I didn't realise I was in labour with DS1. It started just after midnight. I tried to sleep through it, then realised by 3am that the discomfort was coming 7 minutes apart. i just went back to bed and rocked on my side. When DH woke about 6am, i mentioned something was happening. Our midwife was there about 8am, we transferred about 9:30am and DS was born at 9:15pm. i didn't sleep after birthing started, but just resting helped later on, despite the exhaustion.