by Sara McGinnis posted in Pregnancy

Been there, done that moms: How did you know you were in labor"
That's the question one BabyCenter Community member jwl4545 posed to her peers in a quest to get a handle on what it's really like.
Dozens replied, with answers varying from textbook signs of labor to more unique experiences. Here are seven of their stories...
1. Kerich1117: I woke up to a jolt, almost like someone kicked my stomach but without pain. I stood up and my water broke. Very obvious contractions started almost immediately. Baby was here 5 hours later. There was no mistaking it was labor!
2. Mackloti: There was no question for me. I never felt any Braxton Hicks throughout my pregnancy, but my first contractions started at 8pm. They were about 30 minutes in between at first. I went out to eat and ran some errands before deciding to get some sleep at around 11pm. The contractions were too strong to be able to sleep and they kept becoming more frequent...I downloaded a contraction timer app on my phone and called the nurses line when they were 2 minutes apart to get the green light to go to the hospital. My water did not break until I was about 8cm dilated in the hospital.
3. Wjk2016: I was getting ready to get out of bed and go to work when I felt a little pop and my water broke. A lot. Contractions didn't start for a few hours later.
4. BelovedSteph: I hadn't felt her move in a while, so I went to the hospital. They hooked me up and said I was having contract...