How do I know I'm in labor?

[ladytiffany24]

Now that I've got your attention...

So, I realize the board isn't a doctor. And that we can all take the classes and Google and ask our doctors, etc. But, I thought it would be great to have a thread that discusses all of the things to look for when you might be in labor. Or personal anecdotes, etc.

Even as a STM, I'm a little freaked out by what to expect because I was induced the first time around at 37 1/2 weeks. My body didn't go into labor on its own.

So, tell me...what should we all be on the lookout for? What apps do you like best for timing contractions? Did your water break? Did you lose your mucous plug? How long did you labor at home before going to the hospital? Tell me all the things!

[akraus2015]

This is why I'm so thankful for our doula team. I'm going to have no idea what's happening. But one of them will come to my house and tell me when to go to the hospital, etc.

[BabyStandish]

You'll know! haha but to answer your question...

I woke up one morning and had a couple contractions, but thought it was just my normal gas pains and would go away once I used the bathroom. I didn't realize I was in labor after about an hour or so. I started timing them just by using pen and paper. I may use an app this time, but I didn't feel like downloading anything at the time. I think the biggest indicator is when your contractions are progressively painful and timeable. They were much, much different than BH. I can talk through BH, but cannot talk through painful contractions. I went to the hospital when they were about 5-6 minutes apart..which took until about midnight that night.  So I labored at home for about 15-16 hours (I'm really hoping for a quicker labor this time lol). When I was at the hospital I was only 2cm dilated, but they admitted me anyways since I was 4 days late and was 0cm at my 40w appt. 

I didn't lose my mucous plug or have any bloody show until I was like 8-cm dilated.

I have no idea when my water broke. I know it happened before the hospital since they checked me and asked me and I had no idea. I took probably 6-8 showers/baths at home to deal with the pain so I'm guessing it happened sometime then.

[BabyStandish]

I know some people lose their mucous plug weeks before actually going into labor so I know that's not a good indicator.

[LadyNymeria]

^WSS

I started losing pieces of my mucous plug in the week or so leading up to labor. Other moms on my BMB had the same thing happen so I'd recommend not putting too much stock in losing your mucous plug = labor soon.

[LadyNymeria]

I started having what felt like light cramps around 8am on a Monday at 40w5d. They were more than 10 min apart, but they were obviously different than BHs. They continued to get stronger and closer together throughout the day and we left for the hospital around 5pm.

I didn't have any bloody show until an hour or so after arriving to the hospital when I was about 4cm dilated.

My water didn't even start to break until early (4-5am?) the following morning around 8-9cm. It started as a trickle (felt like I peed myself a bit) so they broke it the rest of the way for me after confirming it was indeed my water.

Around 7am Tuesday I had 2 contractions where I felt my body start pushing on its own. I had hit 10 cm so the OB and nurse got ready and 1 1/2 hours of pushing later DS was born.

[LadyNymeria]

I was only 3cm when I arrived at the hospital. They wanted proof I was actively progressing so they told me to walk the halls for an hour. After 45 min I started throwing up, which can apparently be a sign things are progressing.

So feeling contractions + puking can be a sign you're in active labor.

[LadyNymeria]

As far as apps, I had downloaded a contraction timer but after a while actually ended up being easier to write on a piece of paper.

[hpnegirl]

I didn't lose my mucus plug until I was 5cm and had the bloody show. My water was manually broken at 8cm.

With that said, my labor story is a little different than the standard. I was in early labor for a day and didn't know it- I just thought I was crampy but they didn't subside with drinking and resting.

When I went into active labor at 3:30a (2.5 hours before I was to walk in to the hospital for my induction), it was like someone hit a metaphorical light switch. I went from sporadic contractions (like, half an hour between them for a couple hours) to 2-3 minutes apart instantly.

We called my OBs office around 4/4:30a because they weren't following the 5-1-1 rule and we were told to come in to get checked out. I was admitted before I was even checked, so this whole being told to come back thing is new to me. I was found to be 3cm when I was finally checked (I was at 2cm for two weeks already) and didn't leave the bed because I would have punched whoever told me to walk the halls

[teraiin]

Here's my story, totally anecdotal though lol and tmi haha

I "lost" my mucus plug at 33 weeks and freaked out. So much mucus and so much red blood. The nurse who answered talked me down. I knew that it likely meant nothing but my doctors were pretty sure I was going to go early veteeen that, how low he was, etc.

39 weeks approached and I was inwardly annoyed at all he doctors swearing i would go early. I did all these last minute things, brought the dogs to the vet, had my kitchen sink replaced (this was the day I went into labor haha).

