From day one of your pregnancy, your body is beginning to prepare for the birth of your baby, but in the last month, most women will experience some of the key signs that the labour is now not far away. This point is referred to as 'pre-labour' but some women may not notice these signs and 'jump' straight to early labour. For more, go to Am I in Labour?
What is pre-labour?
Pre-labour is when 'effacement' of the cervix starts to happen - this is when the long neck of the cervix, which leads from the uterus down to the route your baby will take out of your body, begins to shorten. The opening to the uterus also begins to widen, otherwise known as dilation.
Signs of pre-labour
The mucous plug passing out, or a 'bloody show' To keep the womb sealed through pregnancy, the opening of the uterus at the cervix is held together by a thick 'plug' of mucous. In some women, this unblocks and passes out through the vagina. This can happen up to a couple of weeks before the birth. However, for some women, it might not happen until labour has begun.
A 'bloody show', is mucous streaked with blood or a pink mucousy discharge. This is just some of the tissue from around the cervix unblocking as it begins to open up. (Although it can be quite significant, it is not a steady blood flow. If you have bleeding, call your midwife team or hospital immediately.) A 'show' usually happens a few hours before the labour begins but it can happen a few days before so wait for other signs of labour.
'Lightening' Some time in the last month before your due date, but possibly as late as a couple of weeks before, you will probably feel the baby 'drop' down into the pelvis. This movement does not hurt, but it does slightly shift the weight you are carrying. Because the baby is no longer tight up against your other vital organs you might find it easier to get comfortable at night, that you don't get heartburn as much or even that breathlessness no longer affects you. However, lightening usually happens more noticeably in the first pregnancy.
Pressure on your lower half Unfortunately, just as your top half feels less pressure, you may find that the weight dropping down does put more stress on your pelvis and that you want to sit and rest more. This is no bad thing anyway, and taking it easy ahead of labour is a good idea. You may also feel more pressure on your back passage. The baby is now so large that you might find that this means you are more prone to back ache or twinges of pain low down under your belly.
Weight stabilises or goes down Many women find in their ninth month that they stop putting on new weight and in some cases, you might even lose a couple of pounds.
Braxton Hicks Some women have Braxton Hicks for weeks before the birth, but these may become more frequent and feel more painful, even though they are still not the real deal.
Uneasy tummy Feeling queasy is a common problem in pregnancy. Late on, when your bump is pressing down and you are experiencing an increase in body temperature you can feel more sensitive to foods you usually enjoy. (If the weather is warm, avoid creamy or rich foods.) But many women find that they get diarrhoea in the few hours before labour is about to begin.
For more, read up about the Three Stages of Labour.
