What are the signs of preterm labor?

Answer 1

• Sometimes you get a nesting instinct and have to clean your house from top to bottom.
• You may crave carbohydrates, go with this because they don't call it labor for nothing.
• The Braxton-Hicks contractions get stronger.
• The baby may get less active or more active.
• You may have a 'show', a blood streaked mucus plug comes away from the cervix as it starts to dilate. However this may precede labor by several days.
• Your 'waters' may break, it feels as though you are passing urine but you are unable to control it. If this happens you should see your birth attendant immediately as labor may have to be induced if you don't start naturally within a day as the baby no longer has the waters protecting it from infection.
• Your contractions start coming more regularly and painfully.
• Very occasionally the first sign you have is that you want push, like having your bowels open.

Answer 2

First contractions start, then the frequency increases. Your water breaks, followed by the urge to push. This may last some time before the final process called "crowning" the the child's head has started to show through the birth canal.

Answer 3

Trust me, you will know.

About 2-3 weeks before your baby is ready to come out, you will likely lose the mucous plug that is blocking your cervix. It will look like bloody snot. Some people never lose theirs....but not to worry.

Another sign to look for 2-3 weeks prior to the baby's arrival is colustrum....a thick milk seeping out of your nipples as your milk glands begin to prepare for the baby's arrival. Again, some people don't notice this. But don't worry...you will get milk shortly after the baby's arrival.

You will also begin to notice 2-3 weeks before that your "baby bump" is lower than before. This means that the baby is lowering itself further down into your pelvic area in preparation for birth.

Mentally, there is a period about 3 weeks before birth that is called "nesting." This is when you begin to clean and organize everything in your home in preparation for your baby, and you won't likely even notice how anal you have become about having everything clean, tidy, and in it's place. It is referred to as nesting because it's sort of likened to a bird making a nest in order to lay it's eggs. LOL.

Also, look for contractions. Every little pain you feel might make you think it's a contraction, but TRUST ME...you will know when you are experiencing one! It is an intense feeling of tightness like the worst menstrual cramps you could ever imagine.

When you are in active labor you will know because you will feel an overal sense of not feeling like yourself. You may become quite nauseous, hot, restless, and anxious. Your contractions will be growing in intensity and in frequency. Your water may or may not break, but you will likely feel cervical pains as your cervix begins to efface, or thin out, and dilate.

At any rate, you will know when it's time. It is not easy to miss going into labor at all!

Keep in mind, too, that some women may not go into labor at all and have to be induced at the hospital. Don't feel bad if this happens to you. You will still get to experience everything that someone who goes into natural labor experiences, only at a higher intensity level. So you will not miss out on any of the excitement.

I am not a doctor, but I have a 5 year old son and I am about to have another son in the next few weeks. I watch all of the baby shows on TLC and do a lot of research so I am always prepared for whatever might happen.

Don't worry and don't stress. Stress may actually delay labor further.

Good luck to you, and I hope all goes well!

Answer 4

Symptoms of preterm labor can include all or some of the following: period-like cramps, contractions that intensify and become more frequent, back pressure, unusual pressure in your pelvis, bloody discharge, rupture of membranes, changes in cervix as measured by an ultrasound.

*Information obtained from What to Expect when your Expecting.

Answer 5

I have two children and with both of them I had a "show" before my contractions but everyone is deferent. I had lower Back pain with thightening of my stomach. When the come more regularly then that's when u know ur in labour! Good luck! :0)

Answer 6

there are alot of different signs of labor.

the obvious ones would be the breaking of your water and the "bloody show". If you do not know what the bloody show is it's simply a mucus plug that has a red tint to it.

another sign is when you start to have contractions and that's just a nagging lower back pain that moves around to your lower stomach.

Answer 7

"men at work"

"under construction"

"detour ->"

these are all commonly seen labour signs but keep your eyes open for more!

Answer 8

Contractions