What are the signs that I am experiencing true labor?
Contractions during labor are regular and last from 45 to 90 seconds. They are accompanied by a mucus discharge from the vagina often mixed with blood (show) and sometimes by the leaking of amniotic fluid. While there is no set rule, true labor contractions usually appear at 15 – 20 minute intervals, are mild and last only 30 seconds. At some point the interval between contractions will shorten to about 5 minutes. This may happen after several hours (most like during a first pregnancy) or take place within 1 hour (common during subsequent pregnancies). Sometimes contractions will initiate with 5 minute intervals, and this is most likely if you experienced a short labor during a previous pregnancy.
