- Signs that labor has begun
- 1. Rhythmic contractions
- 2. Breaking the water bag
- 3. Loss of mucous plug
- 4. Dilatation of the cervix
- I'm in labor! And now?
- When to go to the hospital
Rhythmic uterine contractions are the most important sign that the work has really started, while the rupture of the sac, the loss of the mucous plug and the dilation of the cervix are signs that the pregnancy is coming to an end, indicating that the work of childbirth can begin within a few hours or the next few days.
In the case of a first child, the normal labor time varies between 12-24 hours, but this time decreases with each pregnancy.
Premature birth can appear after 20 weeks of gestation, but ideally it should start after 37 weeks. The most common is that the symptoms appear little by little, with cramps that become more intense and painful. The following are the 4 signs of labor that you should be aware of.
Signs that labor has begun
The signs that indicate labor are:
1. Rhythmic contractions
The contractions are rhythmic that appear accompanied by pain initially, appear at spaced times and decrease their interval over time, becoming increasingly painful and intense. Some medicinal plants such as the herb-de-são-cristóvão, when taken under the guidance of the doctor or herbalist, can shorten the time of labor, see how to take in Medicinal Properties of the herb-de-são-cristóvão.
2. Breaking the water bag
The pregnant woman may notice that the bag broke when she goes to the bathroom and notices the release of a liquid similar to urine, but lighter and turbid, which may contain some whitish traces, and that she cannot control. It can be expected that delivery can take a further 48 hours, and if the rhythmic contractions do not start spontaneously, you can induce delivery with synthetic oxytocin in the hospital.
3. Loss of mucous plug
After going to the bathroom and cleaning, the pregnant woman will be able to observe the presence of a brownish secretion with traces of blood that served to protect the cervix. Your loss may indicate that labor is starting right now or that the day is approaching. Learn more at: How to identify the mucous plug.
4. Dilatation of the cervix
Another indicator that the baby will be born soon is the dilation of the cervix, which increases as labor develops, but which can only be observed by the obstetrician or midwife through the "touch" exam. It takes a 10 cm dilation of the cervix to allow the baby to pass, and this is the longest period of labor.
I'm in labor! And now?
When identifying that you are in labor, you should take into account some factors such as:
- If the cesarean is checked:
When the pregnant woman wishes to have a cesarean, she must inform the doctor immediately while traveling to the hospital.
- If you want a normal birth:
When the pregnant woman wants a normal delivery and finds out that she has gone into labor, she should be calm and see on the clock how often contractions come. Because labor is time consuming and there is no need to go to the hospital immediately on the first contraction.
At the beginning of labor, the pregnant woman can continue doing her daily activities, especially when it is the birth of the first child, because in this case labor takes an average of 14 hours. See What to eat in labor while waiting for the ideal time to go to maternity.
When to go to the hospital
You should go to the hospital when the contractions are very strong and come every 5 minutes, however it is important to take into account the traffic and the distance to the hospital, and you may need to prepare to leave while the contractions are every 10 minutes. minutes.
During labor the pain should gradually increase, but the calmer and more relaxed the woman is, the better the progress of the labor will be. There is no need to go to the hospital as soon as you feel the first contraction because labor occurs in 3 phases, which include dilation, which is the longest phase, the active phase, which is the baby's birth and the exit phase of the placenta. Find out more details about each phase in: Phases of Labor and Delivery.
If the bag is not yet broken, what you can do to relieve the pain of contractions is to take a warm bath, get into a properly cleaned bathtub or a small pool because the hot water relaxes, favoring dilation.
