When does Labor start?

That is the f-king mystery! Nobody really knows. They know the processes once it begins, but no one truly understands why and when your body decides to go into labour. So now it is just a waiting game. You might get some false alarms with Braxton Hicks and slight changes in your baby’s activity, but they are simply signs your body is preparing for the labor that is about to come. If you do have any concerns or feel you are progressing in labour it is always better to be safe than sorry and that is why they have emergency care available exclusively for pregnant women known as pregnancy triage. Listen to your gut! Or uterus?! And check with your OB or midwife whenever you can. There is no dumb question. Labour and babies are complete new territory for you so don’t be shy.

Nobody fully understands labor until they experience it for themselves. And even then you can still get confused with subsequent babies because not every experience is the same. Just always try to refer back to 5-1-1 rule. Contractions are 5 minutes apart, last for a minute for the duration of an hour. And if the contractions start regressing and going away you know you are not in labor. Also the pain from real labor tends to be down in pelvic area and lower back (like severe period cramps) and less so in the lower abdominal area such as with Braxton Hicks and pregnancy gas. There are some signs that indicate labour is near, but these tidbits are not exact science (i.e. labour will start in 2 hrs) and you shouldn’t over analyze them. Just take them as a sign labor is coming soon!

Baby drops! Few weeks before Labor starts: Baby will start getting into position and start descending into pelvic region. You may feel a lightening from pressure above like around your lungs. Baby will ideally descend head down into the pelvis. However you may start feeling even more pressure on you bladder (frequent trips to the bathroom) and pressure in the pelvis almost like you feel the baby is going to drop out!
Increasing Braxton Hicks Few weeks before to the days leading up to Labor: You will get increasing amount of Braxton Hicks as you get closer to the due date. Don’t worry if you are not getting a lot or any that increase over time. I remember with my first I didn’t feel that many Braxton and with my second I had so many I thought I was going into labor a few times. Third time around I would get them on a regular basis and started feeling them much earlier on in pregnancy. Remember Braxton Hicks can get worse with dehydration, too much exertion, post sex etc. So try relaxing, changing positions, stretching or hydrating and see if that will ease any intense and increasing contractions. And always remember your 5-1-1 rule (ACTIVE LABOUR). And now is also a good time to get an app to keep track of your Braxton Hicks. These apps wlll keep track for you with ease and tell you when it’s time to go to the hospital.
Diarrhea Couple weeks to days before Labor: Joints and muscles are getting looser due to hormonal changes as you near labor. Important to stay hydrated when this happens.
Cervix changes Couple weeks to days before: Cervix can be effacing (thinning out) or dilating (opening) as part of the labor process (early and active labor). Everyone dilates and effaces at different paces. You could start slowly effacing and dilating couple weeks before. Or you can be like me who shows no early dilation and then goes from zero to 4cm dilated on day of which is considered Active Labour. With my third I was 1cm for couple weeks before I went into labor. With subsequent babies it’s pretty normal to be a couple centimetres dilated for a few weeks before labor. Early labour is considered >0cm to 3cm (not time to go to the hospital yet). When you are 100% effaced this means your cervix is very thin and labor can start. Your midwife or OB will typically check how dilated or effaced you are when you are full term. It is not something you can check yourself. And yes they will stick their fingers into your cervix and take a look inside.
Mucus plug Couple of weeks to days before: It is a barrier that seals your cervix and it will come out couple of weeks or days before labor begins. You may not even notice it. It will most likely come out when you go to the bathroom so if you want to know when it comes out take a quick peak every time you go the bathroom. It looks like a big mucosy blob (pretty gross to be honest) and it may have some tinged pink or yellow or brown to it. All normal.
Bloody Show A few days to hours before: It is some mucosy discharge with pink or brown tinge (blood) . It is a show that your body is really starting to dilate and efface in the days leading up to labor. If it is a lot of fresh blood (bright red) coming out you should immediately call your OB or make your way over to the hospital. It could be a sign of another issue. Or it could be like be with my second that I was dilating/effacing so quickly in a short time that I was bleeding a lot as a result which I was in active labor so reason to be at the hospital either way. But I wouldn’t get too panicked until you talk to a doctor.
Water breaks Within 24 hours: Generally labor will start within 24 hours. And if not, post water breaking you should call your OB/midwife or go to the hospital since there could result in complications if labor doesn’t start within that time frame. Water breaking may not also be that obvious. It could be an uncontrollable gush (remember not pee since you can’t control it) or it leaks over time. If you are not sure always good to follow up with a doctor or midwife. But don’t rely heavily on waiting for your water to break. Most women’s water will break as active labor progresses or sometimes your OB will need to do it for you to progress labor along. I believe the stat is somewhere between 10-20% of women’s water breaks as a first labour sign.

SIDE NOTE: If you ever feel a headache, blurred vision and/or sudden swelling this may be a sign of pre-eclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure in pregnant women) and you should immediately go to the hospital.

Waiting for baby to come

-Clearly post epidural-

‘Tricks’ to jumpstart labour

‘Tricks’ because they will not do anything unless your body and baby are ready to! Think of them like boosters that could help Quickstart what is already there. Mostly by playing with the hormones that are involved with labour.

- Sex
- Spicy food
- Walking
- Acupuncture
- Castor oil
- Nipple stimulation
- Membrane stripping (your OB or midwife can do this for you once your full term)
- Red raspberry leaf tea (herbal teas you avoid during pregnancy for this reason)

I have tried all of these and found personally they don’t really work unless your body is ready. You start getting increasing amount of those Braxton hicks once you really try one of these, but they won’t progress into much more unless it is time. And if it is time than that is amazing:)

Membrane stripping is pretty uncomfortable, but bearable and very fast. Your OB may offer to do for you once you are full term. I got it done twice with my second. I ended up going into labour second time around 3-4 days later which could’ve been helped with the stripping?!

With sex, I have had a few false alarms of labour with my second & third since my Braxton hicks were getting intense, closer together etc. But after around an hour or so they would stop.

Castor oil is horrible and would not recommend it. I have had laxatives before, but this is another level. You will just be in pain all night and have lots of diarrhea. Some people swear by it though. I tried it twice with my first. I was desperate. Was not worth it though and nothing came of it except for two extremely uncomfortable nights. As if you already have enough to deal with when you are about to pop!

The spicy food one is a bit of a stretch, but again people theorize that those activated digestive movements help the progression of hormones related to labour.

My OB once recommended a date night. Have a romantic night with your spouse, order in or go out (maybe for spicy Indian), have a glass of wine or beer (RELAX), followed by some sex. Doctors orders!

Once you realize you are in labour and need to go to the hospital…

Alert your partner
If you have, alert your midwife and birthing doula
Grab your hospital bag and pack any last minute essentials you have time for (like iPad, perishable snacks etc)
Grab your phone, wallet and keys
Arrange care for your other kids if not your first pregnancy (have some designated person on standby followed by a back up)
Ensure car seat is installed or at least in your automobile

Just Checked into hosptial

Told me I was 4-5cm dilated and baby #2 was on the way! Excuse the bags under my eyes- was the middle of the night.