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What Are the Signs of Labor?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Labor is another word for your body\u2019s natural process of childbirth. It starts with your first steady contractions and goes through the delivery of both your baby and placenta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some women have very distinct signs of labor, while others don\u2019t. No one knows what causes labor to start or when it will start, but several hormonal and physical changes help indicate the beginning of labor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lightening during labor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The process of your baby settling or lowering into your pelvis just before labor is called lightening. It\u2019s also referred to as the baby \u201cdropping.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n *Lightening can happen a few weeks or a few hours before labor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n *Because the uterus rests on the bladder more after lightening, you may feel the need to urinate often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * But the extra room in your upper abdomen may make it easier to breathe and relieve heartburn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Passing of the mucus plug<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The mucus plug accumulates at the cervix during pregnancy. When the cervix begins to open wider, the mucus is discharged into the vagina. It may be clear, pink, or slightly bloody. This is also known as \u201cshow\u201d or \u201cbloody show.\u201d Labor may begin soon after the mucus plug is discharged or one to two weeks later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Labor contractions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Contractions are the tightening of the muscles of the uterus. During contractions, the abdomen becomes hard. Between contractions, the uterus relaxes and the abdomen becomes soft. The way a contraction feels is different for each woman, and it may feel different from one pregnancy to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike false labor contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions, true labor contractions don\u2019t stop when you change your position or relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although they may be uncomfortable, you\u2019ll be able to relax in between contractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diarrhea<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You may notice your poops are loose or watery. This may mean you are within a day or two of labor beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Weight loss<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While you\u2019re pregnant, it may seem like you\u2019re never going to stop gaining weight. But many women actually lose a few pounds in the days leading up to labor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nesting instinct<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some women find themselves with an urge to get ready shortly before their baby\u2019s arrival. That\u2019s known as the nesting instinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may have a sudden burst of energy after weeks of feeling more and more tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may feel like shopping, cooking, or cleaning the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be careful not to overdo it. Childbirth will take a lot of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Activity of the baby<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your baby may move less as you get closer to the start of labor, but let your doctor know. It can sometimes be a sign of a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cramps and back pain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It may be hard to recognize a contraction, especially with your first baby. Many women have what feels like menstrual cramps in the lower abdomen. They may stay the same or they may come and go. You might also have pain in your lower back that either stays or comes and goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looser joints<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find yourself \u201cwaddling\u201d as your pregnancy winds down, that\u2019s just your body getting ready for the job ahead. A hormone called relaxin loosens up the ligaments around your pelvis to make it easier for the baby to pass through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Water breaking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The rupture of the amniotic membrane (the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the baby during pregnancy) may happen before you get to the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not all women have their water break when they\u2019re in labor. Many times the doctor will rupture the amniotic membrane in the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Effacement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n During labor, your cervix gets shorter and thins out in order to stretch and open around your baby’s head. The shortening and thinning of the cervix is called effacement. Your health care provider will be able to tell you if there are changes to the cervix during a pelvic exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Effacement is measured in percentages from 0% to 100%. If there are no changes to the cervix, it is described as 0% effaced. When the cervix is half the normal thickness, it is 50% effaced. When the cervix is completely thinned out, it is 100% effaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The stretching and opening of your cervix is called dilation and is measured in centimeters, with complete dilation being at 10 centimeters. Effacement and dilation are a direct result of effective uterine contractions. Progress in labor is measured by how much the cervix has opened and thinned to allow your baby to pass through the vagina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What’s the Difference Between True Labor and False Labor?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before “true” labor begins, you may have “false” labor pains, also known as Braxton Hicks contractions. These irregular uterine contractions are perfectly normal and may start to occur in your second trimester, although more commonly in your third trimester of pregnancy. They are your body’s way of getting ready for the “real thing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do Braxton Hicks contractions feel like?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Braxton Hicks contractions can be described as a tightening in the abdomen that comes and goes. These contractions do not get closer together, do not increase with walking, do not increase in duration, and do not feel stronger over time as they do when you are in true labor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do I know when I am in true labor?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To figure out if the contractions you are feeling are the real thing, ask yourself the following questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ===labour<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time Your Contractions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you think you are in true labor, start timing your contractions. To do this, write down the time each contraction starts and stops or have someone do it for you. The time between contractions includes the length or duration of the contraction and the minutes in between the contractions (called the interval).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mild contractions generally begin 15 to 20 minutes apart and last 60 to 90 seconds. The contractions become more regular until they are less than 5 minutes apart. Active labor (the time you should come into the hospital) is usually characterized by strong contractions that last 45 to 60 seconds and occur 3 to 4 minutes apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try to Relax<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s best to go through the first stage of labor (called the Latent Phase) in the comfort of your home. Here are some tips to help you manage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n