were you told you weren't in labour?

I wasn't told I wasn't in labour, but DH was ordered in no uncertain terms to go home at midnight as he was in the way and I'd be there for hours. So I was left alone "to sleep", given a Mogadon when I couldn't (what a surprise!), and roundly told off when I rang my little bell at 2am to let the staff know that actually, DD's head was out. Happy days!

I wasn't told I wasn't in labour, but DH was ordered in no uncertain terms to go home at midnight as he was in the way and I'd be there for hours. So I was left alone "to sleep", given a Mogadon when I couldn't (what a surprise!), and roundly told off when I rang my little bell at 2am to let the staff know that actually, DD's head was out. Happy days!

Yes, with both my Sons, 1st one was born 20 minutes after being told that i couldn't possibly be in labour, 2nd one arrived 45 minutes after being told that.
With my 2nd child i also went into labour prematurely at 33 weeks and was given a tablet to stop the labour allowing me to carry him for another 3 weeks, i then gave birth at 36 weeks.
My DiL had the same thing, she was told she wasn't in labour, (she was full term and definitely in labour), and then told to "take this pill dear", and just like with me labour stopped for a while, every time her labour pains resumed she was given another pill to take, they did this repeatedly for a full week, when my Grandson was eventually born he had to go into an Incubator as he had been born with a Chest Infection.

DD's best friend became pregnant after IVF, spent most of her pregnancy in bed because of Placenta Praevia and nearly died during a horrendous c section. Not long afterwards she became pregnant naturally and had a totally normal pregnancy. She was amazed to find that it was possible to be pregnant and actually have a normal life at the same time.

Professionals !? Apparently my son doesn't exist as my pregnancy test was negative..and the second..and the third and so on ..and so on until I d.ivered him nearly painlessly 37 years ago! I'd had two miscarriages in 18 months and told I would never have another child ( I have a daughter 40).so they assumed he was all in my head. He is... I never forget what a joy he was and is to me.

Can't even spell prosecco, I'm so indignant!

These experiences are obviously burned on our brain and will never be forgotten. I don't care if it's forty or fifty years later and all it takes is a clever post asking the question like minesaprosseco to unlock them all! Why should it matter if it's "down the line", it is still our history!

With my first one I went to bed about midnight absolutely fine. Woke up about 2 hours later with contractions every 3 minutes. Phoned the maternity unit and was told 'if it's come on that quickly then it will probably stop again. Take a couple of painkillers and go back to bed.' I didn't, got dressed and an hour later phoned again as contractions getting stronger. Was told to go in and she was born about half an hour later.

It is not surprising that we all retain memories of the MEMORABLE days and nights when our children (and their children) were born as these are literally Life Changing events - personal miracles. If giving birth were an unusual occurrence, it would be plastered all over the news media (think of the Pandas). Although it is something most of us have in common, each birth is unique and it is miraculous that we can produce a real live human being that we grew, with, in most cases, no help from science or technology.

Oh Newquay, did I go to the same hospital as you? Awful, M.G.

Mawbroom, as this is a thread about whether women were told they weren't in labour when they actually were, people are bound to be sharing their memories of that subject. It doesn't mean those are the only memories we have!

I woke up about 6.30 with severe back pain, OH went off to work. As I had GP appointment I rang Surgery, Receptionist said I'll arrange GP visit (this was around 9). Less than an hour later I was ringing Surgery again, waters had broken, spoke to GP who said he'd send Ambulance but not to worry as I'd be hours!!!. Ambulance arrived, long drive to Hospital with poor Ambulance man saying "don't push". Arrived at Hospital, being wheeled to Labour Ward when I let out an almighty yell, Delivery Room pronto, DD born minutes later.

Nurse rang my DH at Cattle Auction & was amazed when he calmly told her he would be over later in the afternoon. He was over 30 miles away buying calves (he was a Cattle Dealer)

1973, first pregnancy, taken in to be induced the following day as I was enormous and 5 days late. I woke in middle of the night and felt I wanted to push. I rang the bell and told the midwife, but she told me not to be ridiculous as I hadn't had any first stage contractions yet. A lot of arguing and 10 minutes later midwife agreed to have a look. Then she went into panic mode and rushed me down to delivery suite, and three pushes later a 9lb 10oz daughter arrived! 30 minutes from start to finish!

