https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:27:08 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-457377 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:55:09 +0000 Mrs. Bee 457377@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i was worried too, but there was no doubt when it started! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-457373 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:54:11 +0000 ladyfingers 457373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, this is my biggest fear! I felt so stupid asking this in childbirth class, but I seriously am worried I'll either be the chick who shows up in pain who isn't even dilated or effaced, or the one who gives birth on the side of the road. Between round ligament and gas pains, I was like, how is a contraction even different? Then I had a BH contraction last week and I was like, oh. I think I'll know when I'm in labor. It was PAINFUL and my whole belly got rock hard. So now the only thing I'm worried about is that I'll show up too early. They told me to come when they're 5 minutes apart for an hour and I can't talk through them (and not to worry about how long they actually last) but stories like @Arden's make me worry! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456724 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:26:10 +0000 oahujeni 456724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, I was worried I wouldn't know I was in labor! And go figure, I DIDN'T know. My water broke at 1AM (slow leak), and I made a dr's appointment that afternoon at 1PM. By then, she told us to get our butts right on over to the hospital. When the contractions starting coming I definitely knew though, and that was right after the office visit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456690 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:15:59 +0000 T-Mom 456690@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was induced with DD so I didn't know what labor contractions felt like and was terrified I wouldn't know with DS when I was in labor. It ended up being pretty obvious, though! I did wait a little too long to go into the hospital since I wasnt sure if I was far along enough. Turns out I was already 8cm! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456628 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:02:29 +0000 wheres_c 456628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was nervous too but knew it was the real thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456534 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:36:14 +0000 Bao 456534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was nervous about this but oh man you will know! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456526 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:31:49 +0000 oliviaoblivia 456526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My aunt is one of those ladies that didn't know. With her fourth baby she went to her weekly and was already dilated to 8cm. She says she never really felt any pain with any of her labours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456501 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:12:36 +0000 sorrycharlie 456501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was nervous because my mom had me 14 min after arriving at the hospital !</p> <p>But like pp said, I knew when we had to go - they were strong! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456494 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:07:50 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 456494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was in denial that I was having contractions (I thought it was fake labor) until my water broke, even though I was 5 days past due. Once that happened, I thought I would be panicked, but no, I was super calm - DH was freaking out - LOL </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456462 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:43:36 +0000 heffalump 456462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. I'm one of those people who went to the hospital too early. I was having contractions 3-4 minutes apart, but they weren't strong enough to make me dilate so they sent me home and said I'd know when to come back. Obviously not..... I didn't know when to come the first time.</p> <p>So I went back when I was in crazy crazy pain I was so sure I was dilating. Nope. I stayed anyway though, I needed meds! It didn't take long at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456445 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:33:37 +0000 BelugaBean 456445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was so afraid of this but when I started having contractions, I just knew. They have a definite rise and fall to them and mine were very consistent. And I knew it was my water breaking when that happened too! My water broke at the hospital! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456428 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:29:37 +0000 lovehoneybee 456428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was worried I wouldn't know. When I went into labor I was pretty sure I knew what was going on, and when we got to 5-1-2 I went to L&amp;D...and got sent home because my contractions stopped. They picked back up with a bang before we got out of the hospital, but I had myself absolutely convinced that it wasn't real labor, because if it was real, active labor and not just early labor they would have kept me, right? </p> <p>I was in so much pain at home--I lasted like 3 hours before we went back to the hospital. I kept telling my mom and DH that I thought they'd want to send me home again but I was in so much pain that I was going to beg to be induced. When the OB on call told me I had progressed to 5cm at home my first question was "So does that mean you're not going to try to send me home again??" (In all seriousness!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456403 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:19:02 +0000 skibobrown 456403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, actually I think I did have this fear. It's so funny now b/c real labor was totally obvious. I think it's extremely rare to get all the way to the advanced stages of labor without understanding what is happening. Contractions are intense!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456398 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:17:32 +0000 hilsy85 456398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was really nervous about this...and when my water did break, I still wasn't sure it was my water! I then started to have cramps, but wasn't sure if they were contractions...but when they picked up, there was no doubt about whether they were contractions. Those suckers hurt! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/were-you-afraid-you-wouldnt-know-you-were-in-labor#post-456394 Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:16:42 +0000 pl0508 456394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Probably a totally irrational fear- but I worry if my water doesn't break I'll have NO idea I am in the early stages of labor or having contractions!! At 35 weeks every time I feel a twinge or a slight cramp I think "omg is that a contraction?!" haha! </p>