Did you KNOW that you were about to go into labor?

[Anonymous]

I am 39w now, and have experienced no signs of anything indicating I may have this baby soon. I am not remotely dilated (although dr says my cervix is getting softer), have experienced no BH contractions, no bloody show, and basically still feel the same I did the previous week. Most of my friends were miserable towards the end (swelling, super uncomfortable, etc.). Obviously I am a FTM so I don't know what to expect, but it seems like my body would "tell" me that labor was imminent. I've got it in my mind now that there's no way I'll actually give birth on my due date.
I would be interested in hearing from other moms-- when you went into labor, did you think it was on its way? Were there signs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've got it in my mind now that there's no way I'll actually give birth on my due date.

Good, because chances of doing so are slim. I did have some stomach upset before my first labor, but nothing obvious to let me know labor was imminent.

[Anonymous]

A week before my due date, a friend called to check in and see how I was doing. I said I didn't feel at all like anything was imminent. Hung up the phone 30 seconds later and my water broke!

[Anonymous]

I felt pretty normal leading up to "the day" the only thing different leading up a few weeks was that my vagina was killing me. My actual vagina hurt. I did have my membranes stripped on a Monday and I went into labor that night and had my baby 7am the next morning. I was due on the 3rd and had my baby on the first. I was planned for a c-section for the 5th so I was sooooooo grateful that the stripping of the membranes worked.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely no idea - when my water broke (at 38 weeks) it was a complete shock because, like OP, I figured there would be signs ahead of time. I started feeling contractions about an hour later. Not sure if my experience is unusual, but labor (or at least water breaking) can definitely start without any warning.

[Anonymous]

With my first baby, I didn't really know at the time, though in retrospect I think there were signs. The night before my labor began, my stomach didn't feel right, almost like I had eaten something bad. The next morning, my labor started.

I was almost 42 weeks pregnant when my labor began, and before that time, had had no other signs of labor beginning. I was not dilated as of my last appointment. I had convinced myself by the end that my body was not going to know what to do and that the baby was never coming out. Once I passed my due date I felt somehow like I had missed my chance to have the baby and that the baby maybe wasn't even real. I'm glad that I waited it out and just let things happen in their own time.

With my second baby, I felt confident that my body would know what to do and so I wasn't as worried about whether or when labor would begin. I expected another 41-42 week baby because that was all i knew. At 39 weeks I woke up around 4am to a sloshy (not sure how else to describe it) feeling, and when I stood up, could tell my water had broken. Prior to that I hadn't felt at all like labor was imminent.

There's a lot going on in your body that you can't measure or feel. Think about all the growing your baby and uterus have done that you have not been able to directly feel. So even at the end of pregnancy, when it seems like "nothing" is happening, everything is changing and getting ready.

[Anonymous]

The night before I went into labor, I was struck with an intense urge to clean out and reorganize the kitchen cabinets. THis was 9 days before my due date.

Nowm, it seemed to tally sensible to me, Iand I had been spending the previous few days cleaning, sorting, and basically and getting ready for the baby, etc. But I really was up on a kitchen chair, taking EVERYTHING out of the cabinets, wiping down the insides, and reorganizing the dishes, appliances, etc. Packing some up for storage because when the baby came, we were going to be too busy to cook, I guess. Not sure what the rationale was and my husband wasn't sure either. But around 10 PM there was a kitchen floor FILLED with objects and gadgets.

I woke up the next morning around 4 am with some contractions, called in sick to work around 7 am, labored all day, and had the baby at midnight.

[Anonymous]

I had no idea.
I went into labor on my DD and delivered 2 days later.

[Anonymous]

No signs here for me as a FTM. I was 10 days early, and one Sunday morning decided to pack my hospital bag. Was dancing around to hip hop, packing, etc. Later that day I was bouncing on my birthing ball while playing Wii. Got tired, laid down on the sofa, and GUSH - my water broke all over. Wasn't expecting it 10 days early. Called the doc, took a shower, went to hospital, and DD was born 3 hours later. VERY fast labor....

Up until that point I felt pretty great...like I said, I was dancing around the house, not feeling all crampy, or upset stomach, etc. Guess I'm glad I packed that morning.

[Anonymous]

Same here, had no idea. OB appt that same day said I wasn't dialated at all. It was 10 days before my due date and I went into labor that night!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 39w now, and have experienced no signs of anything indicating I may have this baby soon. I am not remotely dilated (although dr says my cervix is getting softer), have experienced no BH contractions, no bloody show, and basically still feel the same I did the previous week. Most of my friends were miserable towards the end (swelling, super uncomfortable, etc.). Obviously I am a FTM so I don't know what to expect, but it seems like my body would "tell" me that labor was imminent. I've got it in my mind now that there's no way I'll actually give birth on my due date.
I would be interested in hearing from other moms-- when you went into labor, did you think it was on its way? Were there signs?

This was how i felt with my first. Had a OB appointment the dat before my due date and had no effacement and no dilation. OB told me to go home and wait, well at 530pm that day my water broke and baby arrived at 9am the next day (on her due date). Expecting my second next week and like the first, I am seeing no signs that labor is close.

[Anonymous]

Nope. None.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for posting this question OP..........I'm in the exact same position......FTM....39 weeks......no dilation/effacement.......and wondering when labor will begin and if I will recognize signs beforehand

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The night before I went into labor, I was struck with an intense urge to clean out and reorganize the kitchen cabinets. THis was 9 days before my due date.

I had a similar burst of organization the day I went into labor - I spent that Sunday washing baby clothes, ordered a case of diapers and wipes online, and wrote out an epic to do list of things I planned to do over the next few weeks. My water broke at about 11 that evening.

[Anonymous]

I'm due tomorrow and nothing. I feel the exact same way as you OP. I wish there was just one sign to let me know.