Claire
Maybe you are getting close to the end of your pregnancy and can’t wait to be done! It feels like nothing is happening but just wait, things can change pretty quickly.
Now let’s be very clear. Just because you have one or all of these signs, does not mean you will go into labour in the next few hours or even days. It may still take a while for full-blown labour to start.
These are just signs that your body is in some way, shape or form trying to get ready to go into labour!
You lose your mucous plug
Your mucous plug (sometimes called a ‘bloody show’) will be thick, white or clear and pink-tinged mucous. It might come out in one piece, or it might come out in many pieces. Some women don’t even notice it come out, and for others, it comes out during labour, not before.
Your baby drops
First-time moms usually feel a big difference when this happens and it usually happens before labour starts. With subsequent babies, you might not feel a difference until you’re in labour.
You feel more crampy
You might start getting some early labour cramps! Yay! You’ll feel some tightenings that are a little more painful than the Braxton Hicks you were having before. For some women, this happens days before they go into labour, for others they just go into full-blown labour and don’t have any “warning” cramps. Everyone is different! Go into the hospital if the cramps/contractions are getting stronger and lasting longer. If they stop you can just keep resting at home (unless concerned!). Real labour doesn’t stop and the contractions keep getting stronger and closer together.
You have a change in Energy Levels
If you’re feeling extra tired or experiencing a sudden surge of energy in the days or weeks before labour, this is perfectly normal. You might also have the urge to “nest” and prepare your home for the baby. Although nesting can begin any time during your pregnancy, many women experience it just before labour. Don’t overexert yourself. Just rest, and save your energy
You going to the bathroom ALOT.
Some women get pretty heavy diarrhea before labour. It’s your body’s way of emptying out before it’s time for the baby! Back in the day, all women got enemas once they were admitted to the hospital. This is a thing of the past now, but your body empty out the bowels on its own!
What Should I do when seeing Signs that labour is approaching?
These are just some signs that labour is coming! If you experience only a few signs of labour approaching, you may not need to go to the hospital just yet. Labour can take a lot of time, and you’ll be more comfortable, and perfectly safe, staying at home. Your doctor or midwife will give you guidance based on your labour signs and your individual situation.
What were some signs that you had before labour started?
Let us know in our comments
Originally posted 2021-03-24 07:14:44.
I had backache…..I was confused was it labour pain or just backpain due to baby weight…..finally I decided to visit my gynaec and she told me that I am 2cm dilated🙄…I still think that I made the right decision that night to visit my doctor
My hips felt loose and sore. It was like one foot on each end of a teeter totter when I walked 😂
My midwife talked about my lips getting fuller 💋
I am 5 weeks post partum. I carried low and he dropped at around 37 weeks or so. Also I remember doing an antenatal class and a girl who was the same gestation as me, 37 weeks at the time, saying she lost her mucous plug. I got to 39 weeks and I still hadn’t lost mine. I didn’t lose mine until my waters broke and I went into labour. So ladies don’t get too stressed about your mucous plug. Everyone is different.
I was 38+6 when my waters broke, the only sign I had was that my baby boy dropped so far down when I reached 38weeks 😂🙈6 days I was sin labour after just building his cot 😂
All of these happens for a week until my water finally broke at home, oh and I was dilated to a 3 for a month before I delivered. 🙃 I was soooo impatient.
I got chills and was super nauseous for a few hours. Then it went away before labor actually started 🤷♀️
I had no signs of labor- AT ALL! I had my membranes swept at 39&1 and went into full blown labor that night! With my first baby! I went from no contractions to waking up to contractions that were 2-3 minutes apart! I didn’t think it was real labor so I refused to go to the hospital even though they hurt! I finally went 3 hours later and I was 5cm dialated!
36 weeks and definitely started going #2 a lot more but I’m not sure if it’s from the heat. 😅
Pregnancy and birth is so full of “signs” and unknowns! Mamas are truly so brave and strong 🤰💜
My mucus plug came out yesterday, probably from my cervical exam earlier in the day, but it was a brown color with blood. Should I be worried about that? I’ve been having some brownish discharge since then, too 😕
I’m almost 38 weeks and haven’t had any signs—that’s okay with me! Baby girl can cook in there as long as she needs to 😂
Can you do anything to help move things a long faster ??
Lol I love the MAYBE 😂😂💜💜💜I had all of these!!! Except the nurses and doctors couldn’t agree on whether my waters broke or not…ANYWAY baby came to the world eventually!