Kate Middleton Went Into False Labor Tuesday, Midwife Says — That’s Why All The Hospital Excitement

Kate Middleton was spotted Tuesday driving away from Buckingham Palace — which surprised most royal watchers because earlier that same morning, there was a rush of royal-related activity around the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in West London, leading to widespread speculation that the Duchess was moments away from arriving to give birth to her second Royal Baby.

So what happened?

According to one longtime midwife, Kate Middleton most likely experienced a false labor pain — known as Braxton Hicks contractions. If so, it wouldn’t be the first time — at least according to media reports. Back in March, tabloids reported that Middleton was rushed to the hospital as a result of the same type of false labor issues.

That may or may not have actually happened. But the chance that the Duchess did report a false labor contraction Tuesday makes a bit more sense, given that Kate Middleton is reportedly now six days past her due date.

“One wonders whether she thought labor was underway and then what she thought were contractions kind of fizzled out. It’s quite common for ladies that go overdue,” Karen Bartholomew, a midwife for 28 years, told Britain’s Express newspaper. “It’s the baby having a practice and it’s getting ready to go to labor but decided to stop.”

If so, the false contractions could not have lasted too long, because the whole time that security was being stepped up around St. Mary’s and the Royal press corps also bolstered its presence, Kate Middleton was at Buckingham Palace in the Royal swimming pool.

But what was she doing there? Tuesday, reports said that she had simply taken little Prince George swimming, already a passion of the toddler future king.

By Wednesday, however, the media had changed its tune, saying that Kate Middleton herself was using the pool as a means to induce labor naturally.

That speculation ramped up when the Duchess was spotted yet again driving out of Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Sources told the British press that Kate Middleton was there to jump in the pool for a second consecutive day.

This time, it appeared that the royal toddler Prince George was not by her side — but her hubby Prince William was there.

There had also been speculation that the birth of Royal Baby Number Two — widely believed to be a girl this time around — would be induced on Wednesday, the fourth wedding anniversary of Kate Middleton and Prince William. But that speculation seems to have fallen flat, as well.

[Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images]