Six signs that a baby is on the way

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If you notice any of these things, you may be in labor.

Each woman's indicators of labor are unique, as can be the signs of a different pregnancy for the same woman. While it's impossible to tell how long or how quickly a woman's labor will go, there are a few common symptoms to look out for. It's not obvious what causes a woman to go into labor, though.

Certified nurse midwife Leslie Ludka says, "We don't know what mechanisms bring on labor." Ludka is the director of midwifery at Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "This hasn't been solved scientifically yet."

According to a study published in the journal Molecular Endocrinology, the fetus' hormone production may be the trigger for labor to begin. The physical indicators of labor are detailed here.

LABOR SIGNS

According to the International Journal of Childbirth Education, a "nesting" sensation can indicate that labor is just days away. At this late stage of pregnancy, some women experience a sudden surge of energy and the need to cook, clean, and organize their homes in preparation for the baby's arrival, even though they are already exhausted.

Research published in the journal Evolution and Human Tendency in 2013 by Canadian researchers indicated that a woman's nesting behavior reaches its zenith during her third trimester. Nesting in women may also have a protective purpose, the authors hypothesized, similar to the role it plays in animals by creating a safe environment for the new arrival.

Her body can pick up other signs that a woman is about to give birth. Listed here are six typical indicators of labor.

1. The infant falls

The term "lightning" refers to another indicator of work. When a woman gets pregnant for the first time, she may notice that her baby's location in her pelvis is lower than when she was pregnant with her first child. This indicates that the baby is preparing for birth by lowering its head to the floor. Lightening may not appear until just before labor begins in women who have already given birth.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a woman's diaphragm is less strained when the baby is in a lower position. In addition to increasing her frequent trips to the bathroom, it also increases the strain on her pelvis and bladder. Wagging her tail or walking awkwardly are some signs that anything is wrong.

2. Consistent contractions

Pregnancy contractions might also be an indication of birth preparations in progress. Ludka claims that a pregnant woman's uterus contracts during her pregnancy. She stated, "It's a muscle that needs to exercise for this Olympic sport."

Uterine contractions begin to pull the baby lower in the delivery canal as the pregnancy nears its finish; contractions will eventually help push the baby out of the womb.

According to Ludka, the true signs of labor are regular, rhythmic, and powerful contractions that are less than five minutes apart for at least an hour. According to her, contractions normally begin in a woman's back before moving to the front.

At first, Ludka's abdomen "gets rigid like a basketball, then it relaxes." "That's how real contractions feel."

False contractions versus genuine contractions in the womb

It can be difficult to tell the difference between true and fake contractions, as reported in the journal Social Science and Medicine. The baby is on the way; according to Ludka, if a woman has more than six contractions an hour, they are becoming stronger and rhythmic (i.e., occurring at regular intervals). Moving around or lying down does not alleviate the pain of true labor contractions.

People don't always know how to effectively time contractions, according to Ludka. Timed from the commencement of one contraction to the beginning of the next one, as well as the rest period in between them

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, false labor contractions, known as Braxton Hicks contractions, occur at random intervals, do not increase closer over time, and finally stop.

Rather than being felt in the back of the body in the lower belly, false contractions are more likely to stop when a woman walks, rests, or changes her posture than actual labor contractions.

3. A burst of water

The fetus has been enveloped by amniotic fluid as it grows and develops in a woman's uterus. According to the Journal of Advanced Medical and Dental Sciences Research, some women experience a gush of fluids as this protective sac of fluid ruptures (a procedure sometimes known as "rupture of membranes").

Ludka remarked that a pregnant woman's water could burst at any time during or before labor or not at all (in which case an obstetrician or midwife will break it during delivery). If a woman's water breaks, she said, she should phone her obstetrician or midwife and describe the color and smell of the fluid. Health care providers can use this information to assess whether a pregnant woman is peeing or dribbling amniotic fluid.

According to the U.K.'s National Health Service, the newborn is in danger of infection once a woman's water bursts during childbirth (NHS). Because of this, doctors and midwives prefer to deliver the baby within a few days after the water breaking.

4. Cramping in the lower back and lower back discomfort.

A woman's pelvis and lower back may get increasingly sore or crampy as she goes into labor. Dull aching in her lower back is also possible.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG), abdominal pain is common. Some women only experience back discomfort during contractions, while others suffer chronic low back pain.

According to the findings, 33% of women report having constant lower back pain when giving birth.

5. Bloodshow

A woman may notice a rise in vaginal discharge that is pink, brown, or slightly bloody when labor begins or several days before it does. "Bloody show," as the Cleveland Clinic describes it, is caused by expulsion from obstruction of mucus during pregnancy entry to the uterus. During the initial stage of labor, the mucus plug loosens when the cervix dilates or opens.

6. Vomiting or diarrhea

According to Ludka, some women experience regular loose stools or vomiting during the outset of labor for unknown causes. It's not always clear what happened first, for example, if diarrhea started before the labor or if the labor started before diarrhea.

The best ways to promote work

There are several old wives' tales and cultural beliefs when it comes to getting pregnant. There are some of these labor-induction tactics that truly work, while there are others that don't.

More than half of the women polled in a study of 200 new mothers claimed they had tried at least one way to induce labor in the final weeks of their pregnancies, according to a previous report by Live Science. Most of those ladies had tried walking, having intercourse, spicy food, and stimulating their nipples; only 5% had tried stimulating their nipples.

Old wives' tales like eating hot food, driving on a rough road, or taking long walks do not work, according to Ludka. She says there is no scientific evidence to support these claims. Having sex and stimulating the nipples, on the other hand, may get the process started, according to Ludka.

Being sexually active at this stage of pregnancy may be uncomfortable, but sperm contains prostaglandins, hormone-like compounds that soften the cervix and aid delivery, according to Ludka.

When a woman is nearing her due date and in good health, stimulating her nipple by hand can assist her in labor. A hormone called oxytocin, which can produce contractions in the uterus may be released by this method.

Ludka suggested that a woman try nipple stimulation by massaging one of her nipples between her fingers until she feels contracting. She should stop rolling when the contraction occurs and wait at least five minutes before trying again. This procedure takes about an hour or two to complete. To avoid excessive uterine contractions, Ludka advised ladies to avoid rolling both nipples simultaneously.

An additional set of tools

This NHS U.K. article explains what happens at each stage of labor and delivery. There is a lot of information regarding labor positions on the Cleveland Clinic's page Fetal Positions for Birth.

Reference : https://www.livescience.com/44554-signs-of-labor.html

Image source : https://pixabay.com/id/vectors/bayi-ikon-kehamilan-hamil-wanita-1295826/

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