# How did you know you were going into labour?



## Lyrah

Okay I know it sounds like a really silly question :blush: Just wondering as I'm not feeling well at all today, quite headachy, feeling sick and just feeling a bit pants in general. But I'm also cramping like mad in my lower back and tummy and I don't know if it's just my body preparing or whether he's coming early? :wacko:

I really have no idea and this is what makes me worry as I have no idea how to know when I'm in labour at all. Period-like pain or waters going etc I understand that but how can you tell if it's the real thing with the cramps or not?

Thanks. :flower:

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## calais

I thought everyday from 36 weeks that my son was coming. I always had lots of pains. He didnt come till 5 days over his due date but the way i knew it was the real thing was my contractions got closer together and stronger, they didnt stop and nothing i done would take my mind of them.

My waters never broke


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## QuintinsMommy

my water broke but a few days before i felt like he was going to fall outta me because he was just sooo low. lol


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## Lyrah

Actually that's a good point... labour can't be happening yet because he's not engaged yet hehe. Unless it can happen without them being engaged? Oh dear I'm so clueless! xxxx


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## AnnabelsMummy

Lyrah said:


> Actually that's a good point... labour can't be happening yet because he's not engaged yet hehe. Unless it can happen without them being engaged? Oh dear I'm so clueless! xxxx

i think they can engage during early labour - my mum said she didn't engage with me? 
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## Lyrah

Ohhh!! Well there's something I didn't know - you learn something new each day! :haha:

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## samface182

im feeling really ill today, my back is sorer than usual, i have a headache, feel sick, and have a mega sore throat. just feeling really down. i actually considered i was maybe going into labour, but he isn't engaged. i think it's cos im thinking about giving birth all the time now, im thinking that every little thing is a sign :haha: :dohh:

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## Youngling

How do we know when its engaged?
I know nothing, and plus missed my mw appointment yesterday so dont know how my baby is laying.
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## Lyrah

Sam - Hope you feel better soon! But yeah, the closer it gets... every little niggle/pain you start thinking 'Oooh, is this it?!' :rofl: Ahh it drives me batty. My cramping is all mainly in my back... like period pain and it won't go away :(

Hmmm about being engaged - I think it feels a lot heavier lower down and it's easier to breathe? I'm not entirely sure though... I feel really heavy quite low down and it can be painful but when I saw midwife yesterday she didn't mention him being engaged.

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## Lauraxamy

I felt my babys head engage, she dropped extremely low and the pressure on my pelvis and all that area was terrible, I was having to wee all the time, including getting up in the night once or twice else I felt like I'd wet myself :haha: but my midwife also told me when she started to engage. 
As for labour, I was convinced I was in labour two or three times but the pains stopped when I moved around, took a bath etc so it obviously wasn't the real thing, but then I was induced so it may be slightly different but obv the pains got alot more intense, didn't go away when I moved around and they got closer together so I knew it was happening for real then.


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## Lyrah

Lauraxamy said:


> I felt my babys head engage, she dropped extremely low and the pressure on my pelvis and all that area was terrible, I was having to wee all the time, including getting up in the night once or twice else I felt like I'd wet myself :haha: but my midwife also told me when she started to engage.
> As for labour, I was convinced I was in labour two or three times but the pains stopped when I moved around, took a bath etc so it obviously wasn't the real thing, but then I was induced so it may be slightly different but obv the pains got alot more intense, didn't go away when I moved around and they got closer together so I knew it was happening for real then.

Thanks hun :)

Ahhh that's how I feel, lots of pressure on my pelvis and having to wee all the time or I feel like I will wet myself lol. But I guess since she didn't mention it then he can't be engaged yet. Just a heavy head maybe :haha:

Maybe the pains I feel are BH... I haven't experienced any so far and my bump doesn't go hard or tighten but these cramps are so period-like and on going that it does make me question if it is labour. I feel so daft if it's not :blush:

Mine is a constant ache rather than coming in waves though which I thought contractions were like - unless I'm wrong? So I can't time or anything as it's just continous cramping.

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## lucy_x

iv had this for weeks now :(, 
I think its just one of those things, I get it lots when baby is changing position. 
Im constantly tired, cramping. ANd having BH's like mad, but baby still isnt engaged, and its been going on for about 4 weeks now...
Midwife said its probably just my body getting ready :)
x
x


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## msp_teen

Well the day before I went into labor I was having contractions about 15 minutes apart. I knew then that it was the start of things. Then later that night at about 3am my water broke!


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## haley09

my waters broke


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## Lissa3120

I didn't know until I was on my way home from hospital with a baby in the car seat :shrug:
I was convinced for weeks that she was going to be early, but she turned out to be late :dohh:


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## casann

the night before i went into labour i was extremely restless then during the day ifelt incredibly sore,lost alot of plug then my waters broke. nothing happened after that thouh gh so ihad to be induced.Hope you feel better soon xxx


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## AyaChan

well, my waters were the big sign for me.

