The excitement of becoming a mother is the same for many women. However, the process of labour and delivery varies from woman to woman and even from one birth to another for the same woman, but the signs are almost the same for everyone. When you find out about your pregnancy and visit your obstetrician, they must have asked for your last menstrual period and surely provided you with an estimated due date for your baby. However, only about 4% of births occur on these estimated dates. Therefore, expectant mothers need to have an idea about the signs of labour. If you know these signs and can monitor yourself and your baby well, you can alleviate your fears more easily as the days approach the birth.

So, how can you tell when labour is approaching? Let’s take a look together at the signs that indicate your baby is on the way!

1. Descent of the Baby

If you are a first-time mother, the baby starts to change position in your abdomen approximately a few weeks before the due date. The pressure you feel in your chest gradually diminishes, and the baby positions itself towards your pelvis. Besides the relief of starting to breathe more easily, you may also feel the pressure on your bladder more frequently. If you have given birth before, this sign may not manifest itself until the last moment.

2. Cervical Changes

Changes that occur in the cervix can give us clues about many things. In normal times, changes in cervical softness can be tracked for ovulation monitoring, and softening and dilation of the cervix also emerge as a sign that labour is approaching. However, it is difficult for you to notice this change yourself. Your doctor will want to see you more frequently as the birth approaches. During the examination, they may want to perform a vaginal examination to determine if the birth is approaching.

If you have given birth before and your vaginal opening is 1 cm or more, it can be said that your labour has begun. However, if this is your first pregnancy, this amount of dilation generally does not indicate that birth will happen immediately.

3. Increase in Contractions

Braxton Hicks contractions, which begin to be seen towards the end of pregnancy, and whose cause is not fully known, are often confused with labour contractions.

These contractions, which are an expression of preparing for childbirth, do not increase in frequency or intensity like labour contractions over time. They can occur at any time during the day. If the frequency and intensity of these contractions increase, they can be considered a sign of labour. Back pain may also accompany contractions. Ultimately, your body and bones are in significant preparation for childbirth and have no qualms about informing you.

4. Appearance of Bloody Discharge

The appearance of pink or bloody discharge is the event of the mucus that protects the uterus and the baby from external factors being expelled spontaneously during pregnancy. Having sexual intercourse in the last weeks of pregnancy can also cause this mucus layer to break down and be expelled. This mucus, which has a slight jelly-like appearance, can be pink or reddish in colour or even transparent.

The arrival of this discharge is a sign that the uterus is now ready for childbirth. The discharge may come all at once or in pieces on different days. When you encounter this discharge, you should not panic but inform your doctor.

Does the arrival of the discharge indicate that labour will start immediately? No, labour can start within a few hours or even a few days. Therefore, there is no need to panic immediately.

5. Increased Bowel Activity & Diarrhoea

As childbirth approaches, many muscles in your body besides your uterine muscles begin to relax. This relaxation also applies to the muscles in your rectum area. This situation can lead to frequent visits to the toilet and diarrhoea. Although not a cause for concern, complaints such as nausea and vomiting may also occur.

6. Weight Loss

Except for exceptional cases, women gain weight steadily throughout their pregnancies. Especially towards the last months, this gain can accelerate, and oedema may occur. However, as the birth approaches, you may stop gaining weight, your oedema may disappear, and you may even lose a few kilos. Don’t worry, the lost weight will be from you, not your baby.

7. Unexpected Burst of Energy

In the final months of pregnancy, when the abdomen is very large, movements are restricted, and there are difficulties in meeting basic needs such as breathing and sleeping, you may feel tired and restless. However, many women experience a sudden burst of energy before childbirth. Suddenly, you may find yourself discarding that tired and sluggish feeling and cleaning your house. Although it sounds strange, this may be a power given to you by nature to welcome your baby strongly and be ready for childbirth.

8. Water Breaking

The most well-known and popular sign of normal labour is the water breaking. Just as in films or series, the emphasis on a woman’s pregnancy is made with nausea, similarly, the emphasis on the beginning of childbirth is often made with the water breaking. Therefore, if your water breaks, it means that labour has begun!

