Is It Labor "8 Signs of Labor"

It's amazing that even with my 5th baby, I still got anxiety when thinking about labor. When will I go into labor? How do I know it's the real thing? What if my water breaks in a public place? Having more than one baby doesn't make you an expert. It's almost as if you forget between pregnancies. I find myself asking the doctors things I should already know. So here are 8 signs of labor for people like me who need to have something on paper to refresh their memory and for those first time moms.

1. "Wow, you have dropped." As you near the end of your pregnancy, you might notice that your baby has moved down lower in your abdomen. First time mom will usually drop within two weeks to delivery, but it could be as much as four weeks out. On your second pregnancy, usually babies do not drop until labor begins. When the baby's head settles into the pelvis, it is called lightening. You may notice that the baby seems lighter. People will most likely comment about how low you look at this point, because it is a noticeable difference. You should be able to breathe a little easier, because the baby won't be in your ribs as much anymore.

2. "I live in the bathroom." Make sure you stay close to a bathroom. Because your baby's head lies closer to your bladder, you will need to go to the bathroom more often.

3. "My back is killing me." When your baby drops lower, you will have some aches and pains in your lower back and pelvis. You have pelvic ligaments that get stretched at this point. Some people explain it feeling like they are sitting on their baby.

4. "Are these contractions false labor?" Your contractions start to get a little stronger than the usual Braxton-Hicks. Some people explain them as feeling like menstrual cramps. These may not be as strong as full labor contractions, but they will start to thin your cervix. These contractions will get stronger just prior to labor. Keep in mind these could go on for weeks before you actually are in labor. Drink water and change positions to see if they go away. If they do, it's probably false labor.

5. "Am I getting sick?" It is common to have abdominal cramps and loose, frequent bowel movements. It is natures way of emptying your intestines to make room for your baby to be born. These same hormones can make you nauseated.

6. "Should I be concerned?" Generally you will have an increase of vaginal discharge. It is pink tinged in color. This is not the same as "bloody show."

7. "What is that?" Contractions and the baby's head dropping down can cause you to lose your mucus plug. The mucus plug seals the cervix to protect anything from entering the vagina. It is usually thick and gooey. Some women will lose it all at once and some will lose a little bit at a time. It is normal for there to be some blood, but if you have more blood than mucus (equal to a menstrual period or a lot of bright red blood) call your doctor. Once you lose your mucus plug, you are likely to start labor within 3 days.

8. "My water just broke." In every "Hollywood" movie, the pregnant ladies water breaks before any signs of labor. You can feel pretty safe that this will not happen to you while you are standing in line at the grocery store. Most mothers do not have their water break until they are well into labor. If your water does break before labor has started, your labor will start with pretty intense contractions within the next few minutes or hours. It is definitely time to call your doctor.

It is hard to say what is normal when it comes to pregnancy, labor and delivery, because everyone is different. This is just a guideline of the most common signs. If you are ever concerned or not sure about something, consult with your doctor, that's why they get paid the big bucks!

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