Anyone else think the worst piece of advice for a first time mum is ‘you’ll be able to tell when you are in labour’!

I think this applies to active labor. When you're in the thick of it, there's no denying what's going on. It's just every subtle clue leading up to it that we miss 😂

I dunno they questioned whether I was actually in labour at the start of my labour. But there was no mistaking it. I went from 0 to 3 in 10 minute contractions. I was like yup this is labour! They went you sure. You sure youre sure. Me like well what else is this pain hmm? Put me on the monitor. Ah yes youre in labour. Theyre nice strong contractions.🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Same! I kept waiting for that interval thing
I should have come, really, when my waters broke - I called the hospital - and they told me to still wait for that interval thing
Came to the hospital 10 cm dilated, head crowning, wanting to push - they did not believe me and asked me TO PEE IN THE CUP WHILST I WAS IN ACTIVE LABOUR

I didn’t know I was in labour until 7cm and suddenly felt the urge to push out of nowhere! Thank god I wasn’t at home

I in fact did not realize I was in labor even in my second pregnancy and when I made it to the hospital I was already 6cm and I had my daughter very soon after I arrived. Almost had her in the car if I waited until I thought I was in labor. Totally agree with it being dumb advice

i was under the impression that i would have sporadic contractions first but i did not. 4 minutes apart immediately from the first one and i still needed to drive home to get my hospital stuff and then to the hospital (not me driving, about 5 hours of driving total) while having back to back contractions.

I kind of agree with what you’re disagreeing with. I remember contractions starting so I started trying to use the contraction timing app on my phone but they were so painful and frequent I couldn’t even be on my phone. If you are questioning whether you are even in labour or not then generally it’s almost certainly not time to be ringing the hospital or going in.

I know right.
Even I ended up having a unexpected home birth with my third child.
Because I went to hospital early hours in the morning like maybe 1 am and my midwife wasn't going to show up and nurses said I wasn't in labor far enough. And that I could stay at hospital but by myself without the father. ( My ex now) I was not wanting to stay by myself.
So I went back to .(Ex mother inlaws home)
And had contractions all through the morning. In the morning around 8 am midwife texts me how am I doing? and asks how far apart are contractions ? By this time I can't tell the difference coz the contractions felt painful all morning for endless hours.
My ex mother in-law was dropping off my son to school which was on the other side of town. Close to where my house is.

When I got up out of bed, it was now going onto 9am walked down the hallway and bam! My waters broke and shortly after gave birth. My ex mother in-law came back home just in time to help me give birth.
Midwife came over later.