Look out for these 10 signs of labor that tell you baby's on the way:
- Baby "drops"
- Cervix dilates.
- Cramps and increased back pain.
- Loose-feeling joints.
- Diarrhea.
- Weight gain stops.
- Fatigue and "nesting instinct"
- Vaginal discharge changes color and consistency.
It's very unlikely that you will suddenly go into labor without warning. Your body will let you know that you're close to the big day, so you can make sure your hospital bag is packed, and be ready to go to the hospital when the time is right.
Early labor will last approximately 8-12 hours. Your cervix will efface and dilate to 3 cm. Contractions will last about 30-45 seconds, giving you 5-30 minutes of rest between contractions. Contractions are typically mild and somewhat irregular but become progressively stronger and more frequent.
Back labor — the pain and discomfort experienced in the lower back during labor — occurs in about 25 percent of women. Uterine contractions cause both regular and back labor contractions. Some women experience the most discomfort during labor in the lower abdomen and pelvis; others have more pain in the back.
It can come out all at once, or in small amounts. You may notice a heavy discharge, or a discharge streaked with blood in your underwear or when you go to the toilet. If the mucus plug comes out before you're 37 weeks pregnant, call your midwife and let her know.
In first time pregnancies, lightening may occur several weeks or just a few hours before the onset of labor. Activity of baby - The baby may become slightly less active as labor approaches. You should still feel the baby move several times an hour - if you don't, call your health care provider immediately.
The signs of water breaking include feeling a slow leak or a sudden gush of water. Some women feel a slight pop, while others might feel fluid coming out in bursts as they change positions. The color of the fluid when your water breaks is usually clear or pale yellow, and the fluid has no smell.
What are the signs of labor?
- You have strong and regular contractions. A contraction is when the muscles of your uterus tighten up like a fist and then relax.
- You feel pain in your belly and lower back.
- You have a bloody (brownish or reddish) mucus discharge.
- Your water breaks.
Does your mucus plug come out before or after your water breaks? Either one. As long as it's the 38th week of pregnancy or later, there's no right or wrong time. For some women, it comes out before the water breaks, and for others, it comes out afterward.
Your labour may not start for hours or even days after you lose the mucus plug. When the mucus plug dislodges from your cervix it's called the show, or a bloody show. The jelly-like plug is often blood-tinged or streaked with old, brownish blood when it comes away.
If your pregnancy goes to full term, you will lose your mucus plug in the 9th month of pregnancy. If you notice what looks like the mucus plug before 37 weeks of pregnancy, contact your healthcare provider, because this may be a sign you are going into pre-term labor. Read up on the other signs of pre-term labor.
Here's where we enter the gray area— losing your mucus plug is a good sign that your body is on the way to preparing for labor. Generally, it can mean that your cervix is beginning to dilate, causing the mucus plug to dislodge. But, this doesn't necessarily mean you are actually in labor.
Effacement or "ripening" is when your cervixCervix: The part of your womb that goes into the vagina softens as it's preparing for your laborLabor: Giving birth to a baby from the time contractions start to delivery . 0 percent means no effacement. 100 percent means you're fully effaced.
Your cervix will dilate from 4cm to 7cm. Contractions during this phase will last about 45-60 seconds with 3-5 minutes rest in between. Contractions will feel stronger and longer. This is usually the time to head to the hospital or birth center.
Generally, it can mean that your cervix is beginning to dilate, causing the mucus plug to dislodge. But, this doesn't necessarily mean you are actually in labor. Once you begin to see signs that you are losing your mucus plug, it can be anywhere between a few hours to a few weeks before labor starts.
Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.
Your plug may come out in one (or several) jelly-like lumps, or it may simply appear as increased vaginal discharge over several days. And losing your mucus plug does not necessarily mean that labor is imminent, as birth could still be days or even weeks away.
Losing your mucous plug is a good sign that labor is on its way. Though, it could be days or even weeks after you lose your mucous plug before labor actually starts. Many women do not lose their mucous plug at one time; instead, they lose it more gradually.
Some moms lose this plug weeks before delivery and can even regrow it. However, a mucus plug tinged with blood (your doctor or midwife may call it the “bloody show”) is a sign you'll meet your baby pretty soon. If the discharge is yellowish or greenish, call your care provider.
Generally, it can mean that your cervix is beginning to dilate, causing the mucus plug to dislodge. But, this doesn't necessarily mean you are actually in labor. Once you begin to see signs that you are losing your mucus plug, it can be anywhere between a few hours to a few weeks before labor starts.
When timing contractions, start counting from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next. The easiest way to time contractions is to write down on paper the time each contraction starts and its duration, or count the seconds the actual contraction lasts, as shown in the example below.
It's not uncommon for women to mistake losing the mucus plug for their water breaking, but the former is thicker. It may come out while you're peeing or taking a shower, or you may find it on your sheets or in your underwear. Or you may not notice it at all—and that's fine, too.
Increase in vaginal discharge
During pregnancy, a thick plug of mucus blocks the cervical opening to prevent bacteria from entering the uterus. You might notice an increase in vaginal discharge that's clear, pink or slightly bloody. This might happen several days before labor begins or at the start of labor.Signs in the weeks leading up to calving include udder development, relaxation and swelling of the vulva (springing), and a thick mucus discharge from the vulva. Relaxation of the pelvic ligaments and strutting of the teats may be observed in some cows in the 24 hours leading up to labor.
