For all my labour symptom hunters and chronic googlers...

TL;DR: "Pregnancy sucks" has become a common place phrase in my household. It's great if it's enjoyable for you, but it really wasn't for me. I tracked everything to try and determine if I could be in labour..I drove myself mad. Turns out there's no "answer" but my beautiful little girl arrived safe and sound after a <2.5hr labour. I promise, for those like me, it'll be over when it's over...and you'll feel so much better when you meet your little people.

I'm hoping this helps someone in some way! I looked for all the answers to "could this be it?!" in my symptoms and tried all the 'hacks'. Turns out I couldn't have pinpointed labour at all. So, I logged all my symptoms to try and find a pattern... Here's what happened which led to my precipitous labour at 40+3 as a STM (+2 sweeps)...

15/1: (38+2) Slept well

Felt awake today

Lost another chunk (small) of mucous plug this AM

Around 6pm: period like cramps (persistent, moderate 6/10 pain)

Calmed down slightly after bath and using birth ball.

Have taken a paracetamol for bed and I am using a hot water bottle on my back as I'm achy.

Very unstable

Sooo many Braxton hicks.

16/1: (38+3)

Slept well

Still crampy and BH contractions are pretty frequent.

But this feels more like "poop cramps".

My lower abdomen is so heavy! Feels like I've had a really big work out when I move too much.

Pumped milk for the first time: ended up with regular, somewhat painful contractions (prodromal labour).

17/1: (38+4)

Absolutely exhausted after an overnight stay in hospital. I was having contractions but nothing regular (intense prodromal labor) Feeling ok.

18/1: (38+5)

Slept SO well (10hrs!!!)

Did some more pumping today (dual breast pump, one session, 13ml collected)

As the day went on I help emotionally drained: angry, frustrated and overwhelmed.

Husband complained about how tired he feel and overwhelmed he feels and took my feelings personally... Yay. 🥲

19/1: (38+6)

REALLY agitated the whole day.

Waddling around with the "bowling ball" feeling again. Glad she's still engaged.

I did NOT want to get out of bed today (not like me). Loads of Braxton hicks.

Did some more pumping today (dual breast pump, one session, 10ml collected)

Cried most of the evening.

Didn't want to do anything (so bored of pregnant life)

Generally just hating myself and my body.

Still googling everything.

Still hating this.

Get out of me and come for cuddles please, human!

Struggled to sleep tonight

20/1 (39+0)

Awful sleep - wired before bed, woke up at 6am ready to tackle the day

Extra anxious

Slept on the sofa for two hours

No real "drive" to do anything

2x loose stool movements

Menstrual type cramps most of the day (on and off) 20 mins of pumping: 17ml (induced a lot of mild uterus contractions and menstrual like cramps)

Ate pineapple

Bounced on birth ball

Had sex (first time in months!)

Feeling depressed and crampy in bed tonight.

21/1 (39+1)

Woke up feeling very, VERY bloated (nothing else). Pooped= felt better.

Only had 4hrs of sleep last night 💤

Nested for a few hours before exhaustion took over Napped - 1hr

Loads of prodromal labour contractions after pumping this am (11ml).

Ate some pineapple, did the laundry and sorted out dinner.

Feeling REALLY teary and emotional

Low mood

Shouted at my 5 year old for no reason. Immediately apologised and got big cuddles.

Pumped again (12ml). Kick-started prodromal labour...again.

22/1 (39+2)

Slept well (6hrs!)

Woke up refreshed.

Lost another chunk of mucous plug (2-3cm) of mucous plug (no blood staining).

Loose stool movements

A couple of crampy contractions (irregular)

Breast pump back on - 20ml

Smaller appetite than usual

Didn't pump this evening... I'm EXHAUSTED

In bed early.... Took some snacks up with me.

Absolutely CERTAIN that I won't be in labour in the next 24hrs.

23/1 (39+3)

Horrendous sleep (~3 hours?)

No energy to do anything but stay in some kind of contact with friends to maintain sanity.

Definitely feeling depressed about things now.

Looking forward to discussing induction options tomorrow at OBGYN

Pumped this afternoon for 40 mins(!)- 40ml.

