Starting from the ninth month of pregnancy, every expectant mother has fears associated with childbirth. It doesn't matter if it will be the first child or not, every time for a woman is like the first time. Especially often, fears arise on the basis of the uncertainty of the future mother that she will recognize the contractions in time and will have time to arrive at the hospital.
But such cases are extremely rare, more often pregnant women are sent home to nurse until the due date. After all, it is very difficult not to recognize the onset of childbirth, and when your baby wants to be born, you will immediately understand this.
If you listen to your body, you will find that about 14 days before the expected date of birth, significant changes will begin. And the closer the deadline, the more tangible these changes will be.
14 days before the baby is born
At this time, the body begins to prepare for an important event - the birth of a baby. During this period, mommy begins to feel the harbingers of childbirth - signs that indicate the approach of the cherished date.
Training bouts
Contractions are uterine contractions that help the baby exit the womb. They feel like pain during menstruation, only much more intense. Training contractions are needed to prepare the uterus and pelvic organs for childbirth. Unlike true contractions, they do not have a periodicity and are less painful.
Prolapse of the abdomen
Another harbinger of childbirth is the prolapse of the abdomen. You can not only feel it, but also see it. You yourself will notice how the stomach has become much lower, as if being attracted to the floor. This means that the baby is already ready for his birth and presses his head on the lower part of the uterus. Therefore, it gradually moves from the abdominal cavity to the pelvic cavity. The expectant mother begins to feel lightness in the abdomen and chest, because they stop putting pressure on them. At the same time, there is frequent urination and discomfort in the inguinal region.
The closer this event is, the more new sensations the expectant mother experiences. Sometimes this can be mistaken for problems in the course of pregnancy, therefore, for self-complacency, it is worth communicating more with loved ones, and, if necessary, with a doctor.
Discomfort
The expectant mother before childbirth may feel aching pain in the lower back. This indicates a displacement of the pelvic organs, expansion of the hips and stretching of the ligaments. Thus, the body prepares for childbearing.
Hormonal changes
When the cherished event approaches, the cerebellum begins to produce hormones responsible for childbirth. It is they who provoke contractions and other changes. You can notice this if your taste sensations change, your appetite disappears, your mood jumps, and stools become more frequent. Often, pregnant women lose weight in the last weeks, this is due to the fact that hormones no longer affect the accumulation of fluid in the body.
Reduced baby activity
Now the baby occupies almost the entire uterine cavity and simply cannot turn around in it properly. At the same time, analyzes and indicators remain normal and nothing threatens the health of the child.
If you do not feel the harbingers of childbirth, and the cherished date is getting closer, do not worry, maybe your body is less sensitive than other expectant mothers, or the symptoms are less intense.
The day before the birth or a little later, the expectant mother shows symptoms that do not ambiguously hint that you will soon meet the baby. If you feel the sensations described below, then let your loved ones know that their help will soon be needed.
Mucus plug exit
The mucus plug is a barrier that throughout pregnancy protected the baby from the penetration of germs, bacteria and viruses. Before childbirth, it is rejected by the body, freeing the way, and comes out gradually or immediately. Do not be alarmed when you find yellow mucus on your underwear, if it does not have blood clots, then everything is going according to plan.
Contractions
The contraction of the uterus just before childbirth becomes periodic. At first, you might think that this is another “training” of the body, but when such attacks bother you every 15-20 minutes, this will already indicate the onset of labor. Over time, the interval will become smaller until it reaches 3-5 minutes.
Broken waters
In feature films and serials, the heroines always give birth with the fact that the water suddenly breaks. In fact, this rarely happens. Experienced mothers know this for themselves. First there are contractions, and only then all the other signs. Moreover, the bubble may not burst on its own, then it is pierced already in the hospital. This is a completely painless procedure that will not harm the baby.
If your water has broken and there are no contractions, then urgently call an ambulance or ask your loved ones to take you to the hospital. This combination of circumstances can complicate the course of childbirth, so the supervision of a doctor is essential.
Diarrhea
A few hours before the birth, the intestinal muscles begin to contract and release everything unnecessary so that the contents do not interfere with the natural course of childbirth. Therefore, you may experience frequent urges "for the most part." Moreover, there is a feeling of nausea, up to the urge to vomit.
Chills
Some women in labor note chills that appear some time before childbirth. The expectant mother becomes cold, she begins to shake a little.
Until the contractions become too frequent, about every 5-7 minutes, stay calm and prepare for the trip to the hospital. At this time, try not to lie down, but move more and breathe deeply, so you stimulate labor. If the hospital is far away, you need to get ready much earlier or go to it in advance.
The pain will only intensify, so take care of what you take and prepare your bag in advance. It is good if a loved one is next to you at this time, especially your mother. With her, you will feel confident and calm.
If the contractions started before the due date, do not worry about it. Today, the birth of a baby is considered the norm already at the 35th week of pregnancy. Doctors say that by this time all the important functions of the child are fully formed and he is ready for extrauterine life. But if labor does not begin on time, and the days go by, then you should start to worry and go to the doctor. The baby becomes too big, he no longer has enough nutrition and oxygen coming from his mother.
