Towards the end of pregnancy, just about all pregnant families begin to ask the same question – when do you know it is really time? Waiting for baby day is an exciting, nervous and always body checking event. Small aches and pains may make people wonder if they should pack the hospital bag.
It helps parents to see what is happening in their body when labour is about to start. In late third trimester, the body makes the necessary preparations for childbirth without you noticing. Hormones adjust, muscles rehearse and baby turns into position. Families can use this knowledge to remain calm, recognize when it's practice and when it's real, and when to call the doctor.
What Is Lightening and How Does the Baby Drop?
Lightening is a physical sign that birth is nearing. This is also referred to, by many people, as "the baby dropping. It just indicates that the baby is moving down further into the pelvic bone.
This decrease typically occurs between 2–4 weeks prior to delivery when a woman becomes pregnant for the first time. If a woman has had a baby before, it may not occur until labor begins.
How Lightening Feels
- Easier Breathing: If the baby drops lower then the pressure goes up on the lungs and ribs. Sudden deep and full breath comes much easier!
- Less Pressure on the Stomach, Relief From Heartburn: Late-stage acid reflux can improve or resolve if there is less pressure on the stomach.
- Extra Pelvic Pressure: Baby is now lying right on the bladder and pelvic floor. Going to the toilet will be more frequent and walking could be somewhat steadier and clumsier.
Once your baby arrives, feeding routines become the next big learning curve. If you are planning to breastfeed, this guide to breast milk storage can help you keep expressed milk safe from the very first days.
Cervical Effacement and Dilation: The Silent Progress
Long before the first big contraction hits, the cervix starts changing behind the scenes. These subtle changes happen slowly over days or weeks. A doctor or midwife usually checks for them during late pregnancy checkups.
Cervical Effacement (Thinning)
The cervix starts out long, firm, and thick, measuring around three to four centimeters. To prepare for birth, it has to soften, stretch, and thin out completely.
Effacement is tracked in percentages:
- 0% Effaced: The cervix is still thick and closed.
- 50% Effaced: The cervix is half its normal thickness.
- 100% Effaced: The cervix is completely thinned out and paper-thin.
Cervical Dilation (Opening)
Dilation measures how wide the cervix has opened up. It is measured in centimeters, starting at 0 cm (closed) and ending at 10 cm (fully open for the baby to pass through).
Braxton Hicks vs. Real Contractions: How to Tell
The most common confusions typically occur during late pregnancy, and they are nearly always contractions. The womb is a big muscle and like all muscles it requires practise before being able to do heavy work. These are practice runs and are known as Braxton Hicks contractions.
Braxton Hicks (Practice Labor)
- It feels like a mild cramping or light period ache on the front of the tummy.
- Keep the time between appearances unpredictable and do not become more frequent.
- Typically disappear after sitting, taking a large drink of water, or taking a warm bath.
Real Labor Contractions
- Begin at the bottom of the back and go around to the front of the abdomen.
- Use a steady timer and gradually increase length, strength and spacing.
- Take care not to suddenly stop or slow down when changing position, resting or drinking liquids.
The Loss of the Mucus Plug and the Bloody Show
Throughout pregnancy, there is a thick plug of mucus that blocks the opening of the uterus. This plug helps to keep bacteria and other organisms out of the uterus. As the cervix opens up during labor, the mucus plug is dislodged.
What to Expect
The mucus plug can be identified by a thick, gooey discharge that may appear on toilet paper when you wipe. The discharge may also have a stringy consistency.
The discharge can range in color from clear to off-white to pink to brown.
The Bloody Show
As the cervix begins to open, small blood vessels near the cervical opening may rupture. This can cause streaks of fresh blood to appear in the discharge.
Losing your mucus plug can be a good sign that labor is approaching. However, it does not mean that you are in labor right then. Some women still have to wait for several days before they actually give birth.
Unexpected Energy Bursts: The Nesting Instinct
Feeling exhausted is extremely common during the last month of pregnancy. So when an unexpected wave of energy occurs, it may seem rather odd. The sudden burst of emotions and the need to clean and prepare everything for the newborn are commonly referred to as nesting instinct.
