1) My answer is scary, but it wasn't hours, it was daaaays of 3 min apart contractions.

2) We went to a restaurant while I was in labor. This guy looked at my weird belly (I mean it looks weird at the end right?) and said, "Wow! You are about to pop!" He didn't know how to respond when I told him, "Yep! I'm in labor right now!" Haha

ETA (because I just read the other thread): It was nearly a week that I was in labor (no sleep for over 5 days), my epidural didn't work, emergency C-section, and they had to put me all the way under because, well, the epidural didn't work!

I was induced (had dilated a little on my own prior to that but NO contractions) and was in labor for 12 hours.

Funny story - I gave birth at a teaching hospital and at one point during my 2.5 hours of pushing, a resident and a med student came in and starting doing something while I was pushing to help the baby move along. I think it was the same thing my OB was doing when he was in the room but when they did it it hurt like HELL. I screamed "WHAT THE F*&% ARE YOU DOING???" at them repeatedly. When that contraction was over they silently took their gloves off and left and never came back. DH still brags that I scared away the med students.

My story sounds awful when I say "my water broke and I didn't have BS5 until 54 hours later" but it really wasn't!

My water broke and then nothing happened. My biggest complaint was I was BORED, and they would only let me walk for 10 minutes every couple of hours. Other than that, they let me eat (DH brought restaurant food in), I watched TV, talked on the phone, etc. Even when they finally decided to do Petocin, STILL my contractions were minimal (nothing more than minor period cramps) I ended up having a C Section which went perfectly.

The funny part of my story was a couple of hours after they started the petocin, I guess BS heart rate was going kooky, however it was the middle of the night so I was asleep and none the wiser, until off course all of the sudden there are all these nurses, things beeping, oxygen mask on my face etc. The midwife came in and told me that they thought BS5 was not reacting well to the Petocin and that they were going to give it one more try but that the Dr. was on his way and a C Section might be in order. DH was sleeping in my room that I would be going to after delivery so I asked them to please tell him and have him come over to the delivery room. So DH shows up and while he's sitting on the bed, he says "What is this on your face?" I said "Oxygen mask, they said to keep it on because it would help BS" DH says "Yeah, but it's not hooked up to anything" I was like huh?? So just then a nurse comes in and DH says "this Oxygen mask isn't hooked up to anything" The nurse is like "Oh it will help the baby, it's hooked up right... OMG! You're right, it's NOT hooked up.. oh my so sorry!" That moment was when my boredom and annoyance after 50 some hours turned into panic! lol But again, everything was fine.

The Dr. said BS and I were apparently BOTH being stubborn. For some reason, I never dilated past 3 cm and BS got his head wedged in my pelvis and couldn't make the turn into the birth canal which was why nothing was happening 54 hours later and C section was ordered.

I will try to keep this short.

With my first I didn't want to be one of those first-time moms who show up at the hospital and they tell you to come back later (not in active labor). So felt first contraction with oldest BD at 4:30 in the morning. I knew immediately it was labor. Once DH was up, we just spent the day piddling around, visiting friends, feeding my horse, just walking around to keep things moving and preparing for this momentous event in our lives. Finally, decided we should drive to the hospital. Arrived there at 12 pm. They checked me in, got me settled into a room by 12:30 pm, doctor checked and I was advancing well, he went about his business. He came back at 1 pm to check me and ordered a delivery kit. The nurse thought it was supposed to go to another room for a woman who had been there longer and was further along in her labor. BD was born at 1:28! The doctor almost didn't catch her and they almost didn't get the stuff there that they needed.

So with next child they told me not to delay, come straight to the hospital. I went into labor with second BD at work. Had first contraction at 4:30 pm, went and told my boss I needed to go, drove myself home. Met up with DH when he got home, grabbed my bag, was checked into the hospital by 7 pm. And ... they couldn't contact my OB/GYN. He wasn't answering his pages, the answering service could not locate him. They did nothing to speed along my delivery because I REALLY wanted MY doctor. Finally had to give up and get another doctor, just in time to basically catch second BD who was born at 11:10 pm.

Just about 2 pushes with both of them.

My DS stb1 was about 17 hrs of labor...I wasn't aware that it "was" it until I was in the ER with bleeding (not my water broken)... then my water broke...he was upside down and there was a placenta tear...so they cut him out and he slept ALL DAY! I couldn't even rest, apparently I was supposed to sleep, because they kept taking him out of the room for tests. Every time they wheeled him out of the room I lost my mind a little bit.

