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Jul 20, 2023 · Labor pain happens when your uterus tightens and relaxes to squeeze your baby out (called contractions). Besides intense muscle tightening throughout your abdomen and,...
- Karen Miles
- Lightening. If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel what's known as lightening a few weeks before labor starts. Lightening means your baby has "dropped" and now rests lower in your pelvis.
- Loss of the mucus plug. If your cervix begins to efface or dilate significantly as you get close to labor, you may pass your mucus plug – the small amount of thickened mucus that has collected within your cervical canal during your pregnancy.
- Bloody show. You may have noticed more vaginal discharge during pregnancy, thanks to your body's increased estrogen. Normal, healthy discharge is usually creamy white or clear, but it may also be tinged brown, pink, or red.
- Cervical dilation and effacement. In the days and weeks before delivery, changes in the connective tissue of your cervix make it soften and lead to dilation and effacement.
- Your baby “drops” If you’re a first-time mom your baby will typically start to drop, or descend into your pelvis, a few weeks before labor begins (usually around two to four weeks before, but it can vary).
- Your cervix dilates. Your cervix, too, is starting to prepare for birth: It starts to dilate (open) and efface (thin out) in the days or weeks before you deliver.
- You feel more cramps and increased back pain. Especially if this is not your first pregnancy, you may feel some crampiness and pain in your lower back and groin as labor nears.
- Your joints feel looser. Throughout your pregnancy, the hormone relaxin has made your ligaments loosen up a little (it’s also responsible for your potential bouts of clumsiness this past trimester).
- Water breaking. One obvious sign indicating the start of labor is your water breaking, or more specifically, the rupture of your amniotic sac. This fluid-filled sac protects your baby as it grows and develops, but it will rupture in preparation for the delivery, either naturally or artificially by your doctor.
- Losing your mucus plug. The mucus plug is a thick collection of mucus that seals the opening of the cervix. This stops bacteria from entering your uterus, but once labor nears, this plug loosens and drops out.
- Weight loss. As an expecting mother, you might not expect any weight loss until after delivery. But it’s not uncommon to lose 1 to 3 pounds of weight 1 to 2 days before going into labor.
- Extreme nesting. The nesting instinct — which is an overwhelming desire to get the house ready for a baby — is common during the third trimester. You might start cleaning, organizing, setting up the nursery, and making sure everything is just perfect.
Jul 23, 2024 · A pregnant person doubles over from the pain of a single contraction, and suddenly a baby appears. In reality, however, labor usually takes time. And the early signs of labor may not be obvious. Here's what to know about the common signs of the body getting ready for labor.
- Before labor, the lower part of your uterus called the cervix is typically 3.5 cm to 4 cm long. As labor begins, your cervix softens, shortens and...
- Another sign of labor is your cervix beginning to open (dilate). Your health care provider will measure the dilation in centimeters from zero (no d...
- During pregnancy, a thick plug of mucus blocks the cervical opening to prevent bacteria from entering the uterus. During the late third trimester,...
- Lightening is the term used to describe when the baby's head settles deep into your pelvis. This might cause a change in the shape of your abdomen....
- The amniotic sac is a fluid-filled membrane that cushions your baby in the uterus. At the beginning of or during labor, your membranes will rupture...
- During the last few months of pregnancy, you might experience occasional, sometimes painful, contractions — a sensation that your uterus is tighten...
6 days ago · If you're experiencing any signs of labor and you're fewer than 37 weeks pregnant, be sure to call your doctor or midwife right away as they could be a sign of preterm labor. Preterm labor is...
Labor Pain Relief. Uterine muscle contractions — from pressure on your cervix, pressure of the baby on your bladder and bowels, and from the stretching of your birth canal and vagina — cause pain during labor. Pain relief options include analgesic medications, local anesthesia, regional anesthesia and general anesthesia.
