There are a number of symptoms that occur in the last weeks of pregnancy that indicate the imminent onset of labor - harbingers of labor. In most women, this manifests itself in the form of irregular false contractions, sometimes very painful, abdominal prolapse, increased uterine excitability, decreased appetite and decreased weight gain, and finally, the passage of the mucus plug. This occurs as a result of a kind of hormonal preparation of your body for childbirth and indicates readiness No. 1 for the baby. It is unwise to go to the maternity hospital when warning signs appear. This will only interfere with the normal course of the birth process and become a reason for unnecessary medical interventions.
The appearance of regular contractions
During pregnancy, many women experience irregular, sometimes painful, but short-lived contractions (especially in the evenings) with two to four hour periods of regular contractions (five to ten minutes apart) that gradually subside.
Contractions that signal the approach of labor and dilatation of the cervix are of a fundamentally different nature: they become regular, longer and stronger. Contractions occur spontaneously, regardless of your will.
In this situation, the main thing is not to fuss. Sit back, find a position in which you will be most comfortable: riding on a chair, sitting on the floor, on your knees, lying down, etc. Just breathe calmly, without constricting your breathing, and make the most of the short break between contractions. The more successful your relaxation, the less intense the pain will be during a contraction. Oddly enough, I don’t feel like eating or drinking at all at this time. And even less do you want someone to talk to you.
But if at this time you want to walk, do something, in short, be active, and even eat something tasty, then it’s possible that your labor has not yet begun. Take a warm shower, it will relieve stress. You may feel like your contractions have stopped after taking a shower. But this is only proof that labor has not yet begun. Take advantage of this short lull to relax.
The process of cervical dilation is not that fast: 1 cm per hour during the first birth, and dilation is considered complete at 10 cm.
Are complications possible?
Unfortunately, pregnancy does not always proceed normally: there are situations that require special monitoring from doctors.
Pregnancy with twins or triplets
The increased load on the uterus often leads to the opening of the pharynx ahead of time, and this provokes the onset of contractions. In addition, there is evidence that multiple pregnancies cause premature aging of the placenta. Therefore, most of these children are born prematurely.
If the expectant mother feels pain in the lower abdomen or lower back, she should immediately contact the maternity hospital. If necessary, a woman can even be sent to a hospital for constant monitoring. If premature contractions occur, they are stopped with medication.
Bleeding
Sometimes bloody discharge accompanies normal labor, because when the cervix dilates, the vessels may be slightly damaged. However, in most situations, bleeding at the beginning of labor indicates the following pathologies:
- placental abruption;
- varicose nodes in the vagina;
- polyps, erosions, ulcers on the cervix;
- genital injuries;
- ruptures of the umbilical vessels.
Therefore, if even a small amount of blood appears, it is imperative to call an ambulance and go to the maternity hospital.
Gestational age
The period of pregnancy at which contractions begin is also important. Premature birth is considered to be labor that begins at 28-37 weeks. This process depends on various factors that are usually known in advance. In such cases, the woman is offered to go to a hospital to be under constant supervision of specialists.
However, there are situations when premature birth begins suddenly.
They are characterized by the following signs:
- constant heaviness in the lower abdomen;
- presence of bloody discharge;
- abdominal prolapse before 35 weeks;
- pronounced pressure on the pelvic bones and perineum;
- pain of a cramping nature;
- constant presence of the uterus in good shape.
Such symptoms require immediate hospitalization of the pregnant woman, since premature dilatation of the cervix can lead to rapid labor and the development of dangerous complications.
As you can see, there are quite a few signs that allow a woman to prepare for the upcoming birth. Remember that if labor contractions occur with an interval of less than ten minutes or amniotic fluid breaks, you must immediately go to the maternity hospital - any delay can cause dangerous consequences.
For most primigravidas, going to the maternity hospital should be under the following conditions:
- 12-15 contractions occur per hour;
- contractions are constant, the break between them is less than 5 minutes;
- contractions last at least a minute;
- contractions are strong enough that you can no longer ignore them, you have to use various techniques to cope with them.
