Q from PgALer

opallover

Can you share how you went into labor? What did it feel like?

I am not in labor - far from it but my doctor said it would feel like "when you know you are going to throw up but you stay on the couch - something makes you get up when it's really going to happen."

That doesn't help me much.

lol! I also never went into labor with Noah... so... going blind here but this pregnancy is totally different!

Junebug060609

I'm no help because I was induced.  Just wanted to chime in to say that I can't believe you're 34 weeks already, wow!

MrsAtch

Junebug060609:

I'm no help because I was induced.  Just wanted to chime in to say that I can't believe you're 34 weeks already, wow!

This. I was induced too- wish I had a better answer. I'm just SO stinkin' happy that you're 34 weeks! 

opallover

MrsAtch:

Junebug060609:

I'm no help because I was induced.  Just wanted to chime in to say that I can't believe you're 34 weeks already, wow!

This. I was induced too- wish I had a better answer. I'm just SO stinkin' happy that you're 34 weeks! 

Awe - thanks guys! i have a long way to go until my c-section date but I don't want to chance going into labor at home and not realizing it. I guess if it's REALLY happening that I will know... like the throwing up thing. I'm just having crazy dreams of going into labor and not knowing it driving to the hospital too late and having her in my car. I've had some contrctions, I THINK, but what if it's just heartburn? it's pretty intense but nothing to call about - i think. Ugh. I'm a worry wart.

Gem17

I started having mild cramps every 30 min. They got closer and closer. I wanted to hold my breath through them. I never had any false labor or BH before that. 

epona3

I went into labor naturally and it was really over the course of about 24 - 36 hours before the contractions got to the point where I knew it was the "real deal" and it was time to go to the hospital (i.e. I couldn't sleep through them anymore, and they were about 5 min. apart)

I thought they felt like stomach cramps that you have before diarrhea, or really bad menstrual cramps. In fact, before I really realized what was going on, I kept getting up to go to the bathroom and wondering why nothing was happening (sorry - TMI).

I don't know if I ever felt like I "knew it was time" though. I finally ended up calling the dr., and they said to come in since we had a longish drive. Once I got there, I still thought they might send me home (and so did the nurses - they said I was in too good of a mood! LOL) but I ended up being 5cm, so I stayed and had a baby (about 9 hours later...)

jen-dale

I was a scheduled c/s but I'm told either your water will break so you'll have a gush or a continuous trickle or you'll have regular contractions. Regular contractions are more intense than BH. My BFF said hers made her almost lose her breath and she couldn't talk while she was having one. GL!

Amanda78

My water broke at home. I stood up and had a gush of fluid. I didn't feel contractions til pitocin at L&D. 

Irishsapphire

I actually had cramps, and I started to spot.  And then there was more cramps that would not go away, and there was brown bleeding.  And then my water broke while I was on the phone with the obgyn.  I got to the hospital after 11:00pm, and we had to go through the ER.  It felt like my body was going to explode.  And I just kept yelping "Help Me."  The cramps just are intense.  There did not even evaluate me.  The Obgyn looked at me in the labor and delivery room and told me that I was fully dialated.  My son was born at 12:19am. 

ksulli

I like how your OB explained it. I woke up on my EDD with what seemed like a lot of BH but they were uncomfortable, whereas my BH had just been noticable- like how you know you're wearing socks but it's neither good nor bad, you just know that something's on your feet. They kept up all day and got more & more painful. By 4pm they were about 10 min apart regularly, by 8:30 they were 6-8min and HURT. I called my OB at 10:30 saying I wasn't to 5 min yet but they hurt like a B- she said wait till 5 min or until I wanted meds. We got to the hospital at midnight, my contractions were off the charts immediately although I was only 3 or 4cm. I stalled out from about 5-9am and had the baby right before 4pm. Sooo first contractions (that were questionable interns of labor or BH) to birth was about 33hrs including 4 hours of stall. My OB broke my water.

luvmyducks

I started losing my mucus plug the day before I had K.  And with losing it I noticed stronger menstrual type cramps then I had been having.  By that evening I was noticing the cramps were coming in waves and I could time them to 10-15 min apart.  Went to bed, and then they woke me up at 1am.  Noticed they were about 5-10 min apart.  I got up but thought there was a chance it wasn't the real thing yet.  When they were consistently 3-5 min apart and more and more painful, I knew it was the real thing.

I'm pretty sure you will know when it is for real  

hopingwaiting

My water broke in a non-subtle gush before any contractions.

Froggy76

Mine started out like menstrual cramps. After awhile I noticed they were about 12 min apart, then 10 min, etc. It took almost 24 hrs from when I first noticed them for them to be close enough to go to the hospital.

Ernie52408

I was induced so I didn't go into full blown labor on my own, but there was a huge difference between contractions and BH and the pre-labor contractions I had been experiencing.

BH and pre-labor contractions were uncomfortable and painful but the pain was definitely manageable. Once I started having actual contractions it was like menstrual cramps on steriods x1000.

vflipo

I started having AF type cramps that were pretty regular and became more intense. Of course, I went into labor the day I was schedule to be induced, just a few hours before.

Mrs.EmmaLouise

I woke up at 2am with a contraction that came out of nowhere, and another ten minutes later.  I had had early labor they stopped and contractions from 27w on, but right away these felt more intense and had a pattern.  Good luck, try not to worry so much if you can