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The early signs of labor can be hard for some women to recognize, although this may seem hard to believe. This, in part, can be due to the fact that they vary so greatly from woman to woman. Also, you may be surprised to learn what they may (or may not) be.
Let's address the following potential signs of labor:
Contractions
Cervix Dilation
Lightening
Losing the Mucus Plug
Bloody Show
Cervix Effacement
Fetal Movement
Contractions
The first symptom that commonly comes to mind is the ever-feared contraction. The word just plain sounds painful, doesn't it? But is a labor contraction always one of the early labor signs?
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Cervix Dilation
Another of the signs that most women attend to is dilation. Dilation is the opening of the cervix to 10cm which is the lucky number for giving birth. Many women giving birth anxiously await the announcement, "You're a ten, it's time to start pushing," as they realize they are mere moments away from cradling their long-awaited child in their arms. So, the question becomes, "Is cervix dilation a predictor of impending birth?"
Lightening
Now we're traveling to the lesser-known signs and symptoms of impending birth. This one may surprise you (or not). Lightening. No, not that kind, although a bolt of lightning to signal the start of every woman's labor would definitely not be missed. Here is a description of lightening during pregnancy and how it can be a sign of labor.
Losing the Mucus Plug
Moving down the list, we now come to the ever-popular, though- not-discussed-in-social-situations mucus plug. Can you guess why? If there's one thing that could put off even a pregnant woman's appetite, it's the mucus plug. Here's my handy guide to the loss of mucus plug.
Bloody Show
Here's another of the labor signs that you'd be remiss at bringing up during dinner-the bloody show, one of the scariest symptoms of labor.
Cervix Effacement
Next on the list is effacement. This is a critical component of early labor that is often overlooked by soon-to-be mothers. Get the scoop on cervix effacement and its role among the signs of labor.
Fetal Movement
Our list is quickly dwindling. We're down to the last sign of labor, one you may not have realized even could be an early labor sign. Drum roll please...feeling baby move.
Now that we've covered each of these potential signs of labor, here are some important points to remember.
A
woman can experience all of these signs and, in fact, labor can still
be
days away. In contrast, a woman may experience no overt labor symptoms
and be minutes from delivering that precious baby. If you are
still unsure about your symptoms, review this guide on prodromal
labor vs. the real deal.
References
Lauzon L, Hodnett E. Antenatal education for self-diagnosis of the onset of active labour at term. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1998, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD000935. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000935.
Lauzon L, Hodnett E. Labour assessment programs to delay admission to labour wards. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2001, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD000936. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000936.
Giving Birth Naturally: Early Signs of Labor