Perfectson25: 22 hours of back labor , natural childbirth. At one point I simultaneously vomited and peed the bed. When I finally had to push, Dr told me to be patient , that a long labor meant a long delivery. Nope- she was putting gloves on when he came out after 2 pushes, sunnyside up. I tore and it sounded like an envelope ripping. DD22: 8 hours labor, a few pushes, and she was out. Best pregnancy/delivery. Natural childbirth as well. DD15: She came 2 weeks early, DH had to take the kids home to get some sleep no one was here to help,as well as meconium being in my broken water. My wonderful Dr. recommended and epidural/labor enhancing drugs. So it was relatively painless but kinda weird because I couldn't feel anything. 3 best days of my life!!!

My first child was easy peasy, other than having to be induced at 42 weeks. I LOATHE being pregnant, but L&D I could do any day of the week. I went in for induction around 6 am, got an epidural around 10 am, and delivered my nine pound eleven ounce giant of a son around 2 pm. No episiotomy and no tearing! The nurses were amazed and I was profoundly grateful. The funniest part though was that I asked for a mirror so I could see him be born. I couldn't see while I was pushing (OB was in the way), but he'd move aside in between contractions to let me see. After one push close to the end, the OB said, "Wait, hang on a sec." When he moved, I could see my son's head with his full head of hair - which the OB had just fashioned into a mohawk. I almost died laughing.

Babies 2 & 3 are twins, and that one was a scheduled c-section. My boy twin was breech. Actually, at the last appointment before the c-section he'd flipped to head down, and they said I could cancel and go for a regular birth if I wanted, but if he was breech when I went into labor I'd end up with an emergency c-section. I said nah, he's going to flip again. The nurse seemed very dubious. "Babies - especially twins with so much less room - do NOT flip around at 38 weeks." HAH. He flipped back to breech while I was in the waiting room before surgery 2 days later! Another pregnant mom was there and when my whole stomach sort of flipped she looked like she was going to pass out. Sure enough, they pulled my son out feet first. The OB was amazed he'd managed to turn all the way around again. Little bugger is still a gymnast now.

With my oldest son: 10 hours of labor funniest thing i said/did: I was on a medicine to relax me during contractions..during one of the few minutes of sleep I got, I yelled out "I don't know, I just want some mashed potatoes from the quick stop"
Youngest son:36 long miserable hours of labor! Funniest thing: It's kind of gross, but I was given morphine during labor, well, I don't do well with pain meds, ended up getting nauseated and needed to throw up, the nurses didn't bring me anything to throw up in so I had to use the teeny tiny 8 oz cup I had sitting at my bedside..Since my DH was there with me and can't stand the sight of vomit, I calmly covered my face and got every drop of vomit into that tiny cup. I'm sorry, I know that's gross, but 10 years later my mom still says "i can't believe you made it into that little cup" lol

I laid down to go to sleep and my water broke. Baby was born 2.5 hours later. Epidural never kicked in. I also drove myself to the hospital. Less than a 5 minute drive. I was staying with the in laws cause they live closer to the hospital and I didn't want to wake them up. Glad SO made it in time for the baby.

These responses make me feel so much better. I'm due 1/21 so only 8 days to go. But now is when everything feels like its hitting me. Back hurts, can barely walk. I want her to come already! Thanks for sharing your stories, I'm still a little freaked out but it seems like most haven't had a terrible horrible experience.

Had a planned C-section 9days after my due date. BS never dropped, I never lost any plugs, or had my water break, I never even had a braxton-hicks contraction. When I went in for the C-section the nurse checking me in triple checked everything because I just didn't "look" overdue lol. I don't know what it feels like to walk around with a bowling ball in my hips. Nothing. BS had NO DESIRE to move from my ribcage. He spent most of my pregnancy up there and my body never tried to get him out lol.

They gave my a spinal block and I was awake and aware through the whole surgery, I saw BS for a bit then went down to post-op. Bio-f and his family got a good couple hours to enjoy BS without me around while I took a nap. I never had any complications with my incision, and we bonded just fine BS and I.

Funny thing: After a c-section they won't give you real food until you can walk. They also make you fast for 12 hours if you're having a planned c-section, so I was starving. With my mothers help I was up and walking the evening of my surgery, the night nurse saw me up and about with her, I also sat in a chair for a bit. Apparently she didn't write it down so when I got a liquid breakfast I was in TEARS over it. It's funny now, the thought of me just bawling over broth instead of eggs.