Your baby develops inside the amniotic sac, which is filled with fluid, from the beginning of pregnancy. The rupture of this sac and the release of the fluid mean that the baby cannot stay in the mother’s womb any longer and is more prone to infection. Therefore, whether your water gushes all at once or comes out drop by drop, you must inform your doctor of this development. However, do not panic immediately; the breaking of your water does not mean that you will give birth right away.

When Should You Go to the Hospital?

First and foremost, talk to your doctor who is monitoring your pregnancy about what the signs of labour are and what to do in each case. Knowing when to act will reassure you and help you overcome your fear of childbirth. You may want to panic as soon as your contractions start. However, the best action is to inform your doctor about your current situation first.

If contractions are less than 5 minutes apart and last for at least 30 seconds, it’s time to go to the hospital. At this point, you need to be able to distinguish between false labour contractions and true labour contractions. If you’re not sure, you can try taking a warm shower. False contractions usually disappear after a shower. If your contractions are still ongoing and intensifying, it means labour has begun.

The last weeks of pregnancy for expectant mothers are spent in a mix of excitement to meet their babies and stress about childbirth. However, it is important to remember that childbirth, although painful, is a very different and unique experience that many women may want to experience repeatedly. Instead of fearing childbirth, try to enjoy every moment by being informed about the signs of labour. Remember, at the end of it all, something wonderful awaits you!

Towards the end of pregnancy, expectant mothers undergo many changes compared to their usual selves. One of these is the signs of impending labour. Considering these signs, you may think that labour is about to happen in the very near future. However, some signs can cast doubt on this matter for many expectant mothers. In short, the question of whether the signs belong to real labour or false labour can leave expectant mothers in doubt and confusion. So what are the signs that do not herald real labour and may mislead expectant mothers?

True Labour Signs

• Back and Lower Back Pain
• Constant, Regular, and Increasing Contractions
• Continuous Fetal Movements
• Bloody and Red Discharge

False Labour Signs

• Lower Abdominal Pain
• Brief and Irregular Contractions
• Short-Term Fetal Movements
• Brown Discharge

1. In true labour signs, severe pain is felt in the back and lower back. The false labour sign, on the other hand, is seen in the lower abdominal area. This pain we are talking about misleads pregnant women, causing them to think they are experiencing real labour pains.
2. Contractions are continuous, regular, and increasingly observed in true labour signs. This is not the case with false labour signs as false labour’s contractions are short-lived, irregular, and pass when, for example, you change your sitting position.
3. When labour signs are real, the baby’s movements are noticeable and prolonged, and the baby is constantly active. In false labour signs, the movements of your baby occur briefly.
4. When labour signs are real, vaginal discharge is bloody and red in colour. When you pay attention to your vaginal discharge and notice that it resembles brown, remember that this may not be a sign of real labour.

Most women who are worried about not recognising the onset of labour typically do realise when labour begins. Instinctively, through either intensity or frequency of contractions that leave no room for doubt, the majority head to the hospital neither too early nor too late but just in time. Of course, you don’t have to leave it all to chance. Knowing pre-labour signs and distinguishing between false and true labour signs will alleviate your surprise and concerns.

No one knows exactly what triggers labour. It is believed that a group of natural substances produced by the body (prostaglandins) play a crucial role in this process. It is known that the prostaglandins produced by the uterus during pregnancy increase significantly during normal labour. These substances trigger the muscles in the uterus and stimulate the release of oxytocin from the pituitary gland. Both are important factors in the onset of labour.

Signs of Approaching Labour

Physical changes before labour can occur as early as one hour before or up to a month before. The main feature of pre-labour is the thinning and widening of the cervix, which only your doctor can detect. However, there are various changes that you can notice:

• Engagement and descent: In first-time mothers, the baby usually starts to descend into the pelvis two to four weeks before labour begins. But in subsequent pregnancies, this sign may not be noticed.
• Increased pressure in the pelvic area and rectum: The descent of the baby increases the pressure felt in these areas.
• Weight loss or cessation of weight gain: Weight gain usually slows down in the ninth month of pregnancy, and some women even lose one or two kilos as labour approaches.
• Changes in energy levels: Women in the ninth month of pregnancy gradually feel more tired. Some, however, experience an increase in energy instead.
• Loss of the mucous plug: As the cervix thins and dilates, the mucous plug that blocks the exit of the uterus starts to dislodge. This substance is expelled from the vagina one or two weeks before the onset of real contractions or as soon as labour begins.
• Pink or bloody discharge: As the cervix widens and thins, the tiny blood vessels in that area often rupture, causing the discharge to turn pink. This ‘show’ usually indicates that labour will begin within 24 hours. However, the show can occur two to three days before labour begins. Therefore, before going to the hospital, you should wait for regular contractions to start or for your waters to break.
• Intensification of Braxton Hicks contractions: These practice contractions, which begin after the 20th week of pregnancy and are akin to rehearsals for labour, serve to prepare the muscles of the uterus for the real contractions that will push the baby. These contractions are usually painless and last between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Towards the end of the ninth month of pregnancy, Braxton Hicks contractions become more frequent and intense. Sometimes they can be painful, making it difficult to distinguish them from real labour contractions.
• Diarrhoea: Some women may experience diarrhoea just before the onset of labour.

False Labour Signs: What Are They?

If the following symptoms are present, real labour has probably not yet begun:

• Contractions are irregular and not increasing in frequency or intensity,
• Pain is felt in the lower abdomen rather than in the back,
• Contractions subside when walking or changing positions,
• If the discharge is brown (if bright red blood is present, contact your doctor immediately),
• Fetal movements increase briefly with contractions.

Real Labour Signs: What Are They?

If pre-labour contractions become stronger and more frequent, it may be considered true labour. If the following signs are present, it is likely true labour:

• Contractions increase in intensity when you move and do not decrease with changes in position,
• Pain starts in the back and moves to the abdomen, and even to the legs,
• Contractions occur regularly and do not ease with rest (time your contractions; if they are coming every five minutes or more frequently, there is no need to panic),
• Contractions become more frequent, regular, and painful as labour progresses (their intensity also increases),
• Pink or bloody discharge is present,
• The amniotic sac ruptures (the sac surrounding the baby, containing amniotic fluid, suddenly tears open before labour).

Note: If the baby’s head has descended into the birth canal, the amount of fluid coming out will not be very much. Even if labour pains have not yet started, you should go to the hospital when your waters break because there is a risk of infection for the baby.

Is Nausea a Sign of Labour?

For many women, the onset of labour is accompanied by mild stomach contractions. These contractions can sometimes be felt as lower back pain. If labour is underway, these pains intensify, last longer, and occur more frequently. Nausea can also become widespread a day or two before the onset of labour. If you experience troubling nausea, you should see your doctor immediately.

Is a Very Active Baby a Sign of Labour?

Increased bowel movements and softening are among the easiest signs of impending labour to notice. Your body automatically empties your bowels to ease the passage of the baby.

Most women experience constipation during pregnancy due to the pressure exerted by the growing uterus on the intestines and other factors. As labour approaches, you may suddenly need to go to the toilet several times a day, have a bowel movement, and notice diarrhoea-like symptoms. If you have had several bowel movements before labour, you should share this with your doctor.

When Should You Go to the Hospital?

First and foremost, talk to your doctor who is monitoring your pregnancy about what the signs of labour are and what to do in each case. Knowing when to act will reassure you and help you overcome your fear of childbirth. You may want to panic as soon as your contractions start. However, the best action is to inform your doctor about your current situation first.

If contractions are less than 5 minutes apart and last for at least 30 seconds, it’s time to go to the hospital. At this point, you need to be able to distinguish between false labour contractions and true labour contractions. If you’re not sure, you can try taking a warm shower. False contractions usually disappear after a shower. If your contractions are still ongoing and intensifying, it means labour has begun.

The last weeks of pregnancy for expectant mothers are spent in a mix of excitement to meet their babies and stress about childbirth. However, it is important to remember that childbirth, although painful, is a very different and unique experience that many women may want to experience repeatedly. Instead of fearing childbirth, try to enjoy every moment by being informed about the signs of labour. Remember, at the end of it all, something wonderful awaits you!