Too late. I googled it months ago when I first heard the term. Hence the “ewww” at the idea of that possibly ending up in your panties.
The only sign for me was the mucus plug as others have said - although some people also apparently have diarrhea in the few days before hand - kind of clearing out the pipes.
It’s not uncommon for first births to not drop/engage until things get moving, so I didn’t get any signs I was in labour until I got side cramping and thought I’d pulled something in yoga. Wait, these cramps are awfully regular… 40w+3d for me.
If you want to help things along - walking and sex. Not necessarily in that order.
All but one of my five kids went over (the last two were induced when they were ten days late) so apparently I didn’t walk and, well…you know, enough. 
The one (#2) that didn’t go over, well, he did go over but only by one day. He was due on the 19th of April, I saw the doctor that day who examined me and he said it would be “at least another week,” that night at midnight my water broke and he was born at 6:00 a.m. - so only 6 hours overdue.
Good luck. I loved being pregnant but the last few weeks are hard, always wondering if “this is it,” or if your water’s going to break in the grocery store, and all that.
I love babies. Teenagers - not so much.
You are obviously mentally ill, because being pregnant has been a nightmare pretty well from the beginning.
I’m confident actually having the baby will be about a million times better, 'cus there’s no way it could be worse.
I leaked for months, so not necessarily an indication of labour. 
I don’t even remember the plug coming out, the doc checked me a few days before Christmas and said I was slightly dilated but that can happen and he’d likely be right on schedule (which was supposed to be New Year’s day!). Had an achey back between then and Christmas eve which is when I woke up that morning and knew I was in labour. The pain was too regular to be anything else (well, unless it was Braxton Hicks) but I didn’t tell anyone until later that day when I didn’t think I could go through Christmas supper without having to go to the hospital lol.
Agreed, the Rockyview has a gorgeous view from their labour rooms but I’m sure you might see something from higher up at the Foothills.
You’ll miss it when it’s over. Trust me. You’ll even forget about how awful labor was and will be ready for the next one in a year or two. :eek:
I’m surprised no one has mentioned nesting urges. I went a bit batty for a week or so before having my little one. I was bound and determined to tie up all loose ends around the house. We bought a new flat screen TV to replace our old buzzing one and an SUV just days before my daughter’s early arrival.
The day I went into labor was the worst. I got a sudden urge to walk. I wanted this baby out now, goshdarnit and I had heard walking was good. My husband and I drove into town and walked for a few hours, got dinner, and did our best to enjoy what little time we had left with it being just the two of us. I started having slight back pains by the time we left and had by hubby drive home - just thought I had overdone the walking.
When we got home I went into total Mama Bear mode. I washed and put away all of my daughter’s clothes, regardless of the size. I don’t care if that one is for a 12 month old baby, it’s for MY BABY and she needs it cleaned and put away!! I hung up all of her pretty little pictures and wall hangings, even hung two small shelves. I got pissed at my husband when he insisted on stopping at 11 to go to bed. By 11:30 I started having cramping. By 1:00 by water had broken and off we went to the hospital.
On another note…I lost my mucous plug just a day or two before going into labor.
Good luck! Here’s hoping you get to meet your little one soon - just not *too *soon!
I was two weeks late and felt during the day thati had an upset stomach. So I went in and they said I was 3 cm. Yes, I was induced after about 9 hours of nothing.
Wow - you’re a pretty bold fate-tempter, aintcha?
I’ve been puking for 10 months, hospitalized with breathing problems, covered in rashes, had a constant migraine headache the entire time, on top of all the regular pregnancy stuff.
Believe me, even if just the migraines stop it will be better.
And yah, I’m not expecting to miss it. Not at all, particularly the obnoxious people who insist you just MUST sit down, regardless of if you’re more comfortable that way or not. Oh well, I guess if it makes THEM more comfortable I should just suck it up, right? :rolleyes:
I’m so jealous of those of you who lost your mucous plug and went into labor so soon after. With my son, I lost it about 2 weeks before hand - had bloody show and everything, but dammit - nothing happened! Same with my little girl. I was so excited, thinking, “Today’s the day!” every day. Finally, The Day came, but it was a long time coming.