There is one good rule, using which you can get to the maternity hospital exactly when necessary. The 4 - 1 - 1 rule means that contractions occur within 4 minutes, last one minute, and do not subside for an hour or more.
How to go to the maternity hospital?
Another important question that worries expectant mothers is how to get to the hospital. There are two options here - call an ambulance or go by car.
If you decide to go by ambulance, remember a few useful tips:
- Immediately tell the driver where exactly you need to be taken (don’t skimp – promise a reward). Remember that the ambulance must take the woman in labor to the hospital that is closest to where the woman in labor lives and where there is space. Sometimes the dispatcher himself indicates the maternity hospital;
- if the driver stubbornly refuses to take you to the desired hospital (even for money), refuse the team and call another. No one has the right to demand money for a false call;
- To avoid unclear situations, immediately explain to the dispatcher which maternity hospital the ambulance should take you to. If necessary, provide the address of this maternity hospital. This will guarantee that the ambulance will take you where you need to go, and not where it is closer;
- When you enter the maternity hospital by ambulance, you will be admitted without waiting in line. The only thing is that you will have to miss other mothers who also arrived by ambulance, but earlier than you.
Traveling to the maternity hospital in your own car is at your own peril and risk, because you may break down on the road or get stuck in a traffic jam.
In addition, upon arrival at the maternity hospital, the first women who arrived by ambulance will be processed, and only then the matter will come to you.
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Labor and prenatal contractions
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The first signs of approaching labor
The first signs of impending labor manifest themselves differently in women. For some, the onset of labor begins with the gradual release of water , for others - with its rapid outpouring. For many women, their water breaks during labor, or they are released in the maternity ward, through the amniotomy procedure - puncture of the amniotic sac (this process is absolutely painless).
In some women, before the onset of labor, a plug comes off - a dense clot of mucus, sometimes mixed with blood, which can be accompanied by spotting. However, this sign should not be assessed as the onset of labor, since the plug may come off a week or several days before birth.
Rupture of membranes
As labor approaches, at the height of contractions, amniotic fluid may leak as a result of rupture of the membranes. If the rupture is not accompanied by complications, a warm, sticky, whitish liquid (about 20 ml) resembling water is released. After this, the water continues to leak, right up to the birth itself, and most of it will flow out at the same time as the baby comes out.
It happens that the amniotic sac remains intact and unharmed until delivery. Sometimes rupture of the membranes precedes painful contractions.
As soon as your water breaks, change your clothes, put on a sanitary pad and, without delay, go to the maternity hospital, preferably in a lying or semi-sitting position.
What are contractions?
Contractions are periodic contractions of the uterine muscles. During each episode, the processes of muscle contraction and stretching occur in the uterus, along with this, the circular muscle fibers of the cervix are stretched, and its longitudinal muscles are stretched, promoting dilation.
Thus, at the moment of contractions, the cervix dilates , which should be 10 cm by the time the fetus is expelled. Simultaneously with dilation, the baby moves through the birth canal.
At the moment of full dilatation of the cervix, a natural opening of the amniotic sac occurs and the water is released. If this does not happen, the bubble is opened mechanically.
What symptoms indicate the imminent onset of labor?
Among the main symptoms indicating the imminent onset of labor are:
- Loose stool. In order to facilitate the upcoming birth and the passage of the baby through the birth canal, the body begins to remove everything unnecessary. As a result, diarrhea may occur. It can occur several times a day, but is accompanied by dehydration, as well as changes in the color and smell of stool. As a rule, this sign, unlike the others, appears almost before birth in 1-2 days. However, it may be absent if the woman is multiparous.
- Loss of body weight. As a result of hormonal changes, excess fluid is removed before childbirth. The greater the swelling during pregnancy, the greater the swelling. Fluid was retained in the body under the influence of progesterone, but its reduction leads to its release, which helps to reduce weight from 0.5 to 3 kg.
