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When we’re pregnant, everyone talks about the big signs—the waters breaking, the rush of contractions, and the moment when you just know it’s time. But for one mum, her labour didn’t follow the typical, dramatic storyline. Instead, it unfolded with a series of subtle clues, a quiet buildup that slowly led to her baby’s arrival. In a heartfelt TikTok video, she shared her unexpected journey into labour, and it’s a powerful reminder that every pregnancy is unique.
For many expecting mums, the thought of labour brings up images of painful contractions or a sudden, dramatic rush to the hospital. But for this mum, the signs came in a much subtler form. In the weeks leading up to her labour, she experienced what she describes as a constant, low-level wave of period-like pain. It wasn’t the kind of pain that made her want to double over or scream. Rather, it was a mild, dull ache that lingered in the background, much like the cramps you might feel on the first day of your period.
“It was like a bad period pain, but not all the time. It would come in waves throughout the day,” she shared. For days and even weeks before labour began, she felt this same discomfort, a nagging ache that didn’t quite go away.
This sensation wasn’t intense or alarming, but it was persistent. She found herself wondering, Is this normal? Is this a sign? At the time, she didn’t know, but looking back, she realizes it was her body’s way of preparing for the bigger events to come.
“It wasn’t a full-on contraction, but it felt like something was starting,” she recalled. If you are experiencing similar mild pains, don’t be alarmed—they might be a subtle hint that your body is gearing up for labour.
As the days passed and the due date drew nearer, she noticed a few more signs that made her question whether labour was close. About a week before George’s birth, she lost some of her mucus plug. It wasn’t dramatic—there was no bloody show—but it was a clear indication that her body was starting to prepare for labour.
“I lost a bit of my mucus plug, but there was no blood. It was clear, which I didn’t know at the time wasn’t unusual,” she said. For anyone unfamiliar, the mucus plug is a thick, gelatinous substance that seals the cervix during pregnancy. Losing it can be a sign that labour is on the horizon, but it doesn’t always happen right away or in a dramatic fashion.
What stood out to her the most during this time, though, was how run down she felt. It wasn’t the physical exhaustion from carrying a baby, but rather a general sense of being unwell. She didn’t feel sick, but she did feel off—tired, moody, and just not quite herself.
“I didn’t feel good at all. Like I was fighting something off,” she reflected. Some women experience this kind of fatigue right before labour, and for her, it was a sign that her body was preparing for something big. It wasn’t the dramatic, tell-tale sign, but it was a small clue that her body was in motion.
Interestingly, other mums shared similar subtle signs that their labour was approaching. @Cloudcakesco_ commented, “Mine was similar… had pains for two weeks, was admitted for induction. Next morning, I felt pains an hour before doctors arrived to induce and found that I was already 8cm dilated….” This resonates with the mum in the video, as the body often starts gearing up for labour in ways that may not immediately be recognisable.
One day, about a week before her labour, she found herself in a moment that really caught her by surprise. After a long walk with her husband, she felt a wave of emotions rush over her, and before she knew it, she was in tears. It wasn’t like her to cry over little things, especially not in the final stages of pregnancy, but this day was different.
“I literally couldn’t do it anymore. Everything hurt so much,” she said. The pelvic girdle pain, the aches in her back, and the emotional rollercoaster of the third trimester were all getting to her. And yet, it wasn’t just the physical pain that had her breaking down—it was the emotional weight of it all. She wanted to be strong, but on this day, the tears couldn’t be held back.
Hormones, combined with the discomfort and the sense of exhaustion, had her feeling overwhelmed. This is something many pregnant women can relate to: the surge of emotions that can feel like PMS (premenstrual syndrome), taken to a whole new level. If you’ve ever felt like you are about to lose it in your third trimester, you’re not alone. For her, this was a very real sign that labour might be close.
“I was emotional in a way I hadn’t been before, and I remember thinking, ‘I’m so tired of this,’” she said. It wasn’t just physical discomfort—it was the emotional weight that comes with the final stretch of pregnancy, when you’re so close to meeting your baby, yet everything feels so hard.
