I had pain in my lower back and lower belly could not sleep.. Could not walk do to baby putting presser down below..Alot of contractions that would never go away..Hard to say what will happen it's diffrent every time im pg with #4 due 9/20/06 so will see if this one will be diffrent I never had my water brake at home ever the doc had to brake mine..
Well good luck and hope you get some more info...

I didin;t know I was in labour till my water broke, I thouhgt I had just been feeling crampy all day-lol

Well I have been feeling some crampiness in my lower abdomen for the past 5 days but it's kind of like the cramps you get at the beg of your period. They get worse with contractions. I have been having braxton 's for about 4 months and just in the past couple weeks they have been a lot stronger!!! Could it be I am dialating???? Sorry to ask so many questions I am just eager to have this baby already!!! I know from my dr visits he is a good size already so hopefully he will come soon.
Jordan

That's one of my biggest fears... Whether or not i'll know i'm going into labor. I'm terrified that I won't know until it's too late to get an epidural. Lol.

Anyway, good luck, jordan. Sorry, I can't give you advice, but I can send good thoughts your way!

Jordan: how many weeks are you??

I'm 38.3 or something like that...I lost count!!! It's been tooo damn long! But anyways, maybe you could talk to your .Dr about induction. At 37 weeks my cervix was efface at 25 going on 50% and I would soon start to dialate.

I told my .Dr I wanted to go natural all the way, including a drug free birth. I want everything to come on it's own...(.I.E: water breaking and labor starting) I also told him I don't an episotomy, i'd rather tear. There's actually less blood loss from a tear than a cut.(depending on the severity) I told him I would only allow an episitomy if there was 'shoulder distocia' if the baby gets stuck at the shoulders!

As far as labor pains and braxton hicks, i've only experienced light cramping on either side of groin. Never both sides at the same time. Which is a common sign of a braxton hick. I have a .Dr appt tomorrow and i'm hoping i'm dialated at least 1cm.

Good .Luck!!!!

Sarah

You're a brave lady, sarah. Lol. I have a lot of awe for people who are completely natural, but I just can't do it.

Everyone,

i went to a dr's appt yesterday and still no dialation!!! But he said I am thinning out and even recomended an induction at 39 weeks if my cervix is favorable then which he thinks it will be. I think I might take him up on that offer because on top of having a small pelvis (and my husband's family likes to have 9lb babies) I was in a car accident when I was 16 ( i'm 23 now) and fractured my pelvis right on the left side of the wall where it seperates to let the baby through in 3 diff places. Sorry if that sounds confusing . Anyways the past month I have been getting horrible pain in my left upper thigh similar to the pain I had for a year after my accident and it is because I also crushed a part of a nerve so everytime I bend a certain way or even strain a little to go to the bathroom (sorry) it hits me like a ton of bricks. Soooo my dr has already suggested getting an epidural because he thinks it is really going to hurt when I have to push this 8lb baby out. Thanks for everyones replys!!! Sarah--i am 38 weeks 1 day.
Jordan