Signs of Labour
By: abelfischerTotal Views: 325, Word Count: 527,
When a pregnant woman is around the 40th week of pregnancy she may experience labour. Labour is the sign for the birthing process of your baby. Labour can occur anytime between 37 weeks to 42 weeks. Sometimes, the time from the first signs of labour till the delivery of the baby can extend to 24 hrs, especially if it’s the first baby.
What are the Early Signs of labour?
A show - You may notice a mucous discharge that is clear and slightly brown or pink. This mucous plug sits at the opening of the womb and when the womb begins to open this mucous may get out. Sometimes you may also notice blood streaks along with the discharge which is normal. If you experience bleeding without mucous and if the baby isn’t moving then you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. A show can sometimes occur several weeks before the onset of a labor.
Waters breaking - Water is the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby within your womb. Water breaking is a sign of the onset of labour. Your water will break before your labour begins or during the labour process. When it breaks you will feel some fluid leaking down. Some women may also experience a popping sensation.
When the water breaks after 37 weeks, most women go into labour in a day or two. If you do not go into labor after the water breaks then your labor may be induced otherwise your baby is at a risk of contracting an infection.
Contractions - Contractions is when the womb muscles tighten, pulls up the cervix and pushes down the baby. It may seem like a menstrual cramp initially, but as some time passes, you will definitely be able to recognize that it is a contraction. You will feel it in the front of the abdomen or in your back. With time, the feeling becomes more strong and intense.
If your contractions last for about 45 seconds to a minute then it will probably not go away. It may stop for a while and come back again. You will need to contact your doctor once you experience any contractions. With contractions your cervix begins to open up readying itself for the birth of the baby.
The stages of labour
Labor is basically divided into three stages. They are: -
Stage 1 - Stage 1 comprises the period from when your contractions began and became more regular and strong until the cervix has opened up and moved out of the way. This means that you are dilated to 10 cms.
Stage 2 - Stage 2 is the period from the time when the cervix is fully dilated till the time the baby is born.
Stage 3 - stage 3 is the period from the birth of the baby till the delivery of the other birth organs such as the placenta and membranes.
Knowing about these signs of labour will help you be ready to go into delivery. Note that every labour is different and there is no way that one can predict how things will proceed with your delivery.
About the Author
Abel Fischer is a practicing gynecologist in Dassel, Germany and regularly contributes to women’s health issues and forums.
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