How did you know when labor started?

Question

I know the contractors can be painful but everyone’s story is different and pain tolerance is different. I have also heard stories of women not even knowing they are in early labor so I’m just curious

Answer

With my first I thought I had to poop. I woke up at like 11/12 at night with diarrhea pains and went to the bathroom but didn’t go. This happened on and off all night. When I woke up in the morning I googled why do I have diarrhea pains and no diarrhea at 42 weeks pregnant and it was like LOL YOURE IN LABOR. then they got more intense and closer together so I went about my business all day and 24 hours later 11pm ish they were close enough together to go to the hospital. With my second I was induced and that’s a whole different ball game lol

Answer

I have precipitous labor (fast labor) so I know as soon as I start having contractions it’s time to go lol

Answer

#1: I had my bloody show in the morning with irregular contractions throughout the day, after an almost two mile walk in the afternoon and more bloody show at around midnight I woke up because I was uncomfortable, then period like pain contractions started and they came in waves, intensifying as the hours went by till I had her. 
#2: I experienced weeks (about 4 weeks) of contractions that would come and go, the pain was in waves and period like cramps (like my first)but would fizzle out every time! The day of, I woke up at 3 am needing to use the restroom (that’s a sign), and the cramping got more intense after that, I was totally expecting them to go away since my body had been playing chicken with me but they did not, I had to use the restroom a lot that night/morning! The pain just intensified till I realized oh crap this is real and yeah 😂. 
And for #3 we shall see what happens 
But yes every one and every birth is different, with one I had the bloody show and with the other I didn’t, with one I labored for roughly 20 agonizing hours while with the other it was only 5 hours but weeks of mild contractions (I definitely prefer that one). You never know 🤷🏽‍♀️, also my water breaking didn’t happen till baby was about to come out, I mean seconds before, so I wouldn’t count on it happening like in the movies

Answer

I honestly had no idea that I was in labor. I was having pain in my pelvis and my husband kept watching me as I was doing things around the house. I asked him why he kept watching me and he said “because you are in labor.” As a FTM I was expecting some Braxton Hicks contractions or my mucus plug to come out or my water breaking or contractions in my abdomen, but none of that happened.

Answer

It’s different for everyone, especially different every pregnancy. You can have back labor (back pain) all night and then your water breaks. Or your water never breaks and you feel the strong uterine contractions (you don’t usually confuse them with something else) until you get to the hospital and they break your water. 
Either way, barring some emergency, most women can labor at home for a bit before going to hospital. Ask your doctor or midwife what they want you to do if your water breaks first. If you’re strep b +, they may want you to go to the hospital immediately. Again, it’s different for everyone. Good luck!

Answer

I didn't know I was in labor for 12 hours and the a tiny amount of blood and mucus came out so I whent to the hospital I was 5 cm dilated and my water broke at the parking lot!!🤣

Answer

I had so many Braxton Hicks throughout both my pregnancies that I had no idea when I was in early labor. Luckily with my second my water broke and that was pretty clear that the baby was coming. 😂

Answer

I started feeling mild contractions and we timed them, and since they were pretty regular (15 mins apart) I figured things were starting. They got more noticeable/closer together after a few hours. I knew I was in labor but I had no idea how I was progressing because my contractions didn’t come at regular intervals, but at a certain point they were so intense we called our doula and midwife anyway. And by the time the midwife arrived to check me I was fully dilated.

Answer

I had no idea i was in labor at all. I just couldnt poop that morning and i felt really constipated since the night before. I went to work and everything. Around 130 i went to the doctors and thry said i was already 6 to 7 cm dialated. My water hadnt broken and i wasnt really in pain at that time. I drove home and got my fiance and we went back up. They had to  progress my labor because it wasnt moving along at all. They broke my water around 930 and i had him at 1017.

Answer

I was in labor all day the day before having my daughter and losing what I thought was my mucus plug. I slept like shit and my hips hurt/were achy. Didn't really think of it as being in labor until the contractions got regular and every 5-4 minutes apart. We called the hospital to give a heads up that we were on our way.. After getting to the hospital found out it wasn't my mucus plug but small amounts of my waters with meconium.

How did you know when labor started?

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