Hmmm -

DD25 - VERY quick and easy, was sitting watching TV (21 Jump St, the original series; it was 1989) about 10.20 pm suddenly my waters broke, it was like a huge water balloon just popped inside me and I was sitting in this massive puddle of water. To this day I have never seen the end of that episode and I wonder how it finished....

For some reason my parents (they were staying with me to be there when baby came) decided I should shower. Contractions started, we drove to the hospital and she was born just after 1am. Not quite 3 hours from start to end, the actually delivery was so fast, I had massive tearing, internal and external stitches and down there was never quite the same again. Oh, natural - no pain relief - more because there was no time LOL

DD22 - waters broke (more of a trickle, very different from the first one) in the middle of the night but no contractions etc, so I woke up exH and said my waters had broken but not in full labour yet, he went back to sleep. I watched TV - the commonwealth games were on... NOthing happened but I was WAITING for it (she was 13 days late and I was supposed to be induced the next day anyway) Had a shower about 7.30am, woke him, and said we should probably go to the hospital anyway but that nothing was happening.. he couldn't even remember me waking him. We took no1 to daycare on the way LOL the carer asked me if the baby was ever going to come and I said "we're on our way to the hospital to have her now" No labour, nothing happening, so they induced me about 1pm. VERY slow, contractions finally started but she was posterior (spine aligned with my spine instead of to the front) which made it VERY painful and long as she couldn't tuck her chin in and move along faster. I did have laughing gas with her, loved it! Eventually at about 7pm I was only 4cm, I was still in the pre-labour ward - they don't move you to delivery suite til you are closer to delivering... One almighty contraction during which she turned to anterior, I needed to push and she was born 5 minutes later while the staff were all madly rushing around tyring to get all the equipment into the room. More tearing, more stitches LOL

DD12, also 12 days late, also posterior, but a longer, natural labour - I think it was about 12 hours. Also had gas, and she was a relatively easy but long delivery. More tearing.... more stitches. Dogs breakfast down there by now LMAO Definitely my career options as a porn star had to be shelved, it was NOT pretty.

DD9, I was induced 2 weeks early as I had some medical issues, Got to the hospital about 9am, took AGES to be admitted, finally induced about 11am. Slow. Slow. Had a spa, they increased the drip about 1pm, still in the bath (it was lovely) Finally about 3.45 they wanted to check some things so I had to get out, things were all just ticking along nicely.

Stood to get out and suddenly I NEEDED to push.... The raced me into the wheelchair, into my delivery room and she was born about 5 minutes later. Amidst MORE tearing. But the Dr was crap. NO stitches, she didn't even get there for the delivery. Midwife and student Dr delivered (now not her fault technically but I hadn't seen her all day, and this was a private - read paid for - delivery as opposed to being a public patient) Was in hospital for 8 days as dd and I both had trouble and never saw the Dr once. I refused to pay her final acct and put in a complaint. Bitch was even phoning in the damned prescriptions to the midwives and never once saw me, they had another Dr check me at one point because they were concerned!!!

Could not have sex at all after the last one, I was left with such a mess down there. Lumps of flesh where they shouldn't be etc - the scar tissue on the perineum was so bad that I tore a lot and more jagged and ripped than a straight up tear, and not having had any stitching etc it all just healed wrong.

So after a year I went to the public hospital and saw the gyno there, she whipped me straight in the following week and gave me a neat little nip'n'tuck down there and my career options were suddenly wide open (pardon the pun) again so to speak! }:)

Urgent C-section for me. I went for a routine check-up (DD was due about 3 weeks later). Doc took one horrified look at me, checked my weight (it had gone up 10 Kg in about 10 days), checked my blood pressure, had a look down there, checked the sonogram.... Called her secretary and said "Cancel the afternoon appointments I'm going to be in surgery".

I had pre-eclampsia and the placenta was beginning to die off. I'd felt rough, but as I generally had the pregnancy from hell this was nothing new. My appointment was at 10h, doc sent me straight to the hospital (blinking in shock) and by 13:30h DD was out. It was an incredibly emotional birth as it was my late mum's colleagues (she was a nurse) that were there and we were all in tears. My daughter is named after my mum, as well.

DD was a much-wanted and hard-fought for IVF pregnancy, the doc was taking absolutely no chances. Thank God.

I don't know how I missed this blog! I was due on Monday, LO still is comfortably ensconced in my womb. We have her NST and ultrasound at my 41 week appointment on Monday. It's been great reading your stories ladies!