Am I In Labor?

How exciting! The day you have been preparing for is finally approaching! Soon your baby will be born. You are probably feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. You may also be tired and irritable as the baby gets larger. This hodgepodge of emotions is perfectly normal. We know you would like someone to be able to tell you exactly when you labor will begin. Unfortunately, there is no magical crystal ball. Your due date is only a guideline. You may deliver two weeks before or after that date and the pregnancy would still be considered normal. We aren't sure what exactly triggers the beginning of labor. Hormones produced by the mother and the fetus, as well as changes in the uterine muscle - all play a role in the onset of labor.

As Labor Approaches

• Lightening - If this is your first pregnancy, 2 to 3 weeks before labor begins you may notice the baby "drops" (engages in the birth canal). You will notice it is much easier to breathe, although now you have pressure on your bladder, causing you to urinate more frequently. If this is not your first baby, this "lightening" may not occur until a few hours before labor begins.
• Show - A thick, mucous plug has formed in the cervix as a barrier against infection. When the cervix thins ("effaces") and begins to open, the plug is discharged into the vagina. Sometimes this happens in once piece, sometimes in small amounts. The mucous may be blood tinged. This "show" usually happens a few days before or at the onset of labor.
• Rupture of Membranes - This is when the bag of water surrounding the baby "breaks". This may happen a few hours before the onset of contractions, or at any time during labor. Call your doctor or midwife when this happens.
• Contractions - Throughout the third trimester you may have noticed your abdomen getting hard, then soft again. These irregular contractions may increase in frequency and intensity as you approach your due date, becoming uncomfortable and even painful. These false labor pains are called Braxton Hicks contractions. If you are physically active you may notice these contractions even more.

False Labor versus True Labor
False labor can occur about the time you would be expecting labor to begin. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between false labor and true labor without a doctor or midwife checking your cervix for changes. One good way to tell the difference is to time the contractions.

To time a contraction, put your hand on your abdomen when a contraction begins (your uterus will feel tense, you will not be able to indent it with your fingers), and time it until your abdomen begins to soften. To time the frequency of the contractions, place your hand on your abdomen and time from the beginning of the tightening of your uterus, through the softening until it begins to tighten again. You should time the frequency and duration of the contractions for one hour.

During true labor:

• Contractions will last about 30 to 70 seconds.
• The contractions occur at regular intervals, getting longer, stronger, and closer together.
• The contractions do not go away when you are up and moving around or change position.
• The contractions are often felt in the back, coming around to the front.

During false labor:

• The contractions are irregular and do not consistently get closer together.
• The contractions may stop when you walk around, or rest, or when you change position.
• The contractions are often felt in the abdomen.

Call Your Doctor or Midwife When:

• Your membranes rupture (your "water breaks"), even if you are not having contractions.
• You are having vaginal bleeding, more than just the "show".
• You have constant, severe pain.

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