Labor! This is the event for which you have been waiting for several months! Your baby is about to come to this world soon. This moment fills you up with happiness and some amount of anxiety too. Your baby is soon to deliver and you are excited to see him/her beside you. Many women wonder how labor is going to be like and how would they know if they are approaching it. Sometimes, what you feel is a labor pain, turns out to be a false alarm. To avoid getting confused, we have come up with a few sure signs that would help you make the right anticipation of your labor.
What is labor?
Labor is a procedure of childbirth. It begins with uterus contraction, and culminates with the birth of the baby.
When can you expect labor signs in your pregnancy?
Normally, the due date of every pregnant women is 40 weeks from the date of conception in case of a full-term delivery. There can be a difference of two weeks in this ideal timeframe. So, a woman can expect to experience labor pain between 38th to 42nd week of her pregnancy. It is advised to keep discussing about your health concerns and symptoms when you reach this phase.
Signs of Labor
1. Change in your energy levels
One of the signs of labor is that you experience a change in your energy. If you feel that you suddenly feel very tired or a sudden spike in energy levels during the weeks or days before labor, then it is one of the signs of approaching labor. During this time, a pregnant woman should take rest and should not overexert herself.
2. Lightening
Source: Kopa Birth
Another sign of labor is when your body gives you an indication that your baby is dropping lower into the pelvis area or the bladder region. This happens a few weeks, or days before the delivery. Your baby gets into position in order to exit. In ideal cases, the head is low and in the downward direction in the body. This sign is also referred to as lightening. It can bring a relief to the expecting mother as the little one now slowly moves away from the lungs.
3. Dilation of the cervix
Your cervix will begin to dilate so as to prepare itself for the birth of the baby. You would notice that the cervix will begin to open up and efface to thin out a few days before delivery.
4. Experiencing cramps frequently
Regular cramps in legs and pain in the groin or lower back muscles also indicates labor. This happens because the joints, and muscles start to stretch and shift to prepare for birth.
5. Looseness in the joints
Another sign that you will notice is that the pregnancy hormone will make your ligaments loose, less tight and a lot relaxed. It is the way of nature to open up the pelvis for your baby to come out of the body.
6. Your vaginal discharge changes in consistency, and color
In your final days prior to labor, you will notice an increase or thickened vaginal discharge. You may notice that the discharge becomes thick and pink in color.
7. Water breaking
Another important sign that indicates labor is that the amniotic sac breaks in the body. As a result of this rupture, all the fluid that was contained in them starts to flow out of them. This is as “water breaking”. Expecting women will feel a gush of water inside their water. If such thing happens, then it is important to notify to your doctor quickly. A majority of women go into labor in 24 hours of experiencing this condition.
8. Regular contractions
If your occasional contractions are becoming strong and frequent, then it is an indication that you are quite near to enter “active labor”. You will feel strong contraction in the body for around 30 seconds to 70 seconds. Trace the timing and strength of contractions to identify how close you are to experience labor.
Also read: Fever During Pregnancy: Can It Harm Your Baby?
Conclusion
Labor is one of the most awaited moments for any expecting mother. By being prepared in advance will help you reduce your anxiety at the time of noticing these signs and handle it effectively. As every woman’s pregnancy can be different, you may find a little difference in the observations. However, if you relate to a majority of above signs in your last trimester of pregnancy, then you can be very sure of delivering your baby soon. Be quick to call up your doctor and get timely assistance for a safe and healthy delivery.