dropping/lightening question

first is...do you have to drop before you go into labor?


second is...
with dropping/lightening....how does it work? do you wake up and belly is just all of a sudden lower?
or is it gradual??

tia

Re: dropping/lightening question

I'm only answering to say that I can't answer this. I never dropped with DD. But I did go into labor (two days before she was due). But I have pictures from the days before she was born and she's still waaaaaay up high. Of course, I'm really short so maybe that's why?

Re: dropping/lightening question

Dd1 never
Dropped. My water broke
But I had
No
Contractions , I was walking around for a month 1cm
Dilated and then 2weeks before 3 cm.
When I got to the hospital after my water broke she was
Still
Pretty high up. -3 stage I think.....
But 4 hrs later I gave birth without any inductions/epidural
So I guess you never really know

Re: dropping/lightening question

I dropped w/both pregnancies, but I don't think that everyone does. I carried really high the majority of the time w/both babies and then suddenly one day I realized that I could breathe better and that my stomach was a lot lower. I think that it was gradual both times...

ETA: I can't remember with my first, but with this pg I noticed that I had dropped maybe 2 or 3 weeks ago (I'm 39 1/2 weeks now).

Message edited 4/18/2012 8:57:38 AM.