Signs of Labor

As you get closer to your due date you may start to wonder when you might go into labor. While no one can really predict when spontaneuos labor might happen, your body does give you a few signs that it is gearing up for labor. Take a look at some of the following signs that indicate you could be in labor soon!

Loose stools

Ah, the last few days of pregnancy are oh-so-glamorous! Of *course* you might experience loose stools. For the common woman, that just means you are going to be pooping a lot more often. It isn’t uncommon for your body to start to “clear itself out” as you get closer to labor.

Cramps

You may start to get that feeling that you get when you are about to start your period…but that’s impossible because you are very very pregnant. Remember those period cramps you used to have each month? They’re baaaaacck. Very very very early labor can sometimes begin with a general crampiness for a few hours before they morph into timeable contractions.

Increased Braxton Hicks contractions

As you get closer to your due date you may notice that you are having more frequent Braxton Hicks contractions. Those contractions feel like your entire abdomen hardens for anywhere from 10-30 seconds. They typically aren’t super painful but they can be annoying when are happening more and more often. The good news here is that your uterus is toning up for the big event and that big event is likely just around the corner.

Increased discharge

Remember how we said the end of pregnancy is super glamorous? Yeah, here’s more glamorous stuff. Things tend to get a bit, ehrm, juicier, in your vagina. All those secretions tend to ramp up as your hormones are ramping up for labor. If you don’t love that moist feeling, wear a pantiliner to help you feel more comfortable.

Lose your mucous plug

If you are considered full term (37 weeks onward) and you lose your mucous plug, it is very likely that you may be in labor soon. While the mucous plug CAN regenerate, it is less likely to do so when you are full term. So, if you start seeing bits of pinkish-brown globs when you wipe, you are probably losing parts of the mucous plug.

These are a few of the signs that let you know that your body is preparing to have a baby! If you don’t experience these signs of labor, that’s ok. It doesn’t mean you aren’t having a baby soon. You may experience all of these signs or labor or just notice one of them. Either way, make sure to get some rest and prepare to meet your baby soon!