Nothing seemed unusual. Early morning (around 4am) 39w6d I peed and there was a tiny bit of blood on the tp. Around 5am my underwear felt wet so I checked and it looked like I was losing my mucous plug again only it was MUCH less dramatic. Like the tiniest bit of mucus with just a tiny bit of blood.

H asked if he should ever bother going to work and I laughed and told him not to worry. We wanted that kitchen sink installed! As the plumber was installing the sink I felt like my pantyliner was wet (again). I checked and there was a dime sized wet spot on it. It was odorless and colorless. I figured I probably peed myself.

So I changed the liner and waited. When I checked a few minutes later another dime sized wet spot. In about 45 minutes the pantyliner was soaked but I wasn't feeling any gushes. No cramping, no nothing.

Turns out it was a slow leak. Around 1:30 pm I called and the doctor had me go right to l&d because he was sure it was my water. They ended up needing to get the contractions kickstarted because of how long my water had been "broken".

TL;DR: lost mucuos plug at 33 weeks and either again at 39w6d or it was bloody show. Very slow leak of water not a dramatic gushin. No contractions.

[Deleted]

Anecdotally I lost my mucous plug twice during my pregnancy and never went into labor on my own. I wouldn't put much stock in that being a sign.

[wannabmama]

I have literally never thought of any of these things 😬

[cosmicav]

With DD, I had progressively painful contractions that led up to an explosive water break. I could not talk through them, and I had to kind of stop everything and breathe to get through. I downloaded a simple contraction timer app and it kept track of everything for me. I believe the rule is 5-1-1; if they are 5 mins apart and last for 1 minute, consistently for 1 hour, then it is time to roll.

Anecdotally, I had a huge Hollywood style water breaking event for both my labors. I didn't expect that because it's supposed to be rare, but here we are lol.

[muscari]

Mar 4, 2017 14:03:58 GMT -5 wannabmama said:

I have literally never thought of any of these things 😬

It is a little early for us yet! No doubt in a little while we will start wondering about these kind of things too possibly sooner then we'd like hah!

[animaldoctor]

Easy, I got up to pee at 3 am on my due date, climbed back into bed and my water broke spectacularly and soaked my sheets. My OB let me stay at home for a few hours for my contractions to start and when they did about an hour later, they made themselves known! 1 minute long, 3 minutes apart from the start. Went to the hospital about an hour or two later and was 5 cm. Baby was born 9 hours after my water broke. I know that it isn't that easy for everybody to know when they are in labor but I certainly never doubted mine!

[mrsjene]

Here's an incredibly unhelpful post:

Nothing happened for me. NOTHING. If it were up to my kid, she'd still be in there. At 41 weeks, NOTHING. The OB had to start everything for me.

[Unknown]

#1: Had my appointment at 38w even and was 0cm and not effaced at all w/ not as much as BH contractions....fast forward 6 hours and my entire plug came out about 5 seconds before the damn of my water breaking happened. Contractions started after that...and got real w/in the hour was 5cm and contractions 3m apart by the time I was wheeled into the OR 3hrs later.

#2: Was having off and on timeable contractions for 3 weeks while losing pieces of my plug only dilated to 1cm ended up making it to 39w6d to my scheduled c/s w/o being in active labor.

Both were planned c/s due to breech presentations, and so different birthing experiences.

[morwen]

My BH were never painful. I generally have painful period cramps. I woke up in the MOTN and it felt like I was having period cramps but they were lasting for a minute and then going away, so I though, hey this is a contraction!

Then after like 2 contractions I felt a bit wet, and I wasn't sure if my water broke, until I tried to stand up and there was a gush.

My MW gave me instructions on when to call re contraction length/time between, then they came and checked me, and gave me new instructions because I wasn't in active labour. I called back when the pain amped up (back labour!) and they came and checked me again, and since I was in active labour they stayed with me and then we went to the hospital a few hours later because they had a tub with jets. I was in labour at the hospital for like 14 hours.

I did use an app to time contractions - it could be used for contractions and kick counts, though unless baby had been quiet I didn't really bother with kick counts. I just searched for a free one.

[ThankfulSnail]

I woke up at 1 AM when I was 38w6d because of belly pain like BH which woke me from my sleep. They would wake me every 15-20 minutes and I would just check the clock and go back to sleep.

I had a scheduled OB appointment that morning and at that point, the contractions were closer together, so she checked me and said I was at a 3 and was in labor, and told me to go to L&D.