OK not wishing to rain on anybody’s parade, but 40 or more years down the line is this really something at the forefront of our memories?

yes in pain i was admitted in to pre-natal ward on Sunday night, told i had a urine infection, Tuesday night i was in agony Older nurse told me off for moaning got some sort of injection hours later from grumpy nurse, then went to loo and the cleaner Told me i was in labour, and had i told anyone? rushed down to delivery suite at 9 cm. DD 1 arrived soon after, husband just made it in time.

With my first son (46 years ago) I was told if your waters break you must come in - I got out of bed at 4 in the morning and the noise of the water hitting the floor woke my husband. We duly went off to the hospital in a car that only did 2 miles to the gallon and they admitted me and sent him off to work. I had no contractions until midday but they didn't suggest going home or that I wasn't in labour. He was born 4 hours later - no pain killers or gas and air (I was scared it would make me sick). Husband rang after work to be told he had a son and was allowed in at visiting time. Babies were kept in the maternity unit and only brought out at feeding time swaddled within an inch of their lives - we were not woken during the night for feeds either. Stayed in hospital for 10 days and only shown how to bathe them on the last day.

My second experience 3 years later was much worse. In and out of the same hospital for 6 weeks before the birth I kept insisting I was in labour 2 weeks before my due date and went back in again but they still said I wasn't - they did admit me though. 24 hours later after pethidine and gas and air they took me to the delivery ward but still said I wasn't ready. My lovely doctor arrived to examine me at 9am and said he would break my waters -he turned round to leave the ward after he'd done it and whoosh out shot my second son! Babies were still not kept in the ward and only brought out for feeding but we were allowed to change them. We were still kept in for 10 days though and husbands were not allowed to stay with us. How things have changed now!

My 4 year old granddaughter was present in the delivery room when my daughter had her second baby earlier this year. Cutting short a long and quite distressing story of total unprofessionalism, my daughter ended up falling on to the bed on all fours from where my granddaughter could see between her arms, and said “my baby’s coming, my baby’s coming” , “ not yet she isn’t “ said the midwife. Then a tiny baby still in the sac appeared on the bed!!
My daughter had been ignored, not examined and we were all treated as inferior beings. Luckily all was well but no thanks to the midwives. It was a similar scenario with her first delivery. So my advice to any pregnant mum is just scream and make as much fuss as possible, then you might get a bit of attention and some help.
To those throwing their arms up in horror at a child being present I will say it was a beautiful experience for my granddaughter. My daughter was quietly getting on with labour and the little one neither saw nor heard anything untoward. And with tears of joy, she was holding her little sister when she was just minutes old.

I was definitely in labour with my first one and the midwife who examined me said "Oh this one isn't going to be very long" and sent me up to the labour ward. The midwife who examined me there said "What on earth have they sent you up for? You aren't nearly ready" Sadly she was right and I was there for hours!

Relief

With my first pregnancy my waters broke and they called me in. It was a reall busy night and my husband and I were just left all alone. Suddenly I wanted to push and my husband grabbed a passing midwife. She said I couldn’t possibly want to push yet, then examined me and I was rushed into the delivery suite. Six hour from start to finish,no pain relie. Not even gas and air!.

I never had the experience of going to hospital in labour. All four of my babies were late and induced. I don’t think labour is induced as readily now, which is good.

As the daughter of a doctor who had a lot of home confinements, I think I realise what has gone wrong. Hope there is a midwife or obstetrician who will back me up.

Waters break fairly late on in a normal labour, just before baby makes an appearance. Telling you you are not in labour until your waters break is sheer and utter nonsense. You could have been having contractions for hours at that point!

You are fine... you are fine... please check... please check... oh just checked, can't get gowns on quick enough, waters sealed...baby born ten seconds after second breaking of waters... catch..took many hours to convince not all right and much pain and many months after of stress and not bonding, horrible memory but still sharp

I was told I wasn’t in labour with the first who was born 7 hours later. We were told the second one ‘wouldn’t be born for hours’ and my husband had to point out that the baby was already being born

I was in labour with my 3rd child. I was already in hospital and the nurse offered me Paracetamol. She told my husband to go home because nothing was going to happen. By the time they agreed I was in labour I was 7cm dilated and they refused to give me any Pethidine(which was probably correct at 7cm). I shouted and swore and was told off by the sister for my language. Baby was born half an hour later.