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I was sitting in the DMV while my husband was taking his motorcycle endorsement test (he had a midlife crisis while I was prego and bought a Harley). I was wearing a sundress and all of the sudden my seat got warm and I thought I peed myself ( water didn't break with the first). To freaked out to move, I waited for my husband to help me up. (the ladies were really nice and cleaned the mess)

On the way to the hospital, he told me he was hungry and decided to stop for coney dogs. I was really hungry to...so I ate the dog. I'm not sure if the heartburn or the contractions were worse.

With my first I knew the baby was breech and we had already scheduled a c-section. Then a week before I started feeling crappy, just tired and not very energetic. The Friday before I had my hair cut and was getting sharp pains and back pain that now were probably early labor. By Sunday we went out to dinner and and the end of the meal, I had a horrible time getting comfortable. I later realized this was labor and we had to go to the hospital - I was worried I would have to be put under because I had just eaten and knew I would be getting a spinal, but everything turned out fine. I had already lost my mucus plug a few weeks before because of an internal exam.

With my second, I had another c-section scheduled several weeks in advance. At 37 weeks I decided I wanted to do a VBAC. My section date came and went, which made me happy that baby still was baking and I hadn't had her early than she wanted to be born. :) That week I had an internal exam and they determined there was NOTHING going on down there; I was so bummed.

Fast forward a full week - I had trouble sleeping that night because my back was killing me and I couldn't get comfortable. I tried getting down on all fours, changing positions, nothing worked. Then I had to go to the bathroom and had loose stool at like 4 a.m., which I thought was really weird. Then the back pain intensified and I realized I was in labor. I managed to take a shower, shave my legs and go to the grocery store all while contracting regularly and even with some back labor LOL which felt *great* while confined in my seat belt in the car OMG. The lady at the grocery store asked, "Are you due?" Through clenched teeth I'm sure I looked really polite when I whispered "Yes!" and rudely walked away so I could pace. LOL

They broke my water in the hospital but apparently my water was already bulging, so it was only a matter of time. I don't think I ever really lost my plug with that pregnancy; it may have come out gradually. I remember before going into the hospital feeling like crying for no reason - I wasn't in pain at the moment - and then slightly nauseated. I knew it was time to go in then! LOL She was born three hours later. :)

OK, that was really long. Sorry. :>

PS. 39w2d with number 1, 39w5d with number 2

I had my son on a Wednesday, but started feeling labor symptoms around Sunday. I had light contractions Sunday and Monday, lost a lot of mucus and had some discharge. On Tuesday my contractions came on a lot stronger. They started out about 10 minutes apart and by the late afternoon they were 5 minutes apart. I decided this was probably the real deal and that I should head to the hospital. I took a shower and after I got out and dressed, I started to have this really wet feeling. I thought it was more discharge but as I moved around more, I felt little gushes. (turns out that was my water breaking) I got the hospital Tuesday evening, and had my son at 6:32 am Wednesday morning by c-section. He was born 4 days before his due date.

I had incredibly painful cramps (later learned these were contractions). They started early in the morning (they felt like menstrual cramps) at first they were not that bad. I told my mom (I was 3 weeks past due at this point) and we figured I was going to have the baby. I was told that first pregnancies meant LONG labors, so I went to the casino to waste time. As it turns out the contractions got worse very quickly, and I spent a lot of time sitting at the slot machine trying to put on a brave face and look normal (I was terrified they would kick me out if they knew). After about 2 hours I left and decided to get ready to go to the hospital.

My biggest mistake was assuming that I would shave my legs, and prepare myself to be "seen" while in labor. I planned on painting my toe nails, etc, etc. Now that I know how painful child birth really is, I will do these things beforehand!

You sound like you are very close! The most surprising thing I learned about childbirth is that the part you think is going to hurt the worst (pushing the baby out) is not bad at all. Contractions, however, are horrible! I did not have any meds- I am sure if you do then you will not think of contractions as half bad!

Congrats!

Well, It was saturday and I was actually packing our bags to go to the hospital that tuesday to be induced, and my mother was over helping me decided what all i needed to take when I realized I didnt have everything I needed, and I was still decorating our baby's room (needed curtains) when we decided to go have lunch and go to Walmart. Well my husband got off work at 5pm and met us at the store, and while we were looking at some cute little onsies in the baby section, my water broke.. I didnt believe it at first (just thought It was more normal discharge) I decided to go to the bathroom, well before I could get back to my husband I had to go back to the bathroom... (still in delusions about what had happened because there was no way my water had broke lol ) Well finally I made it back and told him and my mother what had happened. It was the funniest sight ever. I didnt even make it to the front of the store before my jeans were completely soaked... Went home to take a shower (dont ask me why I just had to have one) and then left for the hospital. After waiting forever it seemed to get into my room, I then found out I was only 1/2cm dilated!!!! Tried to do things naturally until 9pm got a shot of pain meds, at 11pm got the epidural (which I orginally refused) slept throught the worst contractions, was fully dilated at 7am they called my dr and, our baby girl was born at 8:am.

Sigh...

At 39+1 I was given a membrane sweep as I had beginnings of preeclampsia. Cue lots of streaking and two days of contractions which didn't start labour properly.

At 39+3 I was induced, baby born six hours after labour started. I was quite happy that I was already 3cm when I went in to be induced though. It meant I didn't need prostin gel, I just needed ARM and syntocin drip.

I never wanted any of this, but at least I got a lovely wee boy out of it!

Well. my labor sucked, I had whats called Prodromal Labor. after having contractions, real good strong ones, for 9 days and it not doing much (i was only at a 4 at the end), my doctor wouldn't do anything cuz labor started at 36+5. my water broke at 38 weeks exactly I was so exhausted at this point that even without an epidural i fell asleep while pushing. my daughter was born 2 hours after my water broke.