Labour?

Hi ladies, I have just discovered this website and 1 day overdue!! Anyway, I am planning a natural water birth - if this baby comes this week. Otherwise I will be heading for induction! I have no idea what the pain is like, how will you know your in labour? I have had no show, no waters breaking etc. i am now fully engaged and the last week had like period pain ache low down in my belly, but that is all. I get excited that something is going to start and then nothing. I was awake 2 hours in the middle of the night with my whole tummy aching, not cramping, just uncomfortable ache.    Do you get signs before labour, or can it just happen? Some people are saying - it will happen tonight, but when you feel nothing all day, I doubt it will happen that night. Or can it just happen?
Thanks for the advice and sorry for all the questions.

Pregnancy has too many variables!! I also heard most labour starts at night?

My first labour, I had false labour for several weeks before I went into real labour... the contractions just never got regular. It was such a terrible experience.

My second labour, I had quite a backache and then that night I went into labour, regular contractions straight away.

Unfortunately there is no predicting it! I did get a show both times, but first pregnancy was about 4 days before I went into proper labour, and the second time I had a show once I was IN labour.

ETA: I ended up having my waters broken both times after being in labour for a while, so that's not really an indicator either, unfortunately!

Edited by LittleBug

Just have to thread jack for a second - Is it obvious from the first contraction that that's what's happening, or did you have to have a couple more just to be sure? Probably a stupid question, but seeing as I've never had them...

Welcome to Ohbaby, both mine were completely different. One was days of build up, the other caught us all on the hop, no build up at all, no major BH's either!

Jelly, Yeah you know the real ones!

I couldn't mistake mine - my waters broke at 3.30am (I was getting up to go to the loo). First contraction not long afterwards. I had no indication whatsoever until my waters broke (but was only 33w4d). I had my show once contractions were every 5ish minutes later that morning.

With my first I had false labour for 10 days, niggles and pains but when the real contractions started I knew because the pain was so much more intense, in fact they woke me at 4.30am. I got up and started to time them, ringing my midwife at 6am when they were about 6 minutes apart.

With my son I had a really bad backache all night, I eventually got sick of it, had a hot shower and went to bed, got up at 1.30 to go loo and realised I was in labour.

I guess its not till you actually go into labour you know what it feels like but I liken contractions to someone having your uterus wrapped in cloth and they are squeezing the cloth tighter and tighter till the pain is all over your tummy and sometimes into your back then it all eases only to start again.

gosh so many variables, I guess you never know. Over the last week I have had period ache low in tummy, but otherwise nothing - I just hope it hurry's up soon.
If you go overdue, how long tends to be normal??? What will they not let you go past if pregnancy is normal?

Agree with T_Rex (I agree with you a lot )

At Antenatal they said that the average to go overdue is 9-10 days.

 

And yes it is the weirdest ever head spae to be in, wondering if this little person will come out of you today or not.

I have been wondering too what it feels like! are they all over tummy or just at top or bottom or what! so much unknowns. have had braxton hicks and the period type cramping so will know is different i guess...