How to understand a pregnant woman that labor will begin soon

Starting from the ninth month of pregnancy, every expectant mother has fears associated with childbirth. It does not matter whether it is the first child or not, each time for a woman as for the first time. Especially often fears arise on the basis of the uncertainty of the future mother that she will recognize the contractions in time and manage to arrive at the hospital.

But such cases are extremely rare, more often pregnant women are sent home to wait until the due date. After all, it is very difficult not to recognize the birth that has begun, and when your baby wants to be born, you will immediately understand this.

If you listen to your body, you will find that approximately 14 days before the expected date of birth, significant changes will begin. And the closer the deadline, the more tangible these changes will be.

14 days before the birth of the baby

At this time, the body begins to prepare for an important event - the birth of a baby. During this period, mom begins to feel the precursors of childbirth - signs that indicate the approach of the cherished date.

Training fights
Contractions are contractions of the uterus that help the baby exit the womb. It feels like a pain during menstruation, only much more intense. Training contractions are needed to prepare the uterus and pelvic organs for childbirth. Unlike real contractions, they are not periodic and less painful.

Abdominal prolapse
Another harbinger of childbirth is the omission of the abdomen. You can not only feel it, but also see it. You yourself will notice how the stomach has become much lower, as if attracted to the floor. This means that the baby is already ready for its birth and presses with its head on the lower part of the uterus. Therefore, it gradually moves from the abdominal cavity to the pelvic. The expectant mother begins to feel lightness in the abdomen and chest, because they stop pressing on them. At the same time, frequent urination and discomfort in the inguinal region appear.

4-5 days before birth

The closer this event is, the more new feelings the expectant mother experiences. Sometimes this can be taken as a malfunction in the course of pregnancy, so for complacency it is worthwhile to communicate more with relatives and, if necessary, with a doctor.

Discomfort
The expectant mother before birth can feel aching lower back pain. This indicates a displacement of the pelvic organs, expansion of the hips and sprains. Thus, the body is prepared for childbirth.

Hormonal changes
When the cherished event draws near, the cerebellum begins to produce hormones responsible for childbirth. They provoke contractions and other changes. You can notice this if your taste sensations change, your appetite disappears, your mood jumps, your stool becomes more frequent. Often, pregnant women in recent weeks lose weight, due to the fact that hormones no longer affect the accumulation of fluid in the body.

Decreased baby activity
Now the baby occupies almost the entire uterine cavity and simply cannot turn around properly. Analyzes and indicators at the same time remain normal and nothing threatens the child’s health.

If you do not feel the precursors of childbirth, and the cherished date is getting closer, do not worry, maybe your body is less sensitive than other expectant mothers, or the symptoms go away less intensively.

1 day before delivery

The day before the birth or a little later, the expectant mother has symptoms that do not hint at the fact that you will soon meet with the baby.If you feel the sensations described below, then notify your loved ones that their help will be needed soon.

Mucus plug exit
Mucus plug is a barrier that throughout the pregnancy protected the baby from the penetration of microbes, bacteria and viruses. Before childbirth, it is rejected by the body, freeing the way, and leaves gradually or immediately. Do not be alarmed when you find yellow mucus on your linen, if it does not have blood clots, then everything is going according to plan.

Contractions
The contraction of the uterus before the birth itself becomes periodic. At first you might think that this is the next “training" of the body, but when such attacks will bother every 15-20 minutes, this will already indicate the onset of labor. Over time, the interval will become smaller until it reaches 3-5 minutes.

Drained waters
In feature films and TV shows for heroines, childbirth always begins with the fact that water suddenly leaves. In fact, this happens extremely rarely. Experienced moms know this on their own. At first, contractions appear, and only then all other signs. Moreover, the bubble may not burst on its own, then it is pierced already in the hospital. This is an absolutely painless procedure that does not harm the baby.

If the water has left you and there are no contractions, then urgently call an ambulance or ask relatives to take you to the hospital. Such a combination of circumstances can complicate the course of childbirth, so the supervision of a doctor is extremely necessary.

Diarrhea
A few hours before birth, the muscles of the intestine begin to contract and release all that is unnecessary so that the contents do not interfere with the natural course of labor. Therefore, you may experience frequent urges "for the most part." Moreover, there is a feeling of nausea, up to the urge to vomit.

Chills
Some women in labor report chills that appear some time before birth. The expectant mother gets cold, she starts to shake a little.

It's time to the hospital

Until the contractions become too frequent, approximately every 5-7 minutes, stay calm and get ready for the trip to the hospital. At this time, try not to lie, but move more and breathe deeply, so you stimulate labor. If the maternity hospital is far away, you need to pack up much earlier or go to it in advance.

Pain will only intensify, so make sure that you take and prepare the bag in advance. It’s good if your native person, especially mom, will be near you at this time. With her you will feel confident and calm.

If the contractions began earlier than the deadline, do not worry about it. Today, the birth of a baby is considered the norm already at 35 weeks of gestation. Doctors say that by this time all the important functions of the child are fully formed and he is ready for extrauterine life. But if labor does not start on time, and the days go by, then you should start to worry and go to the doctor. The baby is getting too big; he no longer has enough nutrition and oxygen from his mother.

What to collect for sending to the hospital

In order not to collect things right before the trip, take care of this for a few weeks. In the hospital you will need to take:

• Exchange card
• Generic certificate
• The passport
• Health insurance policy
• The contract with the hospital, if any
• Slippers
• Phone and Charger
• Bathrobe
• Nightdress
• Disposable panties
• Gaskets designed for women after childbirth
• Baby soap
• Pampers for newborns
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Shampoo

If necessary, your relatives will inform the rest.

Useful Tips

Summing up everything described above, we can note the main tips that will help to keep calm, to understand that childbirth has begun and you need to go to the hospital:

1. Learn to distinguish training fights from real ones. The latter begin after equal intervals of time, gradually becoming more and more painful.
2. Record the time of contractions and their duration. Do not lie down during contractions, as they become more painful.
3. Watch your belly. When it begins to sink, you will immediately see it. When leaving the water, urgently call an ambulance.
4. The exit of mucous secretions indicates the onset of labor.
5. Always have your doctor's phone with you. He will answer the questions and give the necessary instructions, if necessary.

The birth of a baby is a long-awaited and responsible event for each mother, so you need to be prepared for all the difficulties and features of this process. Keep calm, be confident in your knowledge and strength, and then the birth will go well.

Video: precursors of childbirth