Labour can start in a variety of different ways. Sometimes there is a slow build up of contractions ; other times your waters can break in a very obvious and dramatic way!
Some women say that they found it hard to tell when they first went into labour, but generally if you trust your gut feeling, you'll know! Though you may get a few false alarms along the way!
Some of the things you should look out for are....
A 'show' What is a 'show '?
Well a 'show ' is a pinky-red mucus-like discharge from the vagina. It 's a plug which has been protecting your uterus from infection during your pregnancy. A show is usually a sign that labour is on the way and will happen in the next few days. It can actually become dislodged a few weeks before labour starts. If there is a lot of blood you should contact your GP, midwife or maternity department as this could be a sign that something is wrong.
Lower back acheYou may notice a dull aching, niggling pain in your lower back. You don't need to contact your doctor or midwife yet though as generally this is just a warning sign that your labour is starting.
Your waters could break Waters can break with a trickle or a huge gush: it all depends on how much amniotic fluid you have and whether it is the 'fore-waters' (the large volume of fluids in front of the baby's head) or a leak of the 'hind-waters' (the smaller amount of fluid behind the baby's head).
Spontaneous Rupture of the Membranes (SRM) is the medical term for waters breaking . This can happen before contractions start, but it's more usual for it to happen during established labour. In some cases, the waters break literally just before the baby's head appears. If the hind waters have leaked, contractions may not follow right away because your baby's head may not be applying enough pressure to the cervix. Normal amniotic fluid is straw-coloured and you can normally distinguish it from urine because it is sweeter smelling. If the fluid is blood-tinged or greeny-black then you should go straight to hospital. Blood can be a sign of placenta abruptio where the placenta detaches itself from the uterine wall, which can be very dangerous for your baby. The greenish colour in amniotic fluid can be an indication that your baby has passed meconium, ( baby 's first waste products) and may be in distress.
Once your waters have broken, there is a risk of infection, so if your contractions don't start naturally within 24 to 48 hours, labour may need to be induced.
An urge to 'go for a poo'Some women get diarrhoea-like bowel movements in early labour as the body clears out the digestive system ready to give birth
Regular contractionsSome women worry that if they won 't be able to tell when they have 'real contractions ' rather than Braxton Hicks'. Generally you can tell the difference because they hurt and they build up and become longer, stronger and more frequent.
Most women describe the early pain as feeling like a period pain cramp that reaches a peak, eases off and returns at regular intervals. The pain comes from the contraction of your uterus and other muscle groups. Contractions may only last about 20 seconds and be 15 to 20 minutes apart when they first start or they could start off much stronger and closer together
First labours are usually at least 12 hours long so it's probably best not to go to hospital too soon. It 's much easier to relax at home! Try to time the contractions from when you first begin to feel the pain to when it starts to ease off, and then the space between them. This will tell you how your labour is progressing. As a rule of thumb, you don 't need to go to hospital until your contractions last at least 45 seconds and come five to 10 minutes apart
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How Can I Start My Labour Off?
