Ok - humor me...

what were the first thing you noticed about being in labour, even if you didn't know it at the time.

I'm getting a very localised stabbing sensation to the right of my belly button, only lasts a few seconds then going.  Know its nothing... but I'm looking for distractions so I dont have to clean the house!

Waking up at about 2.30am with back ache, and strong regular contractions right from the start!

erm, my waters breaking

i slept TERRIBLY for the 2 or 3 nights before my waters broke, but that was the only thing in hindsight that could have indicated something was happening.

I had a show which it dismiss as nothing. Then more water trickling when I laughed before a major whoooosh

However that day I was unusually well.  Full of energy,  happy,  relaxed etc..

It's like the 2ww all over again isn't it HF!

I know! haha sympton spotting and all!

In hindsight, backache.  Although that was more the start of labour, rather than a symptom of impending labour, if you see what I mean.  I was still clueless though and didn't realise.  This time, I feel like I'm noticing every twinge and am on constant labour watch!

The day before I had the @rse big time and could not stop eating, I also had no motivation to do anything other than watch TV- the first physical sign was a big 'clear out' gross! I was convinced I had eaten something funny and it was that not contractions which were giving me stomach cramps......obviously I was wrong!

With big R - waters went contractions started 20 minutes later

With little R - woke up with contractions and timed them they were coming about every 7mnutes! X

The day before I had horrendous pains that shot up inside me, they were identical to some i had wth a bowel problem and as I hadn't been for a few days, thought it was that.

Awful backache was the start of mine. Then my first lot of Braxton Hicks (I hadn't had them before). Went to bed as normal and got up and ran a bath at 1am as I just didnt feel right. By 2am I was having strong contractions.

Keeping an eye on this thread, symptom spotting is definitely as bad as it was during the 2ww!!

Waters breaking!  I was due to be induced on the Tuesday, went to bed on the Monday night at 10.30pm with no indications of anything happening.  Woke up at 1am needing a wee, as I sat on the loo my waters went, 30 mins later contractions started, less than 6 hours 20 mins later M was here!

Remember so well aa ir was only 5 weeks ago 👍😆 I had diarrhea for about 2 weeks before labour then About 3 days before I had Terrible shooting pains up my front 😲😲 about 2 days before I had bad lower back that ached constantly but that stopped at about 6.00pm then I felt abso fine and was really disheartened cuz really wanted things to start as i was 4 days over and i had enough lol, but my waters went then at 2.30am and had woken me up 😆 contractions started within about 2/3 mins after they had gone. congratulations my lovely and good luck :-)