What are some signs of labor?
Regular contractions that become more frequent, closer together and increase in intensity. While the normal contractions of late pregnancy (called ‘Braxton Hicks’ contractions) may often be mistaken for the onset of labor, you can be relatively certain that labor has begun if your contractions have been going for about an hour, are evenly spaced about 5 minutes apart and last for about a minute each. A gush or constant trickle of fluid from the vagina indicating that your water has ‘broken’. Passing of the mucus ‘plug’ that keeps the uterus closed during pregnancy. This is sometimes called a ‘show’. A bloody or brownish mucus discharge accompanying the above symptoms. Don’t hesitate to call your midwife, doctor or birth assistant if you are not sure. They will be able to reassure you and want to know of any changes that occur -even if you are not yet in true labor.
Regular contractions that become more frequent, closer together and increase in intensity. While the normal contractions of late pregnancy (called ‘Braxton Hicks’ contractions) may often be mistaken for the onset of labor, you can be relatively certain that labor has begun if your contractions have been going for about an hour, are evenly spaced about 5 minutes apart and last for about a minute each. A gush or constant trickle of fluid from the vagina indicating that your water has ‘broken’. Passing of the mucus ‘plug’ that keeps the uterus closed during pregnancy. This is sometimes called a ‘show’. A bloody or brownish mucus discharge accompanying the above symptoms.