I guess that’s just another example of how different pregnancy and labor is for everyone. I also thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant with both of mine, although toward the end of my first pregnancy, I was practically sperical (had undiagnosed preeclampsia, I think, which blossomed to eclampsia post delivery - wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy) and had huge, puffy, sore feet. With my daughter, I managed to get through the whole thing without even waddling or swelling. Sometimes I’m sad that my daughter is my last, barring any accidents, of course. I loved that she seemed to have a personality even before she came out!
One part I really liked once the babies emerged was that it was no longer “all about me”
I guess I’m more of a private person than I had thought - and it was so nice to fade back into the background. Family and strangers can fuss over the baby, instead of the grouchy pregnant woman.
I had really easy pregnancies, and I still was very, very glad to have it over and done with. I can’t even imagine struggling through with “extra” problems like migraines. Good on you Alice.
Poor Alice! I didn’t realize you were having such problems!
Hope baby comes soon and you’re feeling better!
And those of you who think a little mucous in your panties is worth having a nervous breakdown over must have NO IDEA of the goop involved in delivering a baby!
So true. Apparently there was a bucket under the table collecting the blood that I was losing (episiotomy gone bad). My poor husband, who had valiantly stayed upright through the whole labour and pushing, was almost sidelined by that sight. Thankfully, I did not have to witness the bloodbath.
Also, good on you **Alice **for getting this far with all that to cope with! I didn’t particularly enjoy pregnancy, but I had no reason to really complain. I hope it doesn’t go on too much longer
My advice is the old standby - you’ll start to feel funny. Just … off. I woke up just after midnight feeling like something was different, had diarrhea, and then woke up every half hour or so, just feeling odd, the rest of the night. The rhythmic period-style cramping came later that morning, I started timing contractions at 9ish, went to the hospital at 11, delivered at 3:30 pm. I also had a miserable pregnancy, just as sick as one can be without actually having any treatable medical problems, and labor was an absolute breeze, compared to pregnancy. And, bonus awesome, I felt like myself again two hours later. I even ate dinner! You’ll be able to eat again! Yay being almost done with pregnancy!
We should start a pool. I’m predicting you’ve got another 3 weeks to go.
Having said that, everyone’s labor is different. Once you’ve had a couple you might recognize your own symptoms but, barring that, everything else is just guessing. The mucus plug can be a good indicator–with my third child I lost mine and walked into the hospital within 24 hours at 8 cm dialated, but with the first two I never noticibly lost it at all and had to be induced at 1 and 1 1/2 weeks past due, respectively.
Being pregnant and miserable sucks, but it is a temporary state, despite how it may feel when you’re crouched over a toilet for the sixth time in one day because you had the nerve to drink a glass of water (been there, not fun). However, my advice would be to avoid induction if at all possible. I waited until 2 weeks past due before the third one finally decided to show up, without induction, and that labor was so much smoother, less painful, and less drawn out than the other two. (36 hours, 15 hours, 5 hours).
Best of luck!
Oh yes - baby and I have had a discussion and agreed that he will NOT be lingering around long enough to require an induction.
I don’t know ANYONE who has a nice induction story.
Unfortunately, my baby did not listen to me when I made a similar request and was induced when I was 10 days past my due date.
Fortunately, my induction wasn’t that bad. I wouldn’t say it was nice (do many people decribe their baby’s birth as nice?), but it really was nothing like I expected. It took less than 12 hours, and because I had an epidural, I whiled away most of the labour reading a book. The only complication came with the episiotomy, but that could have happened without the induction.
Just wanted to let you know that inductions aren’t all bad.
No labor stories, just wanted to say good luck.
I enjoyed both my pregnancies for the most part, but I know I was pretty damned lucky.
Good Luck Alice!