Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

To all you mommies out there, how did you know that you were in labor? Did your water break, just have cramps? Just curious to see how labor started for everyone. Thanks.

Re: Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

Very bad contractions that keep getting worse. My water never broke, both times and I did not lose my 'plug'.

Re: Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

I had rhythmic tightening of the belly every 8 minutes that actually hurt, it wasnt like braxton hicks. I lost my plug in the very beginning of that.

Re: Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

You'll know!!! I remember walking around work saying to my nurse friends, 'i think I just had a contraction', and they would all laugh and say 'you THINK you had one, you'll know FOR SURE when you're in true labor' and boy were they RIGHT!!!

Re: Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

I woke up in a lot of pain. My contractions came 4-5 minutes apart right away. So I had no doubts when it was actual labor.

Re: Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

My water started leaking in the middle of the night. I met my dr at the hospital and thats where my water really broke. (I was 5 weeks early.)

Re: Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

Mine started like a dull ache in my back...like menstrual cramps. Then progressively it turned into obvious periods of contractions that were painful and then stopped. My water never broke.

Re: Mommies - How did you know you were in labor?

I was getting ready to go to bed. When I went to lie down, I felt like I peed myself but I had just gone to the bathroom. I was like 'damn' because I really liked the nightgown I was wearing and felt a bit embarrassed. I got up, cleaned up and went to lie down. It happened again. I was like 'No way' not even thinking it was my water breaking. So I cleaned up and changed again and as I was walking into the bedroom, it happened again. It wasn't a huge amount, just a trickle so I wasn't sure. I thought like gallons flew out of you when it happened so I called to DH and said 'I think this is it dude' to which he replied 'Oh...great' (he was just falling alseep and it was late and we were both tired. Called the doc, headed to the hospital where they confirmed it was my water (I already knew that since it happened a few more times on the way there - trickles of fluid). They had to induce labor the next morning so I never got to really experience the natural course of things. I was put on IV all night because I had some sort of infection where they had to medicate me as soon as the bag broke.