"Feeling" about labour...

All through my first pregnancy, I told myself I would be pregnant till 42w in an effort to protect my sanity toward the end especially considering everything I was told about first time mums being very likely to go over 40w. About a week before DD decided to kick off labour at 38w exactly though, I was out to dinner with my family and mentioned I felt I would probably have DD in a week or two. Not sure where the feeling came from but obviously, turned out to be accurate and because of this, my Mum and other family have been asking me on and off whether I am having any similar thoughts or ideas this time. I've always answered that I had no idea and was expecting to be pregnant right into January (and half hoping to be also so as to avoid the silly season) as I haven't had any inklings... until yesterday!

Suddenly, I am having those same week or two to go thoughts. I had an overwhelming nesting urge yesterday which resulted in some pretty insane re-organising and de-cluttering of the house and am beginning to feel very insular, like I need space and time on my own to just get my head clear and ready. It feels like my brain and body is gearing up basically.

So, anybody get these feelings? Know what spurred them? Were they correct?

I'm kind of freaking out because I don't know that I am ready just yet so kind of looking for people out there who had a feeling like this that was completely wrong haha. Somebody tell me I'm totally still going to be pregnant in January right? That I will come back and laugh at this thread! I'm only 36w 2d so I obviously want to get through this week at least (and hopefully organise a car seat asap if nothing else... oh and maybe the hospital bag). I've never been so impatient to get through the days because I have this feeling like baby is getting ready to go and I just want to keep baking that little bit longer...

With DS1 I knew about a week before my waters broke (at 28 weeks) that he was going to come early, I had this overwhelming feeling that something was going to happen, I just didn't know what. I even did google searches on premmies! But once my waters broke I knew that I had a bit of time before he actually arrived, I knew it could be any day, but I just had this feeling that he was going to make me wait lol. He arrived at 30+1.

With DS2, I got a feeling at around 25 weeks that something was wrong, I couldn't shake this feeling of being 'open'. At 26 weeks I went in to early labour which they stopped with drugs. By 27 weeks I knew that he wasn't coming any time soon, despite having contractions. At about 33 weeks I knew I didn't have much longer left and that he'd be here soon. I had everything planned, stocked up on all the non-perishables so that all DH had to do was organise DS1 and the fresh food. DS2 arrived at 34+3.

It's very interesting isn't it? I have a strong connection or mothers instinct, with both my boys, even though DS1 and I didn't bond well as a baby I still know when something is wrong before he displays any visual signs.

I didn't have any feelings with my first but certainly did with my second! He wasn't due til December 12th but I said all the way through the pregnancy that early December would be a good time - I went into labour on December 1st and he was born very early on the 2nd :D Leading up to this I didn't so much get nesting urges but I had an overwhelming need to get things 'done'. So in the weeks before he arrived I got carpets and couches cleaned, car detailed, stocked up our cupboards and freezers and also cooked lots of meals. I said to DH that I didn't even want to cook but felt like I should. I never thought that I still had weeks to go, I felt like I needed to get ready. A couple of days after I finished my waters broke! Other feelings I had were taking DH and DS out to a favourite cafe where I said this would be our last outing as a family of 3 (it was), telling DH during his days off how surprised I was that he was going back to work in a couple of days as I really thought I would have the baby that week (this was the night before my waters broke).

This is so interesting. I'm expecting my first on Feb 10 and have been thinking she will come if not early then on time- as in not go over. I've had a sudden sense of OMG I must get things ready but I suspect that's because I'm 31 weeks and have hardly organized anything!