37 weeks pregnant with baby #2 this week. I went to the doctor on Monday and was already 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced, so it could be anytime really. I’m starting to get REALLY nervous and anxious! I was induced with baby #1 at 37 weeks so I never went through the classics labor signs. What should I be on the lookout for (other than water breaking and contractions)??(Slightly panicking because I know it’s coming soon)
17 Likes
I had back aches because I apparently only have back labor. No one ever told me that was a sign. My first baby I was only 18, I didn’t even know back labor was a thing. And both times my water broke uo high so it wasn’t a gush like in the movies. It was a slow trickle and I thought I was peeing. My first was almost 6 when I had my second. I was told back labor probably wouldn’t happen again, but it did.
1 Like
I have six and every single one of my pregnancies was different when I went in labor with each one of my kids… you will know I promise you you will know when it’s time… GOOD LUCK HUN:smiling_face_with_three_hearts:
1 Like
Low back pain, tightness of lower abdominal muscles that doesn’t go away, the urge to poo, sometimes diarrhea, mucus plug should be gone by now, not everyone’s water breaks til active labor different then just labor but look for leaking, sometimes spotting (not always), contractions stronger than Braxton hicks that get more intense and do not go away
Contractions at least five minutes apart for at least an hour. Contractions can also appear as really bad lower back pain. Doubled over from pain. Obviously if your water breaks you should go. Since it is your second you could see faster progression of your symptoms so definitely do not hesitate.
With my 2nd child I went to my OB thinking that I had a UTI because i had a burning feeling when peeing and I had back pain. Turns out my fluid was leaking and I went into labor on my own a few hours later (supervised in the hospital)
When I lost my mucus plug, I wasn’t even sure that’s what it was because it seemed less solid than pics I’d seen. A few days later I went into back labor and tried to treat it like gas at first lol. I didn’t know.
My contractions started coming in waves a full day before my daughter was actually born. I went to the hospital when I couldn’t handle them anymore…but that was around 6am and my baby didn’t come til 1:05 the following morning. This was my first though, so it might be faster for you.
My water didn’t break til that afternoon, when I was already admitted. And that was a good thing because it had a ton of meconium, so they were able to monitor her through the rest of delivery.
True contractions have a start, climax and end phase like an arc and you are unable to do anything else while having them. They’re not always painful but it’s like you have to stop. I have always felt like I was on drugs once real labor started.
I was also induced with both my kids. So I have no advice. I just came to say if you think you are in labor or think your water broke always go to the doctor or labor and delivery. They won’t think you are stupid or paranoid this is literally what they are there. Also after so long of your water breaking you can get an infection so be careful. Good luck mama.
diarrhea, bloody mucus, spotting, lower back pain
My labor started with my second at 31 weeks theu started out like constipation pains for about the first couple of hours around 7pm when they started then got worse an felt more like hammering pains my water broke after that an he was born at 12:35am
Just had my first baby almost a month ago and my OB told me to follow the 5-1-1 rule- contractions that come every 5 minutes, lasting one minute each, for at least 1 hour- at this point I was to call the hospital. I did end up needing to be induced so I didn’t experience any signs of labor outside of the hospital.
I was 2 c.m and paper thin at 37 weeks. Went passed 40 weeks. Look when you wipe. That was the only way I seen my mucus plug. I also had a lot of discharge.
It’s really different for everyone. I’ve had 6 living and 2 angels and I’ve still never seen my bloody show. I loss my mucus plug through out my 3rd trimesters. Only baby I went into my own labor with was my 2nd and I just felt weird that day. I went to the ER and they kept trying to send me home but I lived an hour away and wasn’t wasting the gas when something just felt off. And then I felt pain. All over my body. I was just in pain. I was dilating. And they found I was dilating 1 cm every hour and still they were trying to send me home. I refused. 9 hours later I had my baby. I begged for relief, the pain was worse than induction. When they finally were going to give me relief they noticed my water broke down my leg (I felt nothing but intense pain) they had to check it so they sent away my relief and it had to be reordered after and I had to wait again. I hate how they don’t consider one in labor unless you’re at least 6cm. My body doesn’t do the 3cm thing weeks before delivery. It barely does 1cm by the time I’m induced and I’ve had to have the balloon once. That was the absolute worst pain EVER.
Lower back pain, with my 2 kids I never lost my mucus plug or water breaking etc I woke up with both at 4-5am with so much back pain and then contractions were full blown after 30 mins.
Don’t count on your waters breaking I just had my second baby naturally (first was induced) was adamant I wasn’t that far into labour … She was born 30 mins later in her water sac 
I went into labour at 37 weeks and I knew I just felt off before I started getting contractions, I couldn’t eat like I wanted to, and i was just tired and didn’t want to do anything. I drank raspberry tea that day and it’s started labour in about 30 minutes an had my son the next day. Definitely don’t recommend anything that’s mentioned to start labour tho.
It could still be another 3 weeks before you go into actual labor. I’ve been in preterm labor since 29 weeks, dialating & effacing already since then. I’m 34 weeks now. So it can literally still be a while unfortunately
When in doubt check it out. Notify family when you get to hosp, and make sure,
mucus plug comes out "bloody show " or if you’re having contractions for an hour or more
my waters never broke for any of my babies, my first 2 were natural labor(not induced) and i was 9cms when i went in with baby #2, they broke my water and he was born 10minutes later, baby 1 they broke my water at 8cms, he was born very quickly after, baby number 3 they broke my water at 7cm and it took a few hours after for him to come
For me it felt like a cramp that started in my back and moved to my stomach. But was worse then my period cramps and would come more and more frequent
Back pain felt like a Sledgehammer in my back and I was whiny very emotional lol but with my first child I had contractions in the front like cramps.
Everyone is different. At 37 weeks I was 4cm. I gave birth 39+5. You can just google the symptoms and see what comes up as you progress lol. There’s no way to tell what your symptoms will be. But when it does happen, you will most likely know!
I was 3cm dilated 70% effaced for weeks with my 3rd. Dilation literally means nothing with out active labor Contractions