -3 at 37w5d (5 days before the birth, but I was checking my cervix and no further changes the day before he was born).

[KindRedSpirit]

With #1 nothing but unable to get comfy until I peed and puked.

With #2 I started noticing a pattern in cx and started timing...nothing but bigness before that.

With #3 My water broke after a month at 2cm.

With #4 lots of prodromal labor until contractions got regular AND needed focus.

With this one, lots and lots of prodromal labor so far,plenty of cervical spasams,baby down way low,etc...We'll have to update on the rest.

There is usually a kind of sense...more subconcious than anything.It's SO hard to tune in and be trusting of my instincts when I SO wish I were in labor.....But each time, there was a "knowing" calmer than all my wishing,more solid,for about 24-36 hours before.Except my first.Not a single clue for that one.I was very much NOT in any labor for a very long time with him,and then the whole thing was over in 2 hrs 20 min!!!!!My first!

[OkiMom]

With DD I had no signs at all. On Friday before my due date I had an appointment and I wasn't dialating or effacing. My due date was Monday and Sunday night at around 8pm (I was watching TV so I remember the time) I started getting contractions. I figured at first that it was just false labor (I was told EVERYONE has it and to ignore the first time I had contractions) but they got closer and closer. DD was born before noon Monday morning.
This time Im really not having anything. Ive had a few contractions but it was when I was nursing or dehydrated so I don't really count them. I am 3cms and 80% or so.

[BundleFishMama]

With #1 and #2, nothing at all until labor actually started - with #3 I had more signs, almost a full day of prelabor/early labor when I knew it was the real thing but it was taking a while for real, active labor to start. But yeah, it's different for everyone every time!

[Patchfire]

With #1, the only real sign I had were some cramps for about five hours before contractions started. No bloody show, no mucus plug, no water breakage...

With #2, I had the same cramps, but this time they started a full 60 hours before I ever had a contraction, so I dismissed them. Still no bloody show or mucus plug or water breakage.

Nothing so far this time.

[two bricks shy]

With DD...
3 days before she was born: started loosing my mucus plug

2 days before she was born: major lubricating discharge...as in I kept thinking my water had broken or I was leaking or peeing on myself.

1.5 days before she was born: bloody show started

1 day before she was born: I told DH to come home from work because something had changed. I couldn't put my finger on it but I was feeling funny and having irregular contractions. The contractions continued to become stronger but irregular until my water broke while sleeping at about 2 am the day she was born.

9 am the day she was born - I was in active labor, 4 cm dilated during contractions

12:30pm - she's born

[andi-mama]

With DS1... I lost my mucous plug/had bloody show
With DS2... my water broke

With both of them I had a "feeling" that I'd be having a baby soon (a week or so).