FIRST TIME MOMS - When you went into actual labor how did . . .?

Question

you know it was the real thing? I've heard stories of women showing up at the hosptial 2, 3 even 4 times with false labor. How did you know for sure it was the real thing?

Like if your water does not break, I know some women have to have their water broken at the hospital.

Answer 1

My water broke

Answer 2

Getting closer to your due date, you'll feel kind of back side cramping, after you feel this you'll know what it is, when the pain or sensations are closer and more often, go to the Hospital, they need to check you, I am pretty sure that if your contractions are close apart, you will stay, your water can break any where, but if you go to the hospital with still the contraction your water will break at the hospital.
When the contractions are not like 5 or 3 minutes apart, they will send you back home.
Walk a lot, this will help,and do the butterflies exercise at home, sit on the floor, your feet plants facing , hold them with your hands and move your knees up and down like wings, this will help the birth canal to be more ready.
Good luck!, and don't worry...you will be in good hands.

Answer 3

At first I didn't know. I thought I was just having Braxton Hicks. However, the pains were very regular (I could time them at about 12 minutes apart when I first started thinking I was in labor) and over time they continued to be regular and closer together. It felt, to me, like period cramps. For about an hour before my water broke I continuously felt I had to pee and kept getting up to go, to only have just a trickle. When my water broke, at first it was just a little bit and then there was a lot. My doctor told me I couldn't wait for my water to break because some women have a gush but some women have only a tiny trickle and you might not notice.

Answer 4

I had contractions for about two weeks prior to going into real labor, so while I didn't go to the hospital for false labor, I thought a bunch of times that "this was it" when it wasn't. That being said, I knew when it was real labor. Why? In the weeks prior, I'd have sets of contractions but they were erratic and they'd stop after an hour or two. Real labor was consistent -- it started at 20 minutes apart, an hour later they jumped to 10 minutes apart, then after about 4-5 hours at 10 minutes apart, they jumped to 1-3 minutes apart for the rest of my labor.

As for pain, the intensity of contractions also grew as they got closer together. However, I wouldn't use this solely as a way to know if you're in real labor or not. The pains I had when my baby dropped, about a week before I went into labor, were worse than real contractions. I felt them in the same vicinity of contractions and each lasted 1-2 minutes, but they were stabbing pains that felt like I was being ripped apart. Luckily these only happened a handful of times. :) Real contractions feel a lot like menstrual cramps and/or diarrhea cramps. As they progress they get much more intense but they still have that sort of sensation to them.

So, if your contractions are getting closer together and stronger in intensity, you're probably in real labor. :)

Answer 5

I went 2 times!!! And was SUPER disappointed when I didnt go home with a baby...... I think I knew for sure when the contractions lasted all day.

The first 2 times I jumped! Thinking that it was time now! then rushed to the hospital just to be sent home:( I finally got sick of going to the hospital, that when it happenned again, I waited around the house all day, and when I couldnt take the pain anymore, I finally went. and went home with a baby!

So I guess what I'm getting at is- JUST wait. I know your excited, and want it now, but wait. It's better then being sent home!

But with your second one, you know FOR SURE!

Answer 6

I was induced at 41 weeks with my first. Glad I was, it was nice having a nice peaceful drive to the hospital ( which was 35 mins away where I was going) instead of a panic striken mad dash rush! They broke my water there...not painful...I had epidural though and being induced was great! If I had a choice I would do it for my second.

Answer 7

Well, with the two kids I went into labor on my own with, labor began with my water breaking, so it was pretty obvious. So, if you have a huge, huge gush of water, it's probably the real thing . LOL

Answer 8

I went into labor with my daughter on Christmas Day. I was just finished eating dinner and had to go to the bathroom. It felt alot like cramps that you get with diarrhea, and I kept having to go #2. I thought it was just something I ate, but the pain kept getting worse. We called the doctor and he asked if the pain was enough that I was doubled over. It wasn't, so I decided to go for a walk. Halfway down the street, I got a really bad pain that caused me to double over. That's when I knew it was for real. Merry Christmas to me!

Answer 9

You will know... first child my water broke ( how easy it that) the second I start feeling pain and it was getting stronger and stronger. Those contractions did not feel like braxton hicks they feel more intense. No worries. You will know and then you head to the hospital. GL to you.

BTW, can you vote for my daughter? She is a finalist in a national contest. Thx
http://www2.snapfish.com/viewsinglevote/contestname=Happily+Ever+After/contestentryoid=1158301/a=80724461

Answer 10

I had several signs that things were different. For one thing, I had several slightly loose BM's. Instead of being warm-natured, I suddenly became cold-natured. Then I passed the mucus plug. My water never did break until I was pushing, so don't wait for that to happen.