Had been having random pains on and off, but they weren't particularly painful so I thought nothing of it, was like "oh this cold go on for days" even planned to go shopping and to the cinema the next day. but then I went to bed and was dozing and all of a sudden my waters went :D


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## nightkd

I've been having pains and feeling on and off like crap for the past few weeks :lol: She's also been dipping in and out of my pelvis (horrible pains one day, then she decides she doesn't want to have her head restrained down there and moves!!!).... It's got the point now, where I think I'll instinctively know that 'this feels different' iykwim? I've had cramps/pains (last night had pains in my back also!) with regular intervals, but they dwindle away into nothingness.......

Try not to worry about it! I think part of you will KNOW when it's the real thing - like they say 'if you have to ask, you're probably NOT in labour!' :lol:

xx

P.S Plus I'll be really mad if you go into labour before me! So you're not allowed!! :haha:


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## Lyrah

nightkd said:


> I've been having pains and feeling on and off like crap for the past few weeks :lol: She's also been dipping in and out of my pelvis (horrible pains one day, then she decides she doesn't want to have her head restrained down there and moves!!!).... It's got the point now, where I think I'll instinctively know that 'this feels different' iykwim? I've had cramps/pains (last night had pains in my back also!) with regular intervals, but they dwindle away into nothingness.......
> 
> Try not to worry about it! I think part of you will KNOW when it's the real thing - like they say 'if you have to ask, you're probably NOT in labour!' :lol:
> 
> xx
> 
> P.S Plus I'll be really mad if you go into labour before me! So you're not allowed!! :haha:

:haha: I can imagine that wouldn't be very fair at all if I was to go into labour before you!

Thanks hun :hugs: It's probably nothing :lol: Just got a lot of aching in my lower back like period-pain and it's been on and off all day long but I should think it's just my body preparing. 

I think that's my fear, not having a clue when I'm actually in labour - so that's reassuring with what you said about 'if you have to ask, you're probably not in labour'. Haha, so when I stop asking if this could be it, I will know ;)

Awwww I hope she comes soon for you hun! I am guessing you are rather uncomfortable right about now! :hugs:

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## annawrigley

nightkd said:


> like they say 'if you have to ask, you're probably NOT in labour!' :lol:

haha, true
i know everyones labours are different but mine happened so fast there was no question about it, my waters broke then contractions started 3 mins apart straight after :shock: they are like a wave.. the pain gets worse and worse and youre thinking omg omg OMG im going to die then it gradually eases off.
i knew it was the real thing cos i was WET with sweat, haha nice ;) sorry.. i couldnt walk or move, whenever i got a contraction it stopped me in my tracks, and i couldnt talk on the phone to the hospital during a contraction.. (i managed to post a thread on here saying 'ow' though :rofl:)


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## nightkd

Lyrah said:


> nightkd said:
> 
> 
> I've been having pains and feeling on and off like crap for the past few weeks :lol: She's also been dipping in and out of my pelvis (horrible pains one day, then she decides she doesn't want to have her head restrained down there and moves!!!).... It's got the point now, where I think I'll instinctively know that 'this feels different' iykwim? I've had cramps/pains (last night had pains in my back also!) with regular intervals, but they dwindle away into nothingness.......
> 
> Try not to worry about it! I think part of you will KNOW when it's the real thing - like they say 'if you have to ask, you're probably NOT in labour!' :lol:
> 
> xx
> 
> P.S Plus I'll be really mad if you go into labour before me! So you're not allowed!! :haha:
> 
> :haha: I can imagine that wouldn't be very fair at all if I was to go into labour before you!
> 
> Thanks hun :hugs: It's probably nothing :lol: Just got a lot of aching in my lower back like period-pain and it's been on and off all day long but I should think it's just my body preparing.
> 
> I think that's my fear, not having a clue when I'm actually in labour - so that's reassuring with what you said about 'if you have to ask, you're probably not in labour'. Haha, so when I stop asking if this could be it, I will know ;)
> 
> Awwww I hope she comes soon for you hun! I am guessing you are rather uncomfortable right about now! :hugs:
> 
> xxxxxxxxxClick to expand...

Yup! I'd take it as a good sign :) Your body is probably just checking it knows what it's doing, so when the time comes, it'll be prepared :winkwink:

I'm finding not knowing if I'm in labour frigging frustrating at this point - but I really do know I'm not in labour :lol: I can't help but think wishfully!! :lol: -Sigh-

Thanks :) I just feel really ropey atm, sick and heartburn and YUCK - hopefully it means she's coming SOON though! Especially as I just found out my MW will let me go overdue until Bean pops out of her own accord, or gets distressed/NEEDS to come out... :wacko: Ahhhhhhh!! I'm going to be pregnant forever!!! :shock::haha:

:hugs:

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