Signs of Labor

Hi E. from KathyV the midwife: whatever happens before labor is not all that significant, as far as labor goes. If you are not sure if you are in labor--You're not! The main thing is that you can be in contact with your provider about whatever concerns you. When my clients call me about contractions, possible leaking fluid, blood, I make a plan with her about when we need to meet!

Early labor contractions are very important as the first step toward the baby arriving, and you are safest in your own home, moving and eating/drinking, bathing etc. to move into active labor.

Most physicians will have anyone who calls to go to the hospital and have the nurse report back about status. Many times, aggressive medical management takes place whenever the woman is term.

Good luck, and feel to contact me @ ###-###-#### if you have further concerns.

Kathy

1 mom found this helpful

If you start peeing every 10 minutes and are kind of uncomfortabel, even if it's 3 weeks early, call your doctor. those were my only signs with baby #2

You won't have any real signs that I can tell you because everyone is different. By thinning I guess you mean that you are effacing. Well you can't push until your fully diallated and 100% effaced. you can be 100% effaced and not diallated enough and vice versa. They work together. I got a boos of energy just before I started to go into labor. I had alot of back pain, but that is due tothe fact that both of my kids were posterior and had to turn to get the pressure off of my back. Your water might break when you get thin enough. Just pay attention to any contractions and when they are consistantly 5min or less apart then it's time to go to the hospital. Good Luck!!!

H.

Hi E., it sounds pretty normal since your due date is soon approaching. Some women start dilating and possibly stay at 1 or so cm for even a couple or few wks before labor. The dilation is one of the warning signs that it is close to the real thing. The big warning sign would be your water breaking...and you'll definitely know by then. Best to you!

E.,

I was staying at the hotel room across the street from the hospital, with plans of induction the next morning. I woke up with what I would describe as menstrual cramps that just kept getting more and more uncomfortable. I had to move around each time it started. It ended up being perfect timing for me! And I was 2 days later than my due date but I was already dilated to 2 and thinning. Good luck!

Hi E.,
I have three children, and with me each birth was a little different. I did walk with all three, and when the pains moved lower, I knew it was time to head to the hosp. With my first one, I lost my mucus plug first and then went to the hosp. I was a little dilated and the dr. had me walk the halls until I was dilated more. Which by then the pains had definately moved lower... and 17 hrs later my first child was born :)
I am not sure if I helped any, but that was my signs with my first.

Congratulations! This is such an exciting time! It's all so fast, yet it seems like it's never going to actually happen!
I was 75 effaced and at 3 1/2 centimeters for almost a month...so, everyone's different. I felt so much pressure, because I was already dilating. Most women do have to have their water broken at the hospital.
It's just so weird...you just know when it's time to go. We started timing the contractions at 3am...got to the hospital at 5am...and had a beautiful baby boy by 1 pm. it all goes by so fast! it's the most wonderfully scary feeling to go into the hospital as two people and know that you're going to leave with an extra person! It's the most careful drive home too! :)
Congratulations, and good luck! just know that know matter how much pain you are in, it does have an end! and it's all worth it!!!!!

LOL! I wish i could tell you, but with both of my boys i had to be induced! I never really got to go into labor on my own.

good luck!

I just wanted to recommend Babyzone.com to you. Check out the boards there....they have a September 2006 Due Date club where you can post with other women that are due the same month as you. It was a great help to me with all of my children, because rather than just read on the internet and listen to other women's past experiences, I got to 'live' my pregnany and pre-labor with women that were currently going through the same stage of pregnancy. It is lots of fun!

Good luck with the new baby! Get ready to love like you have never loved anyone before!

Hello - I cannot tell you about any warning signs as I had c-sections for both of my girls. I can help you in another arena though-- if you are planning to breastfeed, I am a LC and can help you with breastfeeding/pumps! www.addalittlelove.com

E.:
I am SO excited for you in so many ways! Your life is about to change in such a wonderful way!
I had my first baby on April 10 with a due date of April 11. Around May 10, I was dilated and soft and my doc said that it didn't mean a whole lot except that labor may be easy for me. THAT sounded good! Well, it took about a month more and here are some of the signs that I remember. Even though my baby's head was fully engaged, he still dropped further and I could see the change in the mirror. I had an easy pregnancy, so there weren't any real pain issues, but I did get quite swollen everywhere...hands, feet, arms, legs, etc. About two weeks out I was 3 cm. dilated and was told I could go any day. About a week before my due date, my husband and I were sitting around watching TV and I noticed that my stomach was tightening for a little bit and then relaxing. It didn't hurt at all but when my husband times them, they were 3 minutes apart so off to the hospital we went. They monitored me for a while and sent me home. They told me that they were contractions but that I needed to wait for them to "double me over in pain". GREAT! So my husband and I walked every evening hoping to hurry along the process. On the evening of the 9th, I was trying to sleep and got my first feeling of menstrual cramps across my lower back. I got up to go to the bathroom and my water broke...but it didn't gush AT ALL. So I wasn't sure if that was what happened. I got in the shower and saw that I was bleeding a little and then the contractions started getting a little more painful and off we went to the hospital. I really enjoyed the whole process...I took advantage of an epidural and ended up having a C-section the next day.
Everyone is different and some people know they are in labor. I wasn't exactly sure and was expecting to get sent home AGAIN.
Enjoy this amazing time! Wow, you make me think about gaving another!
Good luck to you and your husband and your beautiful baby boy!!!!
S.

Not neccessarily. I dialated to 3 1/2 cm without feeling anything. Sometimes you will feel a painful little twitch that you will ignore and it turns out that was a contraction. You just never know how your body is going to react. Good luck with your first one and God bless you and your new family.