- Discharge of mucus plug. Created from a special secretion of the cervical canal, the mucus plug is necessary during pregnancy to protect the fetus. It is needed to prevent infection from the vagina from entering the uterine cavity. Estrogen softens the cervix, opens its canal slightly, resulting in yellowish-brown discharge that is transparent or jelly-like, but does not have an unpleasant odor. The mucus plug may come out completely or in parts. As a rule, it is not accompanied by painful sensations, however, the presence of a nagging, mild pain like before menstruation is also a normal option. Once the plug has come off, nothing protects the baby from bacteria, so it is not recommended to take a bath, you can only use a shower.
- "Dropping of the abdomen." As a rule, the baby is in a cephalic position. Before birth, its head pulls the uterus downward, pressing against the entrance to the pelvis and preparing to move along the birth canal. Thanks to these changes, the uterus stops putting so much pressure on the diaphragm, as a result, the woman can feel the following improvements - shortness of breath disappears, heartburn and a feeling of heaviness stop. However, the pressure on the organs located in the pelvic area increases, and as a result, the urge to go to the toilet increases.
- Discomfort. As a result of sprained ligaments, as well as a rush of blood to the pelvic organs, unpleasant sensations may appear in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region or just below. The pain should not be severe, it resembles a pulling sensation before menstruation. Discomfort can occur either during the release of a mucus plug or during training contractions, or for no apparent reason.
- Training contractions. Premonitory contractions are contractions of the uterine walls for several seconds. The expectant mother feels how the uterus tenses, “turns to stone,” and then relaxes, while the cervix does not open. It is not difficult to distinguish them - they are irregular, or the gap between them is very large. In addition, they are weak and not accompanied by pain. Real contractions increase over time, they become more frequent and last longer.
- Cervical changes. Only a doctor can determine them during the next examination. The neck is significantly shortened, from about 4 to 1 centimeter, and also softens.
More on the topic
Contractions: when to go to the maternity hospital?
Precursors of labor in multiparous women
What are the warning signs of an approaching birth?
Contractions before childbirth
Precursors of labor in first-time mothers
What are they like?
Contractions are regular and periodic. During contractions a muscle spasm in the lower part of the body, the stomach becomes very tense (turns to stone), and the woman experiences pain in the abdomen, lower back, tailbone, and perineum (each woman in labor varies individually).
The pain during contractions has a wave-like character : it begins as if from afar, gradually intensifies, reaches a peak and gradually goes away. In intensity it can be compared to a spasm of the calf muscles. The only difference is that a muscle spasm in the legs suddenly appears, gives off strong unbearable pain and goes away unnoticed, and during contractions the pain appears and goes away gradually.
There are many methods for reducing the intensity of pain during childbirth, both medicinal and non-medicinal, that you can use on your own: breathing, massage, acupuncture, changing body position.
Signs
Literally a couple of days, or even weeks before the baby is born, the young lady notices changes in her well-being. That’s when you should start packing a bag with the necessary things and documents.
In theory, such changes occur in the fortieth week. But in practice, only 15% of mothers are allowed to give birth at this time, mostly giving birth at 37-39. At the same time, labor begins differently for primiparas and multiparas.
It is very important to know what signs indicate that a woman is about to give birth, since in some situations early hospitalization may be required.
After the 38th week, the fetus is considered fully term. But on average, women who give birth again are born at 37-38. Even doctors cannot accurately determine the day when the baby will be born.
Often the approaching birth announces itself with several omens at once. Moreover, in young ladies who have given birth, they appear literally a couple of days before permission, while in those who are preparing to become mothers for the first time, signs appear several weeks earlier. This is due to the physical memory of the body, which remembers the state of the lady, and therefore it subsequently gives signals immediately before the birth itself.
