Belle - labour is wonderful (yes, I know I am nuts ) and nothing to be feared!! In most cases of natural labour commencement, the contractions actually start out quite mild and increase slowly. You (usually) have many hours before meeting your baby and each contraction brings you one step closer.
My labour with DS took me almost 3 hours to recognise I was in labour I had one contraction at midnight and 1am. At 2am I started to think this might be something They then moved to every 20 minutes, the every 7, then every 4. I was 4cm dilated at 6am, 7 cm at 8am.
With DD (third labour) - they were intense and rapid after 2-3 weeks of pre-labour (none with DS). She was posterior and contractions were close from the beginning. She was born 2.5 hours after being 2cm dilated (4 hour labour). The lead up to her labour resulted in me calling DH home from work 2 days before she was born - I was convinced she was going to arrive!!
Enjoy your last few days of pregnancy and the little person moving inside you. Be excited that labour means you will soon meet your little one - and that is an amazing thing Good luck!!
Thanks for sharing your experience Michelle. Trying to learn as much about labour as possible but feel really unprepared. Have GD so been told bub could arrive sooner than later. My ob is away for 2 weeks and I have so much to prepare!
I have been reading birth stories, Lulu. Trying to conquer my fear My mum came from overseas for the birth but had to go away unexpectedly, so feeling alone and vulnerable. Oh well, I'll get there.
I had GD for both of my earth babies too You will be great - enjoy each minute. They fly by so very fast.
As Nelle said - you are more likely to go into labour at night (exactly what happened with DS, DD was a midday start but she always has been different ) which means your DH will have the added joy of being jabbed in the ribs at some ungodly hour by you saying "I think it's time"
Most first labours take a little while to get going so it's very unlikely your partner wont be able to get to you in time.
I had a day of pre labour then 17 hours of labour - 9 of those were at hospital so I had hours and hours at home. It got fully going at night like often happens so my worries of my then partner not being around were all for nothing.
Once you go into labour you just sort of go with it - prepared or not - there is no turning back. I think a lot of women dont' feel prepared for labour, and lots that do feel prepared for it (like I did) suddenly don't feel prepared at all once it actually starts.
My one piece of advice for you is to understand what they mean by "do you feel ready to push yet?" I felt like an idiot (but a very relieved idiot) when I realised I'd been ready to push for ages, but the pressure was not where I expected it to be.
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I'm going to St Vincent's. I'm getting really scared at the thought of labour
) and nothing to be feared!! In most cases of natural labour commencement, the contractions actually start out quite mild and increase slowly. You (usually) have many hours before meeting your baby and each contraction brings you one step closer.
I had one contraction at midnight and 1am. At 2am I started to think this might be something
They then moved to every 20 minutes, the every 7, then every 4. I was 4cm dilated at 6am, 7 cm at 8am.
Good luck!!
My mum came from overseas for the birth but had to go away unexpectedly, so feeling alone and vulnerable. Oh well, I'll get there.
You will be great - enjoy each minute. They fly by so very fast.
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