Eric,
Your life is going to change so much very soon. There is nothing like being a mom. The most wonderful feeling in the world. I just had my first baby 5 1/2 months ago. I had a tightening, slightly uncomfortable, feeling in my back. The tightening feeling turned in to sharp pains after a couple of hours. A couple of hours later I had strong cramps in my lower stomach. From what I've read every pregnancy is different, but my "warning signs" were the back pain.
Congratulations!

everyones labor is different and i have had 4 babies and i am only 25. with my 8yr old i cleaned up a alot and really didnt have an appatite. with my 5yr old i was wanting to have sex thats what broke my water.with my 1yr old & my 10month old i had back aches but my sister was craving mexican food so trust me when its time you will know

Hi E.!

My daughter is 18 mos now and I remember going into labor like it was yesterday! Several weeks of birth prep classes reassured me that that 99% of the time, labor doesn't start with your water breaking like it does in the movies. Well, 3 weeks before my due date, I woke up at 6am following a funny feeling in my belly. I went to the bathroom and realized that my water had broken - it was steadily trickling - no gush. I told my husband who said to come back to bed for some more rest before things really got started. Well the trickle increased and I ended up standing in the bath tub while my hubby got me a towel. I wanted to labor longer at home before going to the hospital, but the risk of infection increases after the water broke, so in we went. I had my daughter 24 hours later; pitossin was needed to move things along. So for me - no warning =)

Stace

My water broke on a Sunday evening so the next morning I called the doctor to see if she wanted me to go to the hospital then or to wait because I was scheduled for induction that Monday evening anyway. I had lost my plug a few days before but the doctor said that didn't necessarily mean anything was going to happen soon. I wasn't even really sure that my water had broken because it was such a slow trickle. Anyhoo... since they said to go ahead and go to the hospital I decided I needed to get a shower, straigten up some things around the house and iron a table cloth. On the way to the hospital I started having small contractions (felt like back aches) every 3 minutes. I never dilated past 1 cm after my water having been broken over 24 hours before and with petosin so they decided to do a section because the babies heartbeat was fluctuating with the contractions. My beautiful baby girl came 2 weeks early.

I developed tons of energy before I went into labor. But I always had help with pit. because I was to slow. My lower back aches. Two of my labors were about the same energy, lower back ache and the tummy and sides cramping, then the first child was the hardest the second was the easiest and the third prenacy was a nightmare. With the energy I cleaned like I never cleaned before which was good because I didn't have tons of energy afterwards. Good luck and congrats.

Hi E.,

First baby-how exciting...i get all teary eyed thinking of my first and he just started 6th grade!

I have 4 kiddos, and like you know every pregnancy is different. With my first i had braxton hicks for weeks, made several pointless runs to the hospital, a week late and the scheduled to be induced i went into labor. That whole day I had what felt like a low tummy ache and, well, not to be gross- pooped alot that day...didn't know what was wrong with me (felt stupid once the first strong pain hit..OH YEA DUH! HAHA) Then it dawned on me that my tummy ache was like menstrual cramps that I had enjoyed so much not having for so long I had forgotten the feeling! #2 and #3 were induced. #4 i started the menstrual cramp/poop thing (i read lots of women "clean out" while on their cycle-if you do you know what i mean) 4 weeks before my due date/2 weeks before my induction date...week before induction day I started having uncomfortable braxton hicks (they say they shouldn't hurt but these weren't pleasant) went in to the dr and I hadn't dilated more-was still a 4 (i just knew she was going to fall out or something haha!) so the contractions weren't working and they wouldn't keep me. After a fun weekend of this, I showed up Monday and said I am not going home until I have a baby. I had dilated to a 5 so they kept me even though the contractions were still irregular. Pitocin helped organize (i guess) the contractions and i had her 5 days earlier than induction day.

Hope it helps at least to compare what other people felt. I know this sounds crazy but you will know, you won't have a doubt, Mommy brain kicks in. If you question it, never feel bad about going and lettin them check you out..heck enjoy all that attention while it is there!

Congrats!
A.

You usually have loose stools 24 hours before going into labor - low back ache - menstraul cramp feeling - can have some mucous - bloody show - and possibly some contractions....

Hope this helps..........P.

MY EXPERIENCE WAS FOR THE LAST MONTH, THE FIRST WEEK I WAS AT 1, THE SECOND AT 2, THE THIRD AT 3, AND WHEN MY WATER BROKE THAT NEXT WEEK I WAS AT 5. I STILL HAD TO HAVE PITOSIN BECAUSE I WAS NOT HAVING CONTRACTIONS.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE BIGGEST WARNING SIGN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DELIVER IN THE NEXT 24-48 HOURS IS YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MUCUS PLUG, IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG GLOB OF SLIGHLTY COLORED SNOT. WHEN YOU WIPE AFTER USING THE RESTROOM AND YOU SEE THIS STRANGE SNOT LOOKING STUFF, JUST BE PREPARED THAT IT COULD HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO. SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO LOSE THEIR PLUG UP TO A WEEK BEFORE DELIVERY, EVERY PREGNANCY IS DIFFERENT.

I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.

GOD BLESS,
M.

My kiddos were both induced- no signs of anything- was very frustrating. You'll know when it is time. Just listen to your Dr.s advice relax and get rest now because you'll be busy once your child gets here.

Blessings, C.

I went to the docter four days before I went into labor and I hadn't even began dialating - for me ( and my sister in law) it was losing the mucus plug we both went into labor within twelve hours.
New babies are soo much fun - especially the first - we had ours a little boy in January and it has been great!!!