https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:30:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888495 Fri, 21 Jun 2019 19:55:24 +0000 wrkbrk 2888495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: I did the same thing. Full shower and dried my hair!! Lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888494 Fri, 21 Jun 2019 19:54:56 +0000 wrkbrk 2888494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cyoung: Morning of day four past due date I lost my mucus plug 😳 It looked like honey. After that contractions started! Water broke upon arrival to the hospital (1pm). He was here 12 hours later. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888476 Fri, 21 Jun 2019 16:00:21 +0000 LadyDi 2888476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Beebeeholiday: I think it’s really funny how many women shave their legs when they go into labor. I did the same thing when I realized my contractions were the real deal. With everything that goes on down there shaving your legs seems so silly but it’s so important at the time :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888474 Fri, 21 Jun 2019 15:45:10 +0000 Beebeeholiday 2888474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First- induction<br /> Second- spontaneous labor at 38 weeks. I woke up at 3 am and was like WHOAH, that was a serious contraction. Within ten minutes I knew it was the real deal. Went and took a shower, shaved my legs, and DD was born two hours after we got to the hospital.<br /> Third- spontaneous labor at 37 weeks. I’d been experiencing false labor for over a week so it was hard to distinguish if it was real or not. I kept saying “if I’m still contracting like this at 6 pm, I’ll call it the real deal and call my mom.” By 6 pm, I was pretty sure that this was it, and my mom came over to watch the girls. I think we got to the hospital around 8 pm and she was born at 3 am. </p> <p>My water never broke during any of my labors, it always needed to be broken right before i started pushing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888086 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 20:18:14 +0000 delight 2888086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1st- contractions started at 6:30am at 40w. Nothing too bad during the day... knew I was in labor but still got oil changed and hung out with friends. Went to hospital around 4pm when they were 5 mins apart. Had her at 4am. </p> <p>2nd- induction at 41w. They went to break water and found that baby was breech. Decided to continue with induction and deliver breech. My induction induced contractions were a billion times worse than natural ones. Ugh. Bad memories of that labor and delivery but love my little guy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888077 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 18:46:05 +0000 Iced Tea 2888077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1st birth: There was a major ice storm overnight. Snow was falling over the ice while I was eating breakfast, and I noticed the contractions every five to seven minutes. We started making plans right away because we lived over an hour from the birth center. I knew it was still early in labor, but I feared being unable to get to the birth center if the roads got too bad. It took three hours to drive there. I was super thankful for the heated seat, which made back labor more bearable. We checked into a hotel until I felt ready for the birth center. </p> <p>2nd birth: I woke up at 3am with contractions and couldn't go back to sleep, despite listening to my hypnosis track. I took a shower, somehow shaved my hairy legs, and headed to the kitchen. I started cooking a snack (bacon wrapped dates, as dates supposedly soften the cervix) but was doubling over with contractions by the time they were done around 5am. Then I knew it was the real deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888063 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 14:22:39 +0000 Tionn3 2888063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was 38 weeks and 2 days and my water broke around 9:45pm right as I was about to get into bed for the night. I had been having braxton hicks contractions all day but they were irregular and I didn't really think much of them since I had them since I was 20 weeks pregnant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888060 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 14:05:57 +0000 JennyLayneAZ 2888060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Woke up around 12:30 to cramping, and BM. Went to the bathroom, felt better, went back to sleep. Repeat same thing a couple times. Headed to hospital at around 7:30 I think. I wasn't very dilated yet (maybe 2 or so? I don't remember), but they offered to monitor me for a bit. Then they offered to keep me and give me some Pitocin. I ended up with a C-section at 8:30 pm that night due to baby having heart decels that were taking longer and longer to recover. She was all wrapped up in the cord. My water had broken at the hospital, after I was given the Pitocin but before the epidural and still walking around. I didn't realize it was my water breaking though, I thought it was more of my mucous plug. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888056 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 13:09:08 +0000 annem1990 2888056@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Woke up at 5am and felt my water break. Contractions immediately started 2mins apart (nothing previously). Baby was here 12 hours later. </p> <p>Hoping for as quick (but maybe less intense :wink: ) for Baby #2 due early October! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888044 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 12:15:37 +0000 KT326 2888044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS1 - didn't know I was in early labor, thought they were just strong BH and my back hurt. I couldn't get comfortable all day. Water broke around midnight I think, spent two hours on the toilet clearing everything out.... then the strong contractions started. </p> <p>DS2 - I'd been having contractions all day but nothing consistent that I could time (1 or 2 ten minutes apart then nothing for 45 minutes). I woke up at 11:30pm to pee and felt a pop, strong contractions started immediately. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888020 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 09:26:52 +0000 BadgerMom 2888020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS - Minor contractions. Took me like 6 hours to figure out I was in labor. </p> <p>DD - Membrane sweep led to contractions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888015 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 08:42:46 +0000 graceandjoy 2888015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD1 - I was induced at 39 weeks<br /> DD2 - My water was breaking over the weekend and apparently infected me and made me sick and labor kicked into gear after being up and sick all night :meh: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888014 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 08:42:38 +0000 MamaBear87 2888014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first woke up at midnight with wicked contractions. 