pregnancy center
- Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
Reviewed on 1/6/2023
-
- 8 Symptoms Before Labor Starts
- Stages of Labor
- What Are the Stages of Labor?
- Guide
8 Symptoms Before Labor Starts
While there is no way to know when labor is 24 to 48 hours away, labor signs include a bloody show, Braxton Hicks contractions, labor contractions, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lower back pain, rupture of the amniotic sac (“water breaking”), and nesting instinct.
Labor in pregnancy is childbirth, the process when the fetus and placenta exit the uterus through the birth canal.
There are several signs that indicate labor is going to start in a little while. There is no exact indicator that labor is 24 to 48 hours away, but there are some signs it will happen soon, such as:
- Bloody show
- A small amount of mucus mixed with a little blood may pass from the vagin*
- This is often an early sign of labor and contractions will start to increase
- Active labor is usually less than 48 hours away
- Braxton Hicks contractions
- Also referred to as “practice contractions,” Braxton Hicks contractions are usually painless but feel like squeezing and tightness in the belly
- They are a sign the body is preparing for labor
- Labor contractions
- Uterine muscle spasms can signify the start of labor and may become more frequent and severe as labor progresses
- Irregular contractions that are not the same length, strength, or spacing as active labor usually occur first
- They may feel like cramping in the lower pelvis, pressure or discomfort, and back pain
- Active labor contractions are usually two to three minutes apart, last about one minute, and are intense and painful
- These are often a sign labor is 24 to 48 hours away
- Diarrhea
- Days to hours before labor begins the body releases hormones called prostaglandins to help prepare and dilate the cervix in response to uterine contractions
- Elevated levels of prostaglandins can also cause diarrhea as the body empties the digestive system to make sure there is nothing blocking the baby from exiting the birth canal
- Nausea and vomiting
- Feeling nauseated a day or so before labor starts is common, and once labor starts, the digestion process usually stops so if the mother has a full stomach when labor begins, nausea may occur
- The contractions that occur during early labor may also cause nausea and vomiting
- Lower back pain
- This can be a sign of uterine activity as contractions progress
- It also occurs because the pelvic bones are adapting to the baby dropping further down into the pelvis
- Rupture of the amniotic sac (often referred to as the “water breaking”)
- Amniotic fluid leaks through the cervix and vagin*
- Labor usually occurs within hours of the amniotic sac breaking
- If labor does not occur after the water breaks and the baby is due, labor is usually induced to reduce the risk of infection
- Nesting instinct
- The urge to make sure everything is prepared before the baby arrives can give expectant mothers a burst of energy in the few days before labor starts
What Are the Stages of Labor?
There are three stages of labor:
Stage 1:Early labor
- There are two phases of early labor:
- Latent phase
- Strong contractions that occur at five- to 20-minute intervals
- The cervix dilates about three to four centimeters and thins, shortens, and softens (effaces)
- Is usually the longest and least intense phase of labor
- Expectant mothers may be admitted to the hospital during this phase
- Active phase
- Cervix dilates from four to 10 centimeters
- Contractions tend to increase in severity, duration, and frequency, and occur at three- to four-minute intervals
- This phase is often shorter than the latent phase
- Latent phase
Stage 2: Pushing stage of labor
- Begins when the cervix is completely opened (dilated) and ends with the delivery of the baby
- The mother is actively involved in pushing the baby through the birth canal
- Crowning occurs when the baby’s head is seen in the opening of the vagin*
- The pushing tends to be shorter than the first stage and may take between 30 minutes and three hours for a first pregnancy
Stage 3:Final stage of labor
- The placenta passes out of the uterus and through the vagin*
- Can take up to 30 minutes
Reviewed on 1/6/2023
References
Image source: iStock Images
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/labor
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy-beyond-the-basics/print
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/pregnancy/7-signs-that-labor-is-24-to-48-hours-away/