When I got to L&D, there was a very green resident supervising L&D triage, and even though I was at 5-1-1 and progressed to 4 cm while in triage, he said I wasn't progressing enough and sent me home telling me I'd have the baby "within a week" and gave me a prescription for some anti-anxiety medication for my "pain."

DH went to fill my prescription while I labored at home. It took him about 2 hours to get my prescription because it was January 2nd so everyone at the pharmacy had new insurance. When he came back, my contractions had clearly changed to the point where I felt immobilized by them and couldn't talk through them, etc. When we got back to L&D, I was at a 6 and admitted. I had DD at 4 AM the next morning.

The resident was shocked to see me checked in there that night.

[hpnegirl]

If you are in doubt about whether the contractions are real or not, down a bottle of water and put your feet up. If they subside or lessen, false. If not...

[icedtea]

I'm still only 89% sure when I'm having BH, so I really have no idea what to expect with labor. I didn't even know there were apps to time such things.

gah

[leviosa]

Hi, I'm just going to jump in.....

With my first pregnancy I went into premature labor and had to be on bedrest. Then at 36 weeks my water broke which was the first sign of labor.

With my second, I was a week past my due date and going in to be induced and my water broke before I got to the hospital. Again, my first sign of labor.

My third was completely different. I went in at my 40 week appointment and my midwife checked me and I was dilated to a 7. I had no noticeable contractions at this point. So she swept my membranes and told me to come back later that day to be checked again. Nothing changed from that morning to afternoon and then when she checked me again she swept my membranes again. I immediately started having mild period like cramps that came every 4 minutes. By the time I got home I was sweaty and didn't feel 100%. Like I was lightheaded and almost nauseous. My H decided to take me to the hospital and I was 8 cm dilated at that point. I never felt hard contractions that I couldn't easily talk through until she broke my water and I immediately went into transition.

I'm hoping my labor and delivery of baby #4 will be a lot like my last. It lasted a total of 3 hours.

[PirateCat]

Mar 7, 2017 20:10:45 GMT -5 icedtea said:

I'm still only 89% sure when I'm having BH, so I really have no idea what to expect with labor. I didn't even know there were apps to time such things.

gah

Heh, so specific. I've had some tightening feeling I thought might be BH last week but I'm not really sure and I haven't had them since.

[cnf2013]

Mar 4, 2017 15:28:02 GMT -5 cosmicav said:

With DD, I had progressively painful contractions that led up to an explosive water break. I could not talk through them, and I had to kind of stop everything and breathe to get through. I downloaded a simple contraction timer app and it kept track of everything for me. I believe the rule is 5-1-1; if they are 5 mins apart and last for 1 minute, consistently for 1 hour, then it is time to roll.

Anecdotally, I had a huge Hollywood style water breaking event for both my labors. I didn't expect that because it's supposed to be rare, but here we are lol.

My water also exploded Hollywood style. Thankfully I had a slow leak all day and was in my bathroom when it exploded everywhere.

I had 6 weeks of prodromal labor leading up to my water breaking, so I'm no help knowing what actual spontaneous labor feels like.

[icedtea]

My friend told me about the water breaking for her first. It was also a gush, and she was on an escalator at a mall.

[sonamgupta2107]

Hi dear. I am happy that you are seeking answers in such a renowned forum and I am sure you will get perfect answers. I am going to tell you my experience. I had prodromal labor for weeks - lasting up to 4+ hours a day, I kept asking the same thing, how will I know when this is real? Then I consulted with the doctors of Lotus Center in Ukraine and their tips and tricks work like magic in pregnancy. Lost my plug on a Saturday, nothing more all week so I finally let my midwife check me on Thursday, 3cm dilated and 75% effaced - we thought a baby for sure that weekend. Nope, no baby Monday, Tuesday, wed, so on the next Thursday I let her check me again, 4cm and fully effaced - I was a week overdue at this point. So I let her do cervical massage. Contractions all the way home - yippee! Then they stopped!!!!! Next morning I had one contraction while DH was rubbing my lower back, and went "this is it" - it wasn't more intense than the prodromal labor, or longer or anything, it was just "different". DH wasn't convinced, so I ran a warm tub and got into soak. 5 min, another one, 5 min, another one - now he was convinced! 4 hours later I was pushing! It drove me nuts that everyone kept saying "you will just know" but from one momma with severe back issues, who suffered through the back pain my whole pregnancy - you will know, it will feel different! I hope my answer will help another newly pregnant woman. Best of luck for upcoming motherhood to all the pregnant woman in advance. Be safe and stay blessed.