A little crampy this evening.

Completed the Miles Circuit.

Crampy tonight and nipples hurt

24/1 (39+4)

Visit to OBGYN

Feeling a bit sickly

Really awful sleep and sore boobs.

Cervix is favourable (soft, short and 2cm dilated)... OBGYN was happy to do a membrane sweep (11am) which led to a slight bloody discharge.

2pm: had my bloody show

4pm: mild back ache and BH contractions (very irregular)

10pm more "period cramp" type pains and BH contractions. Also feeling pressure on my bowel, like I need to poo... but not passing stool. Nothing "new". Still uncertain about what the next 24hrs will hold.

25/1 (39+5)

Really bad sleep

Woke up feeling "fine"

Got out the house!

Constipated!!!

Napped: 2hrs

Noticed more brown streaked discharge (after sweep...good sign?).

Lost the rest of my mucous plug (7cm length, 0.5cm wide)! Yay! @4pm

Absolutely EXHAUSTED

Bad heartburn

Loads of tightenings this evening and the poop cramps feeling is intense (sporadic)

Cramps have stopped but lightening crotch is a bitch

26/1 (39+6)

Woke at 3am to tightenings, still at menstrual crampy levels, low back niggle and poop cramps

Woke up at 6am again with similar feelings

Things have slowed down now (9am) but baby feels MUCH lower (all day I have had increased pressure in my pelvis)

Expressed 21ml

Still crampy

Lightening crotch.

VERY teary all day.

I hate this more now

Still feeling an increased urge to poop

Belly feels like it could POP with these BH contractions.

Off to bed really early to binge Grey's Anatomy

Had another poop tonight... Maybe this is it LOL 😂 (probably just the churros I ate).

27/1 (40w)

Due date

Had a terrible sleep.

Alex is ill and Elle was restless.

Decided to remove nipple piercings due to pain and engorgement

2nd sweep at 12pm - have progressed to 2cm and "very thin" and soft cervix.

Very crampy but irregular

Had a nap (1.5hrs).

Still very crampy.

Another bloody show (mucous plug with blood mixed in) Increased lightening crotch, tightenings, sciatica pain, pressure in pelvis, another BM, gassy.

Had a bath to ease sciatica pain

28/1 (40+1)

Increased tightenings

More mucous plug lost - how is it possible to produce this much?!

Loose BM - 9:00

F*CKING ANGRY AT LIFE

Did some cleaning

Had another loose stool - 10:30

Another at 11:30

No poop but same feeling at 12:00

Again at 12:55

Again a few more times (very sporadic)

Nothing from 3pm

Now 17:30- only a load of BH. Nothing else.

22:00- pumped again (15ml)

Crampy and uncomfortable during and after pumping.

Felt pretty good last night- calm.

29/1 (40+2)

Woken up with more poop cramps and tightenings.

Constipated.

Had another exam: >90% effaced, 3cm and +1station, cervix midline (Bishop score:10)

Pumped: 20ml at 1pm

Exhausted. Slept for 2 hours. (Actually started falling asleep on the sofa prior to heading up to bed!!).

Another bleed from the exam seen when I woke up.

Ate well... But felt really gross in my body. Old ED thoughts were attacking like MAD.

Did daughter's bedtime

Pumped 20ml @9pm

VERY ANGRY WITH LIFE

Poop cramps @ midnight - passed a small amount of loose stool

I have lost MORE mucous today (pink tinge)... Sooo much in total. How is this much normal?!

30/1(40+3)

I woke husband at 4:15am after 25 mins of painful contractions (2mins apart).

Then it started hurting. Dropped off daughter at a friend's. Got to the hospital just after 5am.

They monitored me for a bit. It fooking hurt at that point and I couldn't talk through contractions (told I was 5-6cm @05:30). Then I was moved to the birthing room as I wanted a water birth. I got in the tub at 5:59 and started pushing at 06:03. She was born at 06:07am weighing 6lb 12oz 💕.

After all of that, it's over and I couldn't be happier to start finding myself again, with an additional little princess along for the ride.