Common Signs of Nesting Instinct
- Wiping kitchen cabinets at 11 pm
- Trying to sort tiny socks by color and size
- Checking the hospital bag and the car seat installation three times
- Though it is important to complete all these tasks, there is no need to push yourself too hard. It is vital to keep some energy for the day of childbirth.
Eating nutritious meals can also support your recovery and milk production after delivery. This guide to food to increase breast milk may be useful once your baby arrives.
Digestive Changes and Loose Stools Before Delivery
Before birth, the body produces more hormones. Prostaglandins are hormones that cause the cervix to relax. They also cause all other smooth muscles in the body to relax.
Things to Expect
- Diarrhea: Diarrhea is common 24 to 48 hours before birth.
- Clearing Space: The digestive system is clearing space in the lower bowels to make it easier for the baby to pass through the pelvis. This prevents constipation.
- Hydration: Having loose stools is dehydrating, so drinking lots of water or electrolyte fluids is crucial
Understanding Water Breaking and Amniotic Fluid Leakage
The baby grows in a bag of water (amniotic sac), which is a membrane, and when the water bag breaks, the water comes out. In movies, it is most often shown as a large stream of liquid — but in real life, it's not necessarily as dramatic.
Fascinating information about the breaking of water.
- Gushing or Trickle: Only 25% of pregnant women will have gushing waters, some women will see a trickle of fluid dripping down.
- Color and Odor: Fluid should be clear or slightly yellow and not have an odor of urine.
- Contractions: Contractions usually start before water breaking, so 9 out of 10 women won't leak out before they start to experience contractions.
Once your baby is here, you may have questions about feeding schedules and milk amounts. A baby milk calculator can be a helpful starting point for understanding typical newborn feeding needs.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for information purposes only and not intended as medical advice. Every pregnancy, every baby and every breastfeeding is unique. For medical advice relating to your own particular circumstances please consult your doctor, midwife or other appropriate healthcare professional.
Conclusion
When a person hears about the physical changes happening in his/her body in the second half of pregnancy, it will be easy to prepare for childbirth. There are many little changes that happen from the baby's descent to the regular contractions, the baby's movement in the womb, the thinning of the cervix, each has a natural purpose to prepare the baby. With this intimate knowledge of these subtle signs, packing bags for emergencies and careful communication with medical staff, parents can feel confident and peaceful on the day of their child's birth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell the difference between real labor and false labor?
Real labor contractions are regular, increase in intensity, and do not stop when you try to relax, drink water, or eat something. False labor is irregular and usually disappears when you move or try to relieve the pain.
What does it look like when the mucus plug is lost?
It appears as a thick discharge that can be transparent, yellow, pink, or brown with streaks of blood.
Does water breaking happens before contractions being regular?
Water breaking occurs before contractions for only 10% of pregnant women. In most cases, contractions appear first, and then the membranes are ruptured.
How soon after losing the mucus plug will contractions begin?
They can start within minutes to several days or even weeks. The appearance of the mucus plug indicates that the cervix is gradually opening.
What is nesting instinct and when does it happen?
Nesting is a sudden burst of energy and the need to clean and tidy the house. This usually happens a day or two before the delivery starts.
Is diarrhea a normal sign for imminent labor?
The hormones that start the process of cervix softening can cause the relaxation of the muscles in the digestive tract, which can lead to bouts of diarrhea, usually happening just before the labor.
When should you call a doctor if you are pregnant?
A doctor or a midwife should be contacted immediately if contractions become regular and strong, if the water bag breaks, there is a bright red bleeding, or the movements of the fetus slow down.
Does back pain mean that labor is coming soon?
Yes, as the baby comes to a position, there are cervical shifts and a dull heavy ache in the lower back.
If a person believes that labor is commencing, what should he or she do?
Be calm, take some water, begin timing any tightening from the beginning of one to the beginning of the next and seek guidance from the care team.
On average, how long is the first stage of labor?
The first stage may take between a few hours and a few days as the cervix gradually dilates and thins out to 4 or 5 cm.
