Any lady “in position” (especially primogenous) wants to know: what are the signs of the onset of labor? With the increase in gestational age, the expectant mother is becoming more attentive to all changes occurring in her body in order to understand in time that the birth has already begun and there was time to have time to get ready for the hospital.
Not so frequent cases in obstetric practice, when labor activity begins to develop suddenly. Basically, a pregnant woman, one way or another, notes the occurrence of some signs that signal the imminent approach of childbirth.
10. Low back pain
Periodic pain in the lower back is a traditional sign of the onset of labor. Usually, this symptom indicates the onset of contractions, the pain of which may be given to the back. Many women note that they experienced similar pain at the beginning of the menstrual cycle. This symptom may appear a couple of days before the start of active labor.
It should also be noted that aching pain in the lumbar spine may indicate that the child has taken the wrong position.
9. Water discharge
The discharge of amniotic fluid is one of the most obvious signs of the onset of vigorous labor. After rupture of the fetal bladder, labor will begin no later than one day later. Amniotic fluid can be poured out at once, and can leak in small portions throughout the entire first stage of labor.
One way or another, when you pour out the waters, you need to immediately go to the hospital, because now you can’t stop labor activity.
If the amniotic fluid comes out gradually, the woman in labor has a few more hours, but keep in mind that normally the so-called anhydrous period should not last more than 12 hours. .
8. Change in fetal activity
Each attentive expectant mother, to the final stage of pregnancy, already manages to a greater or lesser extent to study the nature of the fetal movements. Therefore, when a woman who is “on the move” notes a slight change in her baby’s behavior, this usually means that her body is preparing for childbirth.
7. Fights
Contraction - periodic contractions of the muscle wall of the uterus, which are aimed at opening the cervix. This occurs in order to ensure unhindered passage of the fetus through the birth canal. This is the meaning of the first period of childbirth - normally, it should end with a full opening of the neck, which is 10 cm.
True contractions - are periodic in nature, accompanied by strong pulling pain in the abdomen. The frequency of their appearance depends on the degree of neck opening. The farther, the more they become stronger and longer, and the less pauses between them become.
6. Departure of the mucous plug
The cervical canal is a cavity inside the cervix connecting the uterus and vagina. When pregnancy occurs, it is filled with the so-called mucous plug, the purpose of which is to protect the fetus from infections that penetrate there along the ascending path.
The mucous plug can stand out 2-3 days before the birth or already during labor: this season the expectant mother will see in her underwear copious discharge of an unusually viscous consistency of a transparent, whitish or pale pinkish color with small bloody veins.
5. Nesting syndrome and unexpected mood swings
This sign of the imminent onset of labor is considered rather conditional than objective. He is considered one of the earliest harbingers of childbirth, as it develops a few weeks before the “X-day”.
A similar syndrome manifests itself in the fact that a pregnant woman begins to feel a craving for arranging her family nest: she buys things with a shopaholic passion for the unborn baby, cleans the house around the clock, makes a permutation, etc.
At the same time, the future mother herself and her loved ones will be able to note the appearance of sharp leaps in mood - from euphoria to a depressed and oppressed state of mind. The cause of such reactions are various hormonal changes characteristic of the pregnant woman's body.
4. Frequent urination and bowel movements
First of all, frequent diuresis and defecation in the last weeks of pregnancy are associated with increased pressure on the woman's bladder and intestines. In addition, shortly before delivery, a special type of hormone, prostaglandins, begins to be actively produced in her body, the action of which is aimed at relaxing the cervix and enhancing intestinal motility. Because of this, expectant mothers may think that they are poisoned by something and their frequent stools are nothing more than diarrhea.
This precursor usually appears a few days before the appearance of vigorous labor.
3. Abdominal prolapse
A couple of weeks before the birth, the expectant mother may note that her stomach fell. This is due to the fact that the fetus is most “convenient” trying to position itself relative to the entrance to the small pelvis. Due to this, the expectant mother may note that her breathing was easier, the attacks of heartburn disappeared or decreased in intensity.
However, prolapse of the abdomen causes an increase in pressure on the bladder. Because of this, rapid diuresis occurs, in addition, it becomes more difficult for a pregnant woman to walk.
2. Change in appetite and weight loss
Most women complain that with the onset of pregnancy they periodically experience some kind of problem with eating. In the early stages of gestation, this may be due to toxicosis, and then a woman may feel an aversion to the process of eating because of constant attacks of nausea.
There is a reverse situation - when the expectant mother discovers an unprecedented appetite in herself, thanks to which she begins to gain weight very quickly.
However, a decrease in interest in food in the last weeks of pregnancy is a precursor to the approach of childbirth. Also, a woman can lose a couple of kilograms - this happens due to increased excretion of fluid from the body and reduction of edema (this is how preparation for labor occurs).
1. Soft neck
This sign of the imminent onset of labor can only be determined by an obstetrician-gynecologist during an intravaginal examination. A similar change in the structure of the uterus occurs due to an increase in the concentration of estrogen and prostaglandins in the blood of a pregnant woman, which leads to softening of the neck.