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It’s been over eight months, and you have a good round baby bump now. You get frequent mood swings and food cravings. You are tired of carrying that bump around and want the baby to come into the world already! Every day you anticipate how it would be like to give birth but do you ever realize what signs you should be watching out for that indicate the baby is on its way? Well, if you didn’t know already, here are a few signs that might help you on this front.
There are two phases before an active labor, the pre labor period and the early labour period. Each has its own signs and symptoms and knowing one from the other can help you stay healthy and calm.
You Feel A Lightning Effect As The Baby Moves Down
As the baby moves down to your pelvis, you might feel the waddling effect intensify and you might also notice that the frequency of your bathroom breaks has increased considerably. This phenomenon happens only because the baby is taking position to come out of the womb.
Dilation Of The Cervix
As your body prepares for birth, your check ups with your the might reveal a regular dilation and thinning out of the cervix as you come closer to labour. The rate of dilation, however, is different for every mother.
Increased Back Pain And Cramps
You might get the sensation of cramps, similar to your menstruation cramps and the lower back of your body starts aching considerably. This happens because your muscles and joints are in preparation to deliver the baby.
You May Have Diarrhoea
All the muscles in your body are relaxing, including those of your rectum. As a result, there are ample loose bowel movements, resulting in diarrhea. This is completely normal and expected before labor.
While the above are signs of your pre-labour period, you will have an altogether different array of symptoms and signs to tell you that the baby is only a few hours away.
Change In The Colour Of Vaginal Discharge
It will be prominent to notice a thickness and increase in the vaginal discharge. At this stage, it is quite common to witness the ‘bloody show’, which refers to the loss of the mucous plug. It is very similar to the mucus in the nose but with a large hint of blood in it. It could come out in one big piece or in smaller bits. The purpose of this mucous plug is to seal off the uterus from the outside world.
Frequent And Strong Contractions
While you can have a false labor, owing to contractions, there are some prominent signs for active labor. If your contractions are getting stronger and do not ease, or if the contractions start in your lower back region and spread to the lower abdomen and legs, or if the contractions don’t go away even after changing positions, you can be sure that you are in an active labor. These contractions are a sign that your muscles are tightening up and preparing for delivering the baby.
The Breaking Of The Water Plate
One of the last signs of labour, the water plate breaking, is the perfecr indication that the baby is on the way. However, it is not advisable to rely on this indication as it occurs only in a few cases and the timing could give you a very wrong impression about the actual delivery time.
You should stay in constant contact with your doctor if any of the signs appear and manifest during or near your delivery date. Being alert and informed during your pregnancy period, helps you take good care of your baby and ensures that everything goes right.
