Early signs Of Labor
Is This The Real Deal?

Sometimes, what you may think are labor symptoms, are nothing more than a few twinges, or could even be Braxton hicks contractions (practise contractions) If they are Braxton Hicks, they will stop.

I'll be the first to admit that having your very first baby is scary! You don't know what to expect... Friends may have given you a few details, but it's not like experiencing it first hand.

It's a good idea to find out as much as you can about the signs of labor, and try to be prepared.

So how do you know what the early signs of labor are?

• You could start with a twinge, either in your back or your lower tummy. The thing to remember is that this twinge will be back several minutes later!

• You may have a crampy feeling in your tummy.

• You may feel a tightening around your bump, it will feel tight and then relax, this is one of the most common labor symptoms.

• One of the most scary signs of labor is called 'a show' This is the mucus plug that seals your cervix for the 9 pregnancy months. You may find it when you go to the loo, and it's not nice to look at! It will be a little like a jelly substance, and could be streaked with blood. Some people lose the mucus plug all once, others will just lose a little at a time.

• Your waters may break, you could feel a slight trickle or a mad gush, every women and every pregnancy can be different. Ring your midwife if this happens.

If you are having early signs of labor, what should you do next?

Keep an eye on the time between the contractions. You should roughly know how long it will take you to get to the hospital, so give your midwife a ring and ask her when you should make your way there.

Do try and stay at home for as long as possible so long as it's safe. Go to the hospital too soon, and if you're only one or two centimetres dilated, they may just send you home!

Don't stay at home until the last minute. The last thing you need is to have your baby in the car on the side of the road with your hubby playing midwife!

The one thing that I can say about early signs of labor is that most women just know when it's the real thing!

To see more about labor, and to read about my experience click here.

Return from early signs of labor to the childbirth page, where you can read about labor, the birth of your baby, pain relief options and lots more.

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