What to collect to send to the hospital
In order not to pack things right before the trip, take care of this a few weeks in advance. The maternity hospital will need to take:
- exchange card
- birth certificate
- The passport
- Health insurance policy
- Agreement with the maternity hospital, if any
- Slippers
- Phone and charger
- Robe
- nightgown
- Disposable panties
- Pads for women after childbirth
- Baby soap
- Pampers for newborns
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
- Shampoo
The rest, if necessary, will be brought to you by relatives.
Summing up everything described earlier, we can note the main tips that will help you stay calm, understand that childbirth has begun and you need to go to the hospital:
- Learn to distinguish training contractions from real ones. The latter begin after the same intervals of time, gradually becoming more frequent and more painful.
- Record the time of contractions and their duration. Don't lie down during contractions as they become more painful.
- Watch your belly. When it starts to descend, you will immediately see it. If the water breaks, call an ambulance immediately.
- The release of mucous secretions indicates the onset of labor.
- Keep your doctor's phone number with you at all times. He will answer any questions you may have and give you instructions if needed.
The birth of a baby is a long-awaited and responsible event for every mother, so you need to be prepared for all the difficulties and peculiarities of this process. Keep calm, be confident in your knowledge and strength, and then the birth will go well.
Video: harbingers of childbirth
And there is just so much cuteness in it: why now ?! How to understand that menstruation will begin soon so that there are as few such surprises in our calendar as possible ?! We will talk about the most striking and reliable signs of an imminent start
How to understand that menstruation will begin soon
More often, harbingers for every woman and girl are an individual concept and require a conscious approach. Listening to yourself and the reactions of your body, you can easily determine not only the approximate time period, but also a specific day and even hour. Changes in the mammary glands, processes occurring in the uterine cavity and in the ovaries will not go unnoticed if we understand what to expect and what will be the first bell. Usually, the beginning of the inevitable process falls on the period of the last (MC), but sometimes it affects its entire second half.
Harbingers of menstruation
To understand that menstruation will soon come is quite simple, knowing some of the features of your own body, and the strengthening of certain symptoms will help determine the time intervals.
- Swelling of the mammary glands - their increase in size, engorgement, painful manifestations. Not abundant are possible, which are more often noticeable in the form of an already curdled secret.
- Drawing pains in the lower abdomen - the preparation of the uterus for rejection of its inner layer (endometrium) is often accompanied by pain, expressed to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the individual characteristics of the organism. Pain can be associated with hormonal disorders, so they require observation and consultation with a gynecologist.
- Skin rashes are not mandatory, but a common symptom associated with hormonal changes.
- Lower back pain - as a manifestation of changes in the uterus.
- Emptying the intestines is a normal reaction of the body, in which the metabolism is not disturbed. In the period before menstruation, the body gets rid of everything superfluous, including the smooth muscles of the intestines. In some cases, pain before menstruation is associated with intestinal congestion, and the discomfort disappears with its emptying.
There are also subjective harbingers of menstruation. These include an increase in appetite, some have swelling of the legs, face, many complain of a state close to depression, and a general violation of moral stability or
The concept of premenstrual syndrome
Men deny it, women claim that they experience its effect on themselves. Controversial in its existence, PMS helps many of the fair sex to find the answer to the question: "How to understand that menstruation will begin soon?" Scientists who study this issue not only confirm its existence, but also divide it into several types. Signs that your period is about to start:
What happens to the ovaries before menstruation
The ovaries before menstruation undergo characteristic changes associated with MC. In the body of a healthy woman, they are unchanged and occur according to a certain scenario. Approximately in the middle of the cycle (days 13-16), a mature egg leaves the ovary, previously forming a protrusion, which looks like a functional cyst during ultrasound diagnostics.
When the wall of the ovary bursts and the egg is released, many women feel pain in the right or left. At the site of the release of the egg, progesterone, which produces the hormone of pregnancy, is formed, which stimulates the thickening of the endometrium and makes it ready for the attachment of a fertilized egg. If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum is destroyed, and the hormone is not produced enough, which leads to rejection of the endometrium, and menstruation occurs.
Painful sensations in the ovarian region during menstruation are considered pathological and require consultation.
Painful menstruation
Women for whom menstruation is not only monthly changes in the body, but also constant pain, need to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist. An important step will be not only the disappearance of pain, but also the determination of their causes. The most common method of normalizing the entire MC is the appointment of hormonal contraceptives. For those who want to get rid of the main symptoms, the ideal option would be to use oral antispasmodics ("No-shpa") or topical application of rectal suppositories with papaverine.
Asymptomatic premenstrual period
For women whose premenstrual period does not have any clinical symptoms, and there are no signs that menstruation will begin soon, the only way out is to maintain a calendar of critical days, monthly monitoring of the duration of the menstrual cycle. Thus, the onset of menstruation will be expected and will not bring inconvenience.
Now you know how to understