PREGNANCY SIGN OF LABOR - DUE TIME FOR NEW BABY
Every pregnancy woman have different kind of sign for labor. Each person di
unique, but there are some typical signs and symptoms that will be happen to
pregnancy woman for expect as the due date approaches.
Lightening: Relieving the pressure
Near the end of your pregnancy, you may feel the baby settling deeper into
your pelvis. This is called lightening.
The baby's new position may give your lungs more room to expand, making it
easier to breathe. On the flip side, increased pressure on your bladder may
send you to the bathroom more often.
For a first pregnancy, lightening may occur weeks or days before labor begins.
For subsequent pregnancies, it may not happen ahead of time. For some women,
the changes are obvious. Others may not notice a thing.
Effacement: Ripening of the cervix
Your cervix prepares for birth by softening and thinning, or effacing. You
won't feel this happening. Instead, your doctor will check for signs of cervical
change with vaginal exams.
Effacement is often expressed in percentages. When you're 50 percent effaced,
your cervix is half its original thickness. Your cervix must be 100 percent
effaced, or completely thinned out, before a vaginal delivery.
Dilation: Opening of the cervix
Your cervix will also begin to open, or dilate. Your doctor will measure the
dilation in centimeters from zero to 10.
At first, progress may be very slow. In fact, some women are dilated 2 to 3
centimeters for days or even weeks before labor actually begins. Once you're
in active labor, you'll begin to dilate more quickly.
Bloody show: Loss of mucus plug
During pregnancy, a thick plug of mucus blocks the cervical opening to prevent
bacteria from entering the uterus. When your cervix begins to thin and open,
this plug may be discharged. You may notice stringy mucus or a thick discharge.
It's typically brown and sometimes tinged with blood.
Losing the mucus plug is a sign that labor may begin soon, but it's not a guarantee.
Labor may still be a week or more away.
Nesting: Spurt of energy
You might wake up one morning feeling energetic, raring to attack dust bunnies
under the couch, set up the crib and arrange your baby's outfits according to
color. This urge to clean and organize is commonly known as nesting. No one
knows for sure, but it may be a primal instinct that hearkens back to a time
when physical preparation was necessary for a safer childbirth.
Nesting may begin months before your due date, but the instinct is actually
strongest just before delivery. Do what you must, but don't wear yourself out.
Save your energy for the harder work of labor ahead.
Rupture of membranes: Your water breaks
The amniotic sac is a fluid-filled membrane that cushions your baby in the
uterus. Sometimes the sac leaks or breaks before labor begins. If this happens,
you may notice a trickle of fluid or a more obvious gush.
If your water breaks at home — or if you're uncertain whether the fluid
is amniotic fluid, urine or something else — consult your doctor right
away. He or she will evaluate you and your baby to determine the next steps.
If the amniotic sac is no longer intact, timing becomes important. The longer
the membranes are ruptured, the greater the risk of developing infection. If
labor doesn't begin on its own, your doctor may need to induce your labor.
In the meantime, don't do anything that could introduce bacteria into your
vagina. Sex is not a good idea.
Contractions: When labor pains begin
During the last few months of pregnancy, you may experience occasional, painless
contractions — a sensation that your uterus is tightening and relaxing.
These are called Braxton Hicks contractions. They're your body's way of warming
up for labor.
As your due date approaches, Braxton Hicks contractions may become stronger
or even painful.
Eventually, Braxton Hicks contractions will be replaced by the real thing.
To tell the difference, ask yourself these questions:
- Are the contractions regular? Time your contractions from
the beginning of one to the beginning of the next. Look for a regular pattern
of contractions that get stronger and closer together. Contractions that come
at least every five minutes are likely to be the real thing. The contractions
of false labor will remain irregular.
- How long do they last? Measure the length of each contraction
by timing when it begins and when it ends. True contractions last more than
30 seconds at first and get progressively longer — up to 75 seconds
— and stronger. With false labor, contractions vary in length and intensity.
- Can you stop the contractions? True contractions continue
regardless of your activity level or position. In fact, they often grow stronger
with increased activity, such as walking. With false labor, you may be able
to stop the contractions by changing your activity or position, lying down
or even taking a walk.
- Where do you feel the contractions? The pain of true contractions
tends to begin high in the abdomen, radiating throughout the abdomen and lower
back. With false labor, the contractions are often concentrated in the lower
abdomen.
Expect false alarms
The boundary between your body's preparation for labor and the actual process
of labor is not always clear. Some women have painful contractions for days
with no cervical changes. Others feel only a little pressure or a backache as
the cervix gradually dilates.
Don't hesitate to call your doctor if you wonder whether you're in labor. Preterm
labor can be especially sneaky. If you have any signs or symptoms of labor before
36 weeks — especially if they're accompanied by vaginal spotting —
see your doctor for an exam.
At term, labor will nearly always make itself apparent. If you arrive at the
hospital in false labor, don't feel embarrassed or frustrated, many woman done
for this. You can think this situation as a practice run. The real thing is
sure to be on its way, and not so long again to wait. (By MayoClinic.com
- BABY.TopResource.NET Reference)
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