Here Comes Baby! 6 Signs of Labor During Pregnancy

Here Comes Baby! 6 Signs of Labor During Pregnancy - Pregnant? Want to know if your baby is coming? Find out how to tell the difference between real signs of labor and false alarms. Most first-time pregnant women expect the textbook version of labor. The obvious signs that tell you "it's time." You expect that you'll grab your overnight bag and calmly drive to the hospital with your partner. But sometimes contractions or the "water breaking" don't occur as predictably as you might hope, or in the order you have read about.

Learn what the most common signs of labor are. And, find out how to tell the difference between real contractions and false alarms.

Real signs of labor

Once your baby is ready to be born, you will notice some bodily changes. Call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of labor, even if your due date is weeks away. Six of the most common ones include:

1. Rupture of membranes (your water breaks)

Many women know that the "water" breaking is one of the telltale signs of labor. But not all women are aware when this happens. The watery discharge is a result of the amniotic sac breaking. But, it can present as a flood, a trickle or even a slow drip. It could happen several hours before labor starts or not until you are well into labor. Call your doctor immediately if you think that your water has broken.

2. Lightening

This is when the baby settles lower into your uterus, getting ready for birth. You may feel a clear change in the baby's position, or you may not notice any change at all. The term lightening is used because pressure is often taken off your diaphragm, making it easier for you to breathe (while increasing pressure on your pelvis).

3. Changes in your cervix

In the weeks leading up to labor, your cervix will go through changes that you won't notice. As your due date draws closer, though, your doctor will see you more often and check your cervix at each appointment for:

• Effacement. This is the thinning and stretching of the cervix. It is measured in percentages, with complete effacement being 100 percent.
• Dilation. This is the opening of the cervix. Dilation is measured in centimeters. Full dilation is 10 centimeters if you are at or near term.

During your final prenatal visits, your doctor may tell you how effaced and dilated you are. The further along you are, the closer you are to labor. Only your doctor can tell these changes. You will not notice them on your own. But these changes can develop rapidly or very slowly over days.

4. Bloody show

During pregnancy, a thin layer of mucus forms over the opening to the cervix. During effacement and dilation, the "mucus plug" comes out. This shows up as a clear, pink or bloody discharge. This can appear any time in the days leading up to labor, once you start dilation. Call your doctor right away if there is any more blood than just a little blood-tinged mucous plug.

5. Nesting

Some think this is a myth. Most women feel tired during the later stages of your pregnancy. But some women have a burst of energy close to labor. You may get an urge to cook, clean or finish other "to dos" before the baby comes. But keep in mind that labor is approaching, so it may be best to save that energy.

6. Contractions

At the start of labor, your uterus tightens and releases in an effort to move the baby along through the birthing process. Contractions follow a regular pattern and increase in duration, intensity and frequency as labor progresses. Each lasts about 30 to 70 seconds and occurs every two to three minutes. The pain usually starts in your back and moves around to your front. Contractions can be very painful. They may mimic the pain of a bad back ache or menstrual cramps. But not all contractions signal "labor." Call your doctor right away if you have constant severe pain that does not get better between contractions as this pain may not be due to contractions.

False labor

Braxton Hicks contractions are considered false because they do not lead to dilation of the cervix. They are also referred to as "practice contractions" because they help your body prepare for labor. Braxton Hicks contractions may start as early as the second trimester of pregnancy but are more common during the third trimester. Experts are not sure why they occur.

It's common to mistake Braxton Hicks contractions for the real thing. Some women even make the trip to the hospital because they think birth is imminent. There are some key differences between real labor contractions and false ones. Braxton Hicks contractions:

• Do not follow a pattern
• In time, do not increase in duration, intensity or frequency
• Are unpredictable
• Are uncomfortable but not always painful
• May taper off or disappear when you move or change position
• Are usually only felt in your abdomen

The best way to tell if contractions are real or not is to time them. If they are not regular and do not progress (get closer together, become more painful and last longer), they are probably false alarms. When in doubt, call your doctor. Read also: 5 Signs That You May Be Having Twins

SOURCES:

• American Pregnancy Association. False labor. Accessed: 05/13/2009
• National Women's Health Information Center. Healthy pregnancy. Accessed: 05/13/2009
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. How to tell when labor begins. Accessed: 05/13/2009
• Henderson S, Mallon WK. Labor and delivery and their complications. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al., eds. Marx: Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th edition. Accessed: 05/13/2009
• Williams DE, Pridjian G. Normal labor and delivery. In: Rakel RE. Rakel: Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. Accessed: 05/13/2009
• American Pregnancy Association. Signs of labor. Accessed: 05/13/2009
• American Pregnancy Association. Braxton Hicks Contractions. Accessed: 05/13/2009