Pre Labor Sickness

kinnonam

For the past couple days I've been feeling very down. Body aches, loose stool, mild headaches. I read something about pre labor sickness have any STM+ experienced this? Is there any truth to this. I am FTM 36+5 days pregnant.

DrillSergeantCat

I read that loose stool is a sign of impending labor, but I don't know how true that is. (TMI AHEAD) I always get diarrhea right before and during my period and that's supposedly from hormones and intestines contracting, so I can see the correlation between that and labor.

Life is Exciting

I don't have any experience with this because I was induced with my first, but my coworker was living with her sister when her sister went into labor.  She said she had a funny feeling it was going to happen soon because her sister seemed really off and was complaining about feeling sick.  Early the next morning, she went into labor.

lilqt3929

I'm not sure how truthful that is but if thats the case my labor should be starting soon, haha. I think it may be true for some but also our insides are all kinds of cramped etc. and that can make you have these types of symptoms as well. Only time will tell!

ETA: I'm a STM and I don't distinctly remember feeling this way but I also know towards the end I did have a lot of bathroom visits. Strangely enough I called into work the day labor started because I was just feeling off/exhausted and ended up making lasagna, chocolate cookies, and tidied up the house and labor started that night. I also lost my mucus plug that day as well. It must of just been instinct but it was nice to come home from the hospital to some baked lasagna and my favorite chocolate cookies, haha.

mcklough

I've heard that prior to labor many women get diarrhea because it's the body's way of cleaning itself out to prepare. You could also just be not feeling well so I wouldn't count on it meaning anything, but it could.

I feel like we are all (not a knock at you at all OP) symptom spotting again like we did in the first tri boards. My boobs were a little sore and I had some bleeding- could I be pregnant???

jadkins2

This probably won't even answer your questions but in my case I felt weird/off for a couple of days , but I only had loose stool the day I delievered and I aslo I had a ton of BH's/ contractions the night before labor and the day of course. Also, important to note I had lost my mucus plug the Sunday before I delivered on that Friday? So I guess what I am trying to say is that looking back there were tons of signs leading up to the big D day, but they were not very straightforward or even noticeable to consider them as labor coming on in my mind. It kind of just happened?????

DrillSergeantCat

@mcklough you are sooooo right. I've been trying to tell myself that the last few days.

Achae

I had no indication I'd go into labor with my first. This time around I had a really bad week after the holidays but still no baby! I keep telling myself I can have up to a month left to keep some of the anxiousness at bay. Granted I know I should stay prepared but I'm trying to ignore it thinking time will fly lol.

kinnonam

@mcklough that's my school of thought like ok maybe I'm just overthinking things, although I've just had a nagging feeling baby is coming early. Every little inclination I get I'm like oh maybe this is the moment lol.

cbou

I was told that flu-like symptoms often indicate the baby is coming in the next couple of days. If you have a fever then call your doctor immediately. Since you are preterm I would call your doctor anyway!

SgtLou2

I spent the last 4 weeks of my first pregnancy thinking that I could go into labor any day because everything that I felt "could" be a sign of impending labor. I don't distinctly remember a bowel change last pregnancy, but I have IBS normally, so I don't always think about it. However, this time when I hit 35 weeks, I went from constant constipation to loose stools. I am now having the change in discharge that I experienced three weeks before DD's birth, so, I'm right on the same schedule for that. It's all a guessing game until the real labor starts.

flockofmoosen3

I only had loose stool the day before and during early labor at home. I also couldnt hold any food down at all once i started early labor. My body was just clearing things out!

robinj716

I have been having nausea for the past few days and nothing sounds appetizing to me as far as food goes.

ETA: I haven't had body aches or anything, but just feeling blah. My SO even noticed and has said to me "you have been saying you don't feel well the past few days and usually you don't say that."

I keep telling myself I have a potential 4 weeks left, so that I stop analyzing every little thing as a sign that labor may be coming! I'm driving myself CRAZY!

blueberrymomma

I've had loose stool all week, everytime I eat. So I've been wondering the same thing. No fever, but I do have a cold and slight UTI. So it could just be I'm sick but idk. I'm just tired of going to the bathroom so much on top of peeing all the time

Shatzegirl

I don't remember feeling like I had the flu with DS. I had loose stools the day before I had him, though. My doula mentioned that flu-like symptoms are very common for pre-labor.

thisusername

I was told as well that flu like symptoms could be a sign. But I was also reminded that you could also just be getting the flu or a cold. Your immune system is still weak and it is that time of year. Not to mention how many of us have been talking about being sick, it wouldn't be unheard of for your mind to read those symptoms and start seeing them in yourself. (I forgot what the word for that is, my brain isn't working well today)

I just keep telling myself "it isnt happening until it's happening, and I will know when it's happening" whenever I hear myself ask if something is a sign.