This feeling of emotional exhaustion was something @EmmaHore shared, commenting, “I had nothing, not even an ache, went to bed, woke up 2 hours later in full-blown labour, and within two hours my second was born.” Sometimes, it’s as if the body waits until the final moment, and then everything shifts into high gear.
Sometimes, pregnancy brings all kinds of surprises—unexpected cravings, strange dreams, and yes, even strange skin changes. For this mom, one of the more surprising signs came in the form of a giant pimple on her chin.
“I woke up and there it was—a huge spot on my face. I’m not the type to get a lot of breakouts, but this one was like, ‘Hello!’” she said. While acne can be a normal part of pregnancy, especially in the final trimester, this particular pimple stood out. For her, it was another sign that her body was gearing up for labour, similar to the PMS-like mood swings she had been feeling.
“I wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence, but it felt like something was happening in my body, all at once,” she said. The pimple was one of those little things that made her pause and think, Could this be it? It wasn’t just the physical signs—it was the combination of them all that gave her a sense that labour was on the horizon.
Other mums shared similar moments of unexpected signs. @DaisyRichmond reflected on her own experience, “For me, it was 2 days before. I had no signs, just pressure, and I just had a gut instinct. My mucus plug came out, then a bloody show, had her a few hours later!” This “gut instinct” is something many mums experience, even when they don’t have clear, obvious signs. It’s like your body knows, even when your mind isn’t quite sure.
On the night that labour officially began, she was doing something completely ordinary—eating pizza with her husband. The moment was simple, comforting, and completely normal. But then, just after eating her slice, something changed.
“It was just a normal night, and then I felt it. A mild period pain, but it lasted for a few seconds, and then it was gone,” she shared. It wasn’t intense or overwhelming, but it was enough to make her sit up and think, This feels different. The contraction wasn’t anything dramatic, but it was a new sensation that set her heart racing.
Not long after, she had another contraction, and this time, it lasted a little longer. “It was more noticeable, and I knew in that moment that something was about to happen,” she said. From that point, the contractions grew more frequent and intense, and soon she was on her way to the birthing center.
Reflecting on her own unexpected journey, @DARIYA ✝️💓 commented, “Stuffy nose, slept all day, woke up at 10 pm starving, ate, then labour started. Didn’t lose anything or water until I was actively pushing!”. This goes to show that labour can begin with the most ordinary, unsuspecting moments—whether you’re eating, sleeping, or even dealing with a stuffy nose.
The final phase of her labour was a whirlwind. By the time she arrived at the birthing center, she was in full-on labour, with contractions coming closer together. But her waters hadn’t broken. Instead, her midwife had to manually break them to help speed things along. “It was a long night in the birthing pool, but when my waters finally broke, it was a game changer,” she said.
After a total of 20 hours in labour, baby George was born. The whole process had been long, but it had unfolded in ways she hadn’t expected. She never had the dramatic waters-breaking moment she’d heard about so many times. Instead, her labour was a slow build-up, a series of small signs and subtle hints that something big was coming.
“I’m hoping this time around, I get more obvious signs, but I know now that you can’t always predict what’s going to happen,” she says, reflecting on her experience. She’s curious to see if her body will give her any clearer signals this time.
The final phase of her labour was a whirlwind. By the time she arrived at the birthing center, she was in full-on labour, with contractions coming closer together. But her waters hadn’t broken. Instead, her midwife had to manually break them to help speed things along. “It was a long night in the birthing pool, but when my waters finally broke, it was a game changer,” she said.
After a total of 20 hours in labour, baby George was born. The whole process had been long, but it had unfolded in ways she hadn’t expected. She never had the dramatic waters-breaking moment she’d heard about so many times. Instead, her labour was a slow build-up, a series of small signs and subtle hints that something big was coming.
“I’m hoping this time around, I get more obvious signs, but I know now that you can’t always predict what’s going to happen,” she says, reflecting on her experience. She’s curious to see if her body will give her any clearer signals this time.
Every pregnancy is different, and the signs leading up to labour can be as unique as the journey itself. Have you experienced subtle signs before labour? Did your body give you any unusual clues, or was it a dramatic event that made you realize your baby was on the way? Share your story with us on Instagram.
© Mindsmaking 2024