The main features include:
- Sagging belly. This happens when the child, preparing to leave, turns over, entering the pelvis with his head. In women who have not previously given birth, this phenomenon is possible 2 weeks, or even a whole month before resolution, while ladies who are preparing to re-experience the delights of motherhood discover such a symptom in themselves 1-2 days. The drooping of the abdomen is accompanied by easier breathing and the disappearance of discomfort in the upper abdomen, but at the same time the pressure on the bladder increases. Because of this, the urge to urinate becomes more frequent. You may experience discomfort in the pelvic area during movement.
- Minor weight loss, about 1-2 kilograms. The body's systems are freed from unnecessary water that has been deposited in it throughout pregnancy. This sign can be noticed 2 weeks before the birth of the child.
- Discharge of white mucous discharge, sometimes with blood. This secretion is also called mucus plug. It may come out in parts, then the discharge will be insignificant and brownish in color. In first-time mothers, the plug often comes off just before the birth itself. Those who have already resolved notice clots of mucus a few days before one of the most important days in their lives.
- A surge of energy called nesting syndrome. In the third trimester, the expectant mother's toxicosis subsides, the concentration of hormones in the blood normalizes, due to which a surge of vitality is felt. Often pregnant young ladies begin to arrange the nursery and carry out general cleaning of the house. Sometimes it even goes as far as major renovations. The syndrome can be noticed at 36-37 weeks. Such a surge of strength is necessary for the body in order to prepare for a rather difficult task - the birth of a child, since this process requires enormous energy expenditure.
Read also: Who delivers the baby – a doctor or a midwife? How many doctors are present?
- Secretion of the first milk. For ladies who are becoming mothers for the first time, colostrum begins to be released a couple of days before the birth of the baby, but for multiparous women, secretion begins already at 20 weeks of pregnancy. During this time, you need to carefully observe breast hygiene. It is strictly forbidden to apply mechanical pressure to the breasts to squeeze out colostrum, otherwise you may get injured or get an infection.
- The baby begins to move less. This is explained by the fact that he grew up and felt cramped in the uterus. A day before his birth, he stops sudden movements. But if within 12 hours there is not a single movement of the fetus, contact your doctor immediately! Perhaps the baby has hypoxia.
- The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract changes. Stomach upset is observed and vomiting is possible. In this way, the body is cleansed of waste and toxins that have accumulated in it throughout pregnancy. The problem worsens the day before birth. In multiparous women, this happens much faster, because, as already mentioned, the body remembers the birth process.
- False contractions. Of all the signs, this is the main one. False contractions prepare the body for future work. They are also called training ones, since the purpose of such contractions is to prepare for a difficult process.
The body itself will tell you when to expect the baby to be born; you just need to listen to it a little more carefully.
During the second and third births
It is easier for a woman to understand when to go to the maternity hospital during her second birth, since she can focus more accurately on her feelings experienced during her first birth.
Childbirth for multiparous women lasts on average 8 hours, so all stages go faster. Is it possible to calculate the sex of a child based on the date of conception or the last menstrual period?
It is necessary to go to the maternity hospital during the third birth, when regular cramping pains begin, as soon as possible to ensure the safety of the mother and the child, who will be born within five hours.
If your water breaks
Sometimes the onset of labor is announced by the rupture of amniotic fluid. The release of a large amount of fluid is difficult to miss. If your water breaks, you need to go to the maternity hospital immediately, without waiting for regular contractions. Even if the outpouring does not occur in full (1.5-2 liters), your baby is in danger because he is no longer protected from external influences. He should be born within 10-12 hours after the rupture of the membranes. Typically, contractions appear immediately after the fluid is released, and labor proceeds without complications.
Usually a woman knows in advance which maternity hospital to go to and what transport to use: a private car, a taxi or an ambulance. It is most convenient to get there by private transport, but only if the woman is not driving. The ambulance will have to wait. But this is the most reliable option, since in case of possible complications (rapid labor, poor health of the woman), the cabin of the special transport will have everything necessary to provide assistance. There is one more point you need to be aware of. In the city maternity hospital, first of all, emergency patients are admitted and registered, and only then women who come with contractions in their own car or taxi.
