As you near the end of your pregnancy you may be wondering what the signs of labor are. "When is it the real thing?" "When do I go to the hospital" or "When do I call the midwife?"
While there are certainly variations among women, there are several signs you can look for to clue you in that labor and birth are near.
Now you have to keep in mind that pregnancy and birth run along a continuum. Pregnancy gradually flows into labor, and labor gradually flows into birth. There is not a line between where one ends and the other begins.
Keeping that in mind, these are some of the signs of labor.
The baby "dropping" in the pelvis--also known as lightening.
This is a very early sign of labor.This simply means that the baby moves down into the pelvis. The baby's head will be at zero station in obstetric speak--or "engaged" in the pelvis.
You will notice that your belly looks lower than before and/or that you have more room to breathe and the baby is not crowding your rib cage as much. You may also notice more pressure on your bladder than before and find that you are running to the bathroom more often.
Water breaking (amniotic sac breaking)
The bag of waters breaking can be an early sign of labor, although more frequently it occurs during the later stages of labor when contractions are well established or during the pushing phase.
Contractions
Contractions are the most reliable sign of labor.
Most women will notice Braxton-Hicks contractions throughout the latter part of their pregnancy. These "practice contractions" help to prepare your body for more intense contractions later on. Contractions will become more frequent towards the end of pregnancy. You will know labor has truly begun when the contractions are frequent, and keep increasing
in intensity and duration.
Emotional signs of labor
There can be emotional sign posts for some women that are early signs of labor. Feeling the urge to "nest"--to get the home in order and make sure final preparations are complete before baby arrives can be a sign.
Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy as much as you can--and rest assured
you won't be pregnant forever!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/how-will-i-know-when-im-in-labor-signs-of-labor-821495.html
About the Author:For more information on the signs of labor, natural pregnancy, and natural childbirth visit http://www.daretogivebirthnaturally.com
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