17 hour labor with a vaginal delivery</p> <p>Second had minor contractions all day that I didn't think were real labor. Started timeable contractions at 4pm, baby in arms at 705. Crazy fast second labor </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888012 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 08:40:56 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2888012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1st: DW’s water broke when she got out of bed at 35 weeks. Ultimately induced less than 48 hrs later. Born 9 hours after the induction began, some mild contractions the night before (in hospital on bedrest)</p> <p>2nd: 3 days overdue, contractions started after dropping our oldest for his first day of school. On and off morning and aft then timed at around 7 pm. Born just before 1 am. Had a membrane sweep 2 days before and lost mucus plug day before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888006 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 08:17:26 +0000 skinnycow 2888006@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had some tiny contractions for a couple hours - painless enough that I didn’t think I was in labor. Then my water broke and my labor got crazy. My daughter was born after about 4.5 hours of active labor. </p> <p>Impatiently waiting for #2 at 39+6 currently :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2888004 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 08:12:09 +0000 LAZB 2888004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS1- water broke, was induced like 12 hours later<br /> DD- water broke, was induced a couple of hours later<br /> DS2- lost mucus plug, bled, had strong prodromal labor, went to get checked a couple of times where I was told everything was normal, finally gave birth three days later (and it turned out I had a 25% placental abruption) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2887995 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 07:57:18 +0000 snarkybiochemist 2887995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced at 38 weeks for high blood pressure and itching but was already at 4cm so they just broke my water and that got everything going in a hurry. No contractions until my water was broken at the hospital. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2887990 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 07:51:51 +0000 Autumnmama79 2887990@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD1 - water broke on my due date!! It was very exciting :grin: </p> <p>DS1 - ultrasound at 40+3 found that there was very little fluid left around baby so dreams of vbac dashed and off to the OR I went. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2887988 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 06:53:36 +0000 LadyDi 2887988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first I started to notice different and more painful but still irregular contractions on a Thursday. Went to work on Friday and still had irregular contractions. I forget when my bloody show happened. It was either after work on Thursday or Friday. DH was golfing on Friday and he asked me if he should still go and I told him it was fine, but I remember sitting on the train on the way home wondering if telling him to go was a bad idea. Woke up Saturday am around 3 with much more intense contractions but they were still manageable and pretty far apart. Laid in bed until 5 am, which is when I woke up DH and took a shower and called my OB. I went to the hospital around 7am and my contractions were pretty strong at that point. </p> <p>I ended up with a c section about 12 hours later and I never went into labor with my second, he was a scheduled section. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2887987 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 06:38:18 +0000 bhbee 2887987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first built up really slowly. I felt like crap the evening before, just so uncomfortable on a new level, woke up miserable but went to work. Around noon I felt so bad I went home with plans to take an epsom bath over lunch - contractions started in a noticeable way on the walk home from the train. They kept up during the bath in a close pattern and I figured it might be real but it was slow progression. I saw bloody show a few hours later which was my best indication it was real. </p> <p>Second I had some labor the night before that stopped (possibly because I started to panic about childcare). The next night it woke me up, I knew it was real and saw bloody show again but figured I had lots of time since first took a while so I was just doing stuff around the house and all the sudden it got very real and progressed super quickly. </p> <p>Third was an induction! Didn’t get anywhere with cytotec so a slow start but ob broke my water and that got it going. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2887986 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 06:12:44 +0000 DillonLion 2887986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First was an induction and looks like the 2nd one will be, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-did-labor-start#post-2887984 Tue, 18 Jun 2019 05:10:00 +0000 cyoung 2887984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just curious how labor started for you guys? I know it different for everyone. I thought it would be cool to share how it was with each of your labors. I sadly don't remember how mine started. I was induced both time and all I remember is wakeup at the hospital in terrible pain somtime in the early hours of the night. There wasn't any build up or anything exciting like water breaking or anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nervous-about-labor-already#post-2869606 Wed, 30 Jan 2019 07:36:30 +0000 cyoung 2869606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you ladies for the reassurance!! Its not even labor I'm scared about lol. It's the before labor since I've never done that on my own. But I can do it! You never know....maybe this baby will come on it's own.<br /> @QBbride: I'll definitely look into that book! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nervous-about-labor-already#post-2869514 Tue, 29 Jan 2019 18:03:05 +0000 QBbride 2869514@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Aww, that sounds so nerve wracking!