This can be different for all of us. I wasn't allowed to go into labour with my first child as I had a low lying placenta but with my second child I remember I had a show and a certain feeling of restlessness before the pain started. With some women their waters break and with others the contractions begin, sometimes quite a long time before the birth but how did you know you were in labour?
As soon as I had contractions I knew I was going to be in labour that day I waited to have my contractions 10 minutes apart to go get myself checked. To my surprise I was only dialated 2 so they sent me home and I went back when I was 5 minutes apart and was dialated 4 and so they kept me. I was in labour for about 14 hours with very painful contactions.
Before I did have contractions, and bleeding and all, I noticed one odd thing that day. I noticed my belly is shaped differently than my normal belly. you know what I mean? My tummy, or at least the baby is, I think moving differently and the shape of my tummy is different. The baby bump is shifted towards the left more. and during the whole day, it is harder than the previous days. Still no pain, until the night time. That's when I realized the reason with the weird shape shifting of my tummy.
From what I remember with my wife's pregnancy, the abdominal pain is mild and constantly elevating to unbearable. And the baby's movement inside is very evident and clearly felt by the mother so we brought my wife to the hospital. And we did not get a false alarm because in an hour or two, she gave birth. That abdominal pain is not the usual manifestation of indigestion or diarrhea. It is pain but a different kind.
I was working in the office when the water broke by 4 in the afternoon of Thursday. I didn't feel any pain at all but I was taken to the hospital an hour later as advised by the ob-gyne. It was almost the seventh month of my pregnancy. I was placed on bed rest and was checked regularly but the dilation never went past 1. By Saturday afternoon, the doctor had warned that they may have to perform a C-section or else, I might lose the baby. I began to softly massage my belly and talk to my baby to please come out. I could still feel him up on my belly. I didn't feel any contractions but I was very conscious of his movements. Then by 1:52 AM Sunday, I suddenly felt him go down and I was so sure of it that I shouted at the nurses to tell them that the baby is out. They checked and saw his head coming out just in time. He was premature and very tiny, my miracle baby, and he was meant to be mine. I wonder what would have happened if I was sleeping when he came out and I can't help but appreciate God's loving hands.
The signs of labor are different for every woman. When I was pregnant with my first child, most moms said I will know that I'm in labor once my water breaks. Unfortunately, that was not the case with most of my pregnancies because I only experienced water breakage once or twice, for the rest, it was blood first and it was very painful that way. The longest labor I had was with my second child. He made me suffer for two days before finally coming out, haha.
So true about the contractions. When it becomes frequent with just a few minutes apart, you're about to give birth. But the sign I remember most that one is really about to give birth came as a tip from my mom. She said you know you're about to deliver the baby when you could no longer smile because of the pain you're feeling, LOL. I would say she nailed it.
You are so right, @Alexandoy. Pain from indigestion or diarrhea is nothing compared to labor pains. It's something out of this world This is why after experiencing giving birth, some women swear to never get pregnant again but it's a promise most women do not get to keep, haha.