Written by Editorial Team
The feeling of becoming a mother makes a woman complete. Pregnancy labor has physical, hormonal, and emotional changes. The mother is oblivious to all the changes that are happening. Pregnancy labor is one of the difficult times as there are no certain symptoms for the same. It will be a great help to get a better insight into the topic.
Find out everything about pregnancy labor. All women undergo some transformation, yet the changes are not the same for all. What one experiences might not be the same for others. Pregnancy for some is a smooth one and challenging and tough for others. The hormonal changes become abnormal affecting blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
In This Article
IT is an unmatchable feeling to be a mother, but it even comes with anxiety and curiousness. Giving birth to yet another life and being responsible for it can give jitters to a mother. The mother is always figuring out the symptoms of labor. Since women differ from each other, the experiences differ too. It is a difficult task for a new mother to detect the signs or understand a false alarm for labor.
Give below are some of the common symptoms that a woman undergoes.
The baby descending to the pelvis is the earliest sign of labor. This is a few weeks before the labor. It even results in an increased urge to go to the washroom. The baby’s head starts pushing down and getting into an exit position.
The cervix tends to dilate and become thinner with time.
The mother starts to feel the cramps accompanied by lower back pain. This is due to the stretching of the joints and the muscles.
Joints loosening up are also a sign of labor. As the hormones keep changing, the ligaments start to loosen up. This continues until delivery happens. It is also a natural way for the pelvis to prepare a path for the baby to arrive.
These are the most obvious signs misinterpreted as Braxton Hick’s contractions. The actual contractions are like a menstrual cramp. It also features lower back pain, abdominal pain, as well as stomach upset. This pain further shifts to the legs from the lower abdomen.
Muscle relaxation in the rectum and uterus can result in diarrhea. The best way to tackle this is by keeping oneself hydrated.
No weight gain or losing weight is even a symptom before labor starts. The weight loss can be accountable to diarrhea or reduced amniotic fluid levels.
Nearing the delivery time urges the mother to rest more. Diarrhea as it makes a person weak and exhausted. This is also due to frequent urination and restless sleep.
The vaginal discharge becomes thick before labor. This happens as the mucus plug falls. It changes to a pink color indicating labor is near.
Breaking of water is the last and the definite sign that states that the women are going into labor.
Yes, the baby pushing down towards the pelvis is an obvious sign of labor. This is one of the first symptoms and happens a few weeks before the delivery. This period can vary from two to four weeks.
Labor is the process of childbirth and has four stages. Given below is a brief of all the four stages of labor.
In the first stage of labor, one can experience contractions. These contractions help the cervix to become thin and dilate. The doctors measure the opening of the cervix in centimeters. At the time of dilation and effacement, the cervix widens up to 10 centimeters.
The first stage usually lasts for 13 hours or more for the ones with a first baby. The labor duration for a second baby is only 8 hours or even less.
The second stage characterizes the dilation of the cervix and the delivery of the baby. The contractions result in the baby pushing down, and it comes with immense pressure. This even urges one to pass stool. The mother needs to push with every contraction. With time, the contractions keep becoming stronger.
The time span for this stage is dependent on:
Contractions also result in irritation. It can even result in moaning or grunting when the contractions are at their extreme.
Once the baby is delivered uterus starts contracting till it pushes the placenta out. The placenta starts delivering in 15 minutes after the baby is born.
After the baby is born and the placenta comes out from the body, the mother feels relaxed. She feels tired and is full of joy. Post the delivery the babies need nursing. Some babies need it soon. Others can need a longer time. Nursing right after delivery helps to contract the uterus. It also helps to decrease the bleeding.
The duration of early labor is about 12 hours or even more. The cervix effacement and dilates to about 3cm, the contractions go on for half an hour to 45 seconds. The contractions are irregular and strong as well.
If the baby comes out early, it can pose issues for the mother and the baby. Considering the health of the mother and the baby, if the pregnancy is healthy, it is ideal to wait for 39 weeks and then wait for the labor to start.
If the baby is born before 37 weeks, it is a preterm or a premature baby. The babies who are an extreme case of preterm infants are born by 33 weeks as well. The ones who are late preterm babies are born within 37 weeks
It is best for labor to start by itself, but in certain cases, it is a piece of advice by experts to induce the same.
Being in labor and not being aware of its symptoms is a very common process. There are chances of a false alarm of being in labor. Symptoms of labor can even be confusing and difficult to differentiate.
Some very common, strange, and unusual signs that state being in labor are:
All these signs state informing the midwife and getting the bag ready. It is best to keep oneself fresh and wear comfortable clothes. One should elevate the feet and rest with the partner or near and dear ones around you.
The vaginal discharge which a woman undergoes at the time of pregnancy is the mucus plug. The mucus plug is thick, jelly-like, and fibrous. It differs from a normal vaginal discharge and is brown or red. The mucus plug has glycoproteins that have bigger molecules, making it thick. This even stops the infections or bacteria to enter the uterus.
Due to fluctuating hormones, vaginal discharge is more than it should be. This makes it difficult to distinguish between a discharge and a mucus plug.
Given below are the common differences between vaginal discharge and mucus plug.
Thus, giving birth to babies differ for all women. The common signs of labor are stronger contractions. The falling of the mucus plug is also a strong sign of one getting into labor. It helps to differentiate the signs of false vs. real labor. It also prepares the mother to go into labor.
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