<br /> I think that sounds stressful and frustrating. It’s worth talking to your doctor. Maybe try to set a date that you will induce if you have not gone into labour on your own, even if it’s after your actual due date? Most women go into labour at some point on their own, even if it’s after their due date. And now that your body has done this twice before, it will be easier the third time!! And as for your babies pooping, it is quite common and there are lots of reasons it happens. BUT it doesn’t mean your third baby is any more likely to poop in utero. My first step would be to speak to your doctor. Have you heard of Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth? It’s a bit “crunchy” but super inspiring. I read it before labour both times and it helped convince me that my body knows what to do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nervous-about-labor-already#post-2869417 Tue, 29 Jan 2019 11:40:51 +0000 Mrsbells 2869417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cyoung: Definitely discuss your fears with the doctor and if anything he can have your medical records sent over for him to review. You definitely want your doctor to be in your corner and understand your situation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nervous-about-labor-already#post-2869258 Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:07:07 +0000 Mama Bird 2869258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess this is kind of random, but try eating eggplant parmesan? I was a week overdue with my third and read this old wives' tale that it helps. I was getting kind of desperate so I ate it for two days straight, and the baby pretty much flew out the evening of the second day. Of course, it may have been all the walking I did to find the eggplant parm - I don't live near any Italian food places.</p> <p>Good luck! I hope everything goes smoothly, whether or not that involves an induction. For what it's worth, I spent the last couple of weeks wishing the doc would induce me - the stress of wondering who watches the older kids was driving me nuts. It would have been kind of nice to not have that uncertainty, although thankfully everything worked out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nervous-about-labor-already#post-2869235 Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:12:38 +0000 bhbee 2869235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree talk it out with your Dr throughout the pregnancy! And if it doesn’t feel right, switch again. Annoying but you should feel comfortable with them. There is pretty good data for women who have had previous births to get good outcomes from inducing at 39w and I think more providers are open to it, I’m sure someone on here could find the study (it’s been in other induction posts) and you could ask your Dr about it. </p> <p>Otherwise I think education on labor and inductions can’t hurt! I wouldn’t worry about your contractions not changing your cervix ... it doesn’t mean much for how it would go in real active labor. Since you’ve had others vaginally likely it would go fast once it started! Good luck and hope that they can put you at ease. I felt oddly nervous about my third labor too, maybe we know too much after multiple births! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nervous-about-labor-already#post-2869226 Mon, 28 Jan 2019 13:13:57 +0000 Pollywog 2869226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure if this helps, but here's my birth story with my second: I had really minor Braxton Hicks. Nothing bad. Had a membrane sweep and had cramps. Considered googling if Advil was safe, but went to bed instead. I woke up 2 hours later with a bloody show, 2 hours after that contractions started, 2 hours after that I had a healthy baby in my arms. Stubbing my toe hurted more than my unmedicated labor. I didn't even curse 😂</p> <p>Why I'm telling you is that not all labors are horrible. What helped me was listening to the birth hour podcast to hear otherwise birth stories. I also walked a ton in pregnancy and tried to stay as active as possible.</p> <p>ETA: I reread your post. I think if the doctors monitor you closely they can help you with pregnancy pain and figure out when the best time to induce is, if necessary. My crunchy midwives were on board with an induction at 39 weeks with me because of complications with my first. Your team might be willing to induce earlier if needed for you too </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nervous-about-labor-already#post-2869211 Mon, 28 Jan 2019 11:51:56 +0000 cyoung 2869211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry for posting a lot sometimes. I don't have many people to talk with about this. </p> <p>So with both my previous pregnancies I never went into labor on my own. I had false labor with son around 36 weeks till I gave birth at 39 weeks and a few days. I was induced cause I was so miserable. I know a lot of women don't agree with that but i was hurting so much. Turned out my son had the cord wrapped around his neck and couldnt drop. When my water was broken in labor there was meconium in it. Fortunately my son didn't breath any of it in. </p> <p>Well with my daughter I was diagnosed with an irritable uturus and had contraction regularly from 33 week till I was induced at 40 and a few days. It was so painful and felt like real labor to me at times but when I would go to the hospital to get checked my cervix never changed. The doctors at my old hospital treated me like I stupid When I was induced my daughter she also had meconium staining. I was fortunate she did not breath it in as well. I had great easy induction and great births. The actual labor process doenst scare me. </p> <p>I have a new doctor this time cause of some issues I had with the staff and hospital with my old one. I've heard nothing but great things about this new practice and doctor. However I read on his bio he likes women to go into labor on their own. </p> <p>Im just nervous. I've never gone into labor on my own and I have terrible false labor for weeks and my babies pooped in utero. I'm just nervous about something bad happening if I wait till 41 or 42 weeks to be induced. I'm afraid I'll never go on my own since my the contractions that I did have did not change my cervix. </p> <p>I guess I'm just wondering is there anything I can do starting now to maybe help with labor. Any books to read or any tips. Maybe I just need to be educated about labor more and what is safe and not safe. People were I live dont really talk about birth much and most women are induced. Idk why both my babies pooped meconium. Idk I'd like to go into labor on my own but I'm scared my body can't. Sorry if this is all over the place. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/are-these-early-labor-signs-going-crazy#post-2850616 Thu, 11 Oct 2018 10:08:23 +0000 pachamama 2850616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lioneyes: I am so thinking of you. The speculum thing sounds right- the cervix is VASCULAR and def prone to spotting if messed with!<br /> Like LAZB said, don't be afraid to push the issue. I'm always so scared of being "annoying" to my docs and ya know, what, screw it. Call anytime you're worried esp with your history. </p>