7 Signs That Your Labor is Very Near

When counting down to the days when your precious little one is meant to arrive, you are bound to get a tad bit nervous and frustrated at the same time. Rumor has it that the last days of pregnancy can be the worst and the longest, because any moment from any moment, you could be ready to meet him or her, but then again you are not even sure when it could happen. You have a due date, yeah, but how many pregnant women have their babies exactly on their due date? See below 7 signs that labor is very near:

 1. Dropping

Most of the time, during your last few weeks, you will notice that your baby has moved down towards your abdomen. There will be an obvious droop in your belly’s shape, compared to the former roundness of your bump. Most first-timers notice their babies drop within two weeks of delivery, second-time mothers often find their babies drop lower until labor begins, because pelvic muscles have already been stretched, and no warm-up is needed. Your breasts will probably no longer touch the top of your abdomen. You might be able to feel  baby’s head resting just beneath the middle of your pelvic bone even.

2. Stronger Braxton-Hicks Contractions

Braxton-Hicks are one of the undeniable signs that labor is near. You can more or less refer to this as your warm-up contractions. This can  go from feeling uncomfortable to being rather painful like menstrual cramps. While these contractions will get even stronger just prior to labor, they can continue this way, on and off, for a week or two before labor starts. They become less intense when you change position or start walking.

3. Increased Vaginal Discharge

You may notice your discharge is more egg white or slightly pink or brown. These sings however differ from the “bloody show” that labor is near. So one has to be very vigilant about what happens down south.

4. Bloody Show

There is a mucus plug that previously sealed the cervix, when the baby’s head drops, the mucus falls out. The consistency of this mucus varies from stringy, to thick and gooey, with a bit of blood. Some women notice it, others simply notice increased blood-tinged vaginal discharge. Some of the tiny blood vessels in your cervix breaks also as your cervix thins. So watch out for a brownish-red-tinged tea spoonfuls of bloody mucous. If your discharge shows more blood than mucus, like a menstrual period or a lot of bright-red blood, report this to your doctor as soon as possible.

5. Diarrhea

Another sign that labor is near is your hormones acting up, and affecting your intestines. This may cause you to visit the loo more often and experience abdominal cramps – emptying your intestines to make more room for baby’s passage. Those same hormones can also make you feel nauseated,

6. Frequent Urination

Now that the baby’s head is closer to your bladder, you are going to be visiting the toilet more often.

7. Your Water Breaks

Only a few mums experience their water breaking prior to labor. For most mothers this doesn’t happen until they are well into labor. If your water breaks before labor has started, you should expect that your labor will be starting intensely within the next few minutes for second time mothers, it starts within the next few hours, or at least within the next day for first time mums.