Hellobee Boards

With me first it was the same as you, my water broke and then contractions started just over an hour later.
With my second, 8i was having light cramping irregularly during the morning that made me think something might be starting. Then contractions became very regular and very strong right off the bat. There was no denying it was labour.
Also, my first labor was 5 hours from contractions to delivery, my second was about 3.5 hours from timeable contractions to delivery. So not a huge difference.

I felt the same way! But when it was time I knew.

With my first my water broke and contractions started but it was 24 hours until baby came. Really slow and steady. Lots of time to think and get ready.

Number two I head two weeks of false labor on and off. I called the midwives twice thinking maybe things were starting, but contractions always fizzled out. The day he came I got home from work and had 20 minutes to clean the kitchen and start dinner but contractions started and I just knew it was real this time. Much more intense. It was about 5 hours from first contraction to baby. But 15 minutes from transition to baby and i only pushed twice (lo1 I pushed for 3 hours). I was glad I called everyone when I did. There was just enough time to get everything in order.

When my water broke!

For #1, I wasn't really sure for the longest time. I had back labor, so all my contractions were located in my lower back and I wasn't really sure what was happening at first. I spent hours on Hellobee asking people what was going on! But as the contractions got stronger and closer together, it was pretty obvious I was in labor (Hellobee ladies confirming it for me helped).

With #2, it was basically the exact same thing, except the contractions started off harder and closer together and increased in frequency quicker than the first time around. After about an hour, I knew I was in labor, but I still had plenty of time to get my stuff together and get to the hospital!

My water has never broken on its own. With both DD1 and DD2, it basically just felt more like period cramps that were definitely timeable (how long and how often). The rule of thumb given to me for DD1 was to go to the hospital when I couldn't walk/talk through them. I followed that rule with DD2 and showed up at the hospital 10cm and ready to push - ha!

@smurfette: i was GBS+ for DD2 and my entire labor was only 2.5h long from the first tiny contraction to a baby in my arms. So clearly I didn't get there 4+ hrs in advance for the antibiotics -- and actually didn't have time to get any. We just had to stay for 48h so DD2 could be monitored. I'm GBS+ this time, too, so I'll try to get to the hospital a bit earlier than last time to get the antibiotics, but you can only do what you can do!

My water broke when I got up at 7 am, so we went to the hospital. But active labour only started in late afternoon!

With DD, I woke up with contractions that kept getting closer together and more painful. With DS, I was induced.

@smurfette: nope! I can't remember the exact stats but basically antibiotics sig reduce the chances of baby getting sick but even without them, the odds are only like 1:200 or something. So we just had to stay the full 48h just in case she came down with it. She didn't! now that's not to say I didn't worry about it for a week and feel really guilty that I didn't get the medicine in time!

The first time my water broke. The second time my contractions became pretty obvious and I was able to time them. And btw my labor didn't go much quicker than the first time - 26 vs 22 hours.

@KayKay: this makes me feel better!

My water didn't break - it was the contraction + pain that came and go all through the night. It wasn't quite 5 minutes apart so I waited at home for 18 hours, timing the contractions the whole time with my iphone (yes there are apps for that lol). When it was 5 minutes apart I called my husband to tell him to come home from work, and we went in I was 7cm dilated. About 6 hours later my child was born.