9 Symptoms Of Prelabor

Before there’s labor, there’s prelabor –  a sort of preshow that sets things up before the main event. The physical changes of prelabor  can precede real labor by a full month or more – or by only an hour or so. Prelabor is characterized by the beginning of cervical effacement and dilation, which your practitioner can confirm on examination, as well as by a wide variety of related signs that you may notice yourself:

1.Dropping. Usually somewhere between two and four weeks before labor starts  in first-time mothers, the fetus begin  to settle down into pelvis. This milestone is rarely reached in second or later births until labor is about to kick off.

2.Sensations Of Increasing Pressure In The Pelvis And Rectum. Crampiness (similar to menstrual cramps) and groin pain are common – and particularly likely in second and later pregnancies. Persistent low backache may also be present.

3.Loss Of Weight Or No Gain. Weight gain might slow down in the ninth month; as labor approaches, you might even lose a bit of weight, up to 2 or 3 pounds .

4.A Change In Energy Levels. Some ninth-monthers find that they are increasingly exhausted. Others experience energy spurts. An uncontrollable urge to scrub floors and clean out closets has been related to the “nesting instinct”, in which the female of the species – that’s you – prepares the nest for the impending arrival.

5.A Change In Vaginal Discharge. If you’ve been keeping track, you may find that your discharge increases and thickens.

6.Loss Of  The Mucous Plug. As the cervix begins to thin and open, the “cork” of mucus that seals the opening of the uterus becomes dislodged. This gelatinous chunk of mucus can be passed through the vagina a week or two before the first real contractions, or just as labor begin.

7.Pink, Or Bloody, Show. As the cervix effaces and dilates, capillaries frequently rupture, tinting the mucus pink or streaking it with blood. This “show” usually means labor will start within 24 hours – though it could be as several days away.

8.Intensification Of Braxton Hicks  Contractions. These practice contractions may become more frequent and stronger, even painful.

9.Diarrhea. Some women experience loose bowel movements just before labor starts.