When & How Did Your Labor Start? Or for those Pregnant or TTC-your mother or maternal grandmothers?

Jazibel

Okay... So I'm a little obsessed with when this labor is going to get started.... I realize I'm only 38 weeks, so 2 weeks left until EDD, and then I could still be waiting.

For those of you who have experienced labor (or your spouses labor) when and how did it start?  What week?  With contractions or water breaking?

Some people say that women go into labor around the same time as their mother's did. (This has been true for several friends).  If you haven't experienced labor yet do you know when your mother, or maternal grandmother gave birth?

Any tips of getting things started (of course I'd wait a bit, and check with the midwife first). ;-)


For the record Kaden was born at 40w 6d.  So I'm not THAT hopefully I'll go early this time... But a girl can dream... :-)

KH826

My mother went into labor with me 2 days before her due date. Her water broke. In bed. In an ice storm. Let's hope I don't follow in her foot steps in that regard (well the ice storm would be pretty far fetched for me, but the water breaking in bed thing is something I would love to avoid)...

I know she went into labor naturally with both of my sisters, but I don't remember the timing in relation to her due date (I can ask, now I am curious!)... with my brother (her 4th baby), she was induced. I think b/c he was so big (over 10 lbs), if I remember correctly.

She delivered my sisters and I all naturally without meds. She labored with my brother for 23 hrs before having a c-section because his head would not descend down into the birth canal. He was a BIG baby, and we didn't know it then, but now know that he has severe special needs, and his lack of muscle tone made it virtually impossible for him to assist with his own birth and get into position, etc.

I am kind of obsessed with reading birth stories, and hearing about the labor experiences of others, so I am excited that you started this thread, @Jazibel!

I found out that my mother-in-law had 2 c-sections (with my wife and brother-in-law) b/c both of them were breech! I think that is kind of funny considering my current situation. I joked that our baby girl is just trying to prove a point that she knows what family she belongs to!

Jazibel

@KH826 - FX your water doesn't break in bed.  We actually have a waterproof mattress cover on our bed (just in case).  And also with a baby in the house - you never know ;-)  Now I'm curious to see how your birth experience goes (you're just a few weeks after me!!)

I love reading birth stories and trying to figure out when and how this will all start.  Having had the experience once has not armed me with enough information at all.  LOL.  I'm just as bad as I was when I was googling "early pregnancy symptoms" months ago.  Probably I'm on the same websites - different tab! ;-)

ATXmommas

I went into labor naturally on my due date. I had two labor-inducing acupuncture appts during my 39th week. I felt stronger BH cx after both appts. I went to acupuncture again at 40w0d and labor cx started within a half hour of leaving the appt. Went to hospital about 3.5 hours later at which point I was fully dilated.

My mom was induced with all three of is because she dilated to 8cm without going into labor. Sister and I were born right around our due dates, but my brother (her first) was a few days beyond. I wonder how long she would have gone if she weren't induced.

I didn't have any cervical checks, so I have no idea if I was already dilated to 8cm by my due date or not! I'm kinda curious now, but my dr/midwife practice doesn't conduct cervical checks until you are approaching 41 weeks or request it.

As for getting things started, besides acupuncture, I walked a ton. Also, one of the midwives told me about Dr. Christopher's Birth Prep - an herbal concoction. Normal protocol is to start a few weeks before due date, but I didn't know about it until week 37 or 38. She told me to just ramp up the dose more quickly. I ordered from Amazon and it took a while to arrive, so I think I only took it a few days. I also used EPO (vaginally and orally) and drank red raspberry leaf tea. Ummm, can you tell I was ready to have my baby?

Thinking about you lots! Looking forward to meeting your new LO!

ETA: FWIW, I lost my plug the day before I went into labor. I know it doesn't mean much since it can grow (not sure that is the right word) back, but it was encouraging that my body was doing something.

redrockmama

I've actually read you are more likely to follow your sister's birth pattern than your mom's, but who really knows.

My mom had three babies. First was 2ish weeks early, I was the second and was 2 weeks late (and huge at almost 10 lbs). I think my younger sister was a little early but not much. 

She had med-free births with the first two and went into labor on her own with all of us. 

My older sister has two babies, and had two c-sections. She didn't dilate at all with her first and they did the emergency c-section after her water had been broken for 48 hours. She had a scheduled c-section with her second. 

I sure hope I follow more in my moms footsteps, minus the 10 lb baby of course. 

healz413

I'm so excited that @jazibel at @YBnormal85‌ will be laboring soon!! Wishing you both the best of luck and am very much looking forward to "meeting" your babies over the next few weeks.

valeriegp

My son was born 4 days before his due date. I checked into the hospital around noon and he was born at 9:48 pm. 

It's hard to say that I went "into labor," which seems funny but is technically true. The day before I had (very intentionally) done a ton of walking. I was measuring big and his due date was the day after Christmas, so I was hoping to entice him to come out a little early! It worked! The day after doing so much walking, my water broke at home at about around 9:30 am as I was getting ready to go to the grocery store. But I had no other signs of labor for the next few hours -- no more dilation than I'd had at the doctor 2 days before, no contractions, etc. So I ended up having pitocin. I'd read lots of horror stories about it, but I actually had a pretty good experience, and obviously it didn't prolong my labor like you hear (I got the pitocin around 1 pm or so).

My mother went into labor 2 weeks after my due date, so we weren't similar at all.

JGY

I don't know when my Sister was born in relation to her due date, but she was a poorly-handled breech birth that almost killed both of them (I'm not saying that vaginal breech births should not be attempted, just not with an unprepared Dr. and it should never be a surprise).  So then I was induced because my Mom wanted her new (trusted) Dr to be there when I was born.

For me, labor started at night on a Thursday at 40 weeks + 7 days (he was born at 40+10).  It was very weak, drawn out, and subsided by mid-morning.  I lost a little bit of my plug around midnight (I think).  Went through all of Friday waiting around and it finally picked back up again Friday night around the same time.  I want to say about 9 or 10pm.  In looking back, I now know that my water broke around midnight, but it was just like a pinhole, so mostly I felt like I needed to use the bathroom every time I had a contraction.

My labor was looooong and never established a good pattern.  It was all over the place.  I don't need to relive my whole birth story here, but I will say this: I spent Thursday night thinking "Is this labor?  Am I really in labor?"  On Friday night I knew I was.

Because I went 10 days past my due date, I had tried just about everything to get it going.  EPO, RRL Tea, lots of walking, spicy foods, etc.  Nothing was going to shake that kid loose before he was ready.  As I am seeing his personality develop now, I am understanding more clearly why. 

Keep us updated, @Jazibel!

 

doodah1013

@Jazibel‌ .... Not to be a weirdy, but I totally had a dream last night that you went into labor 2 weeks early because of an acupuncture induction protocol. For some reason, I was in really big trouble because the people at the hospital blamed me for you going into labor early. It was a super weird dream!

Jazibel

doodah1013 said:

@Jazibel‌ .... Not to be a weirdy, but I totally had a dream last night that you went into labor 2 weeks early because of an acupuncture induction protocol. For some reason, I was in really big trouble because the people at the hospital blamed me for you going into labor early. It was a super weird dream!

LOL - FX your dream was a premonition.  Don't worry I won't let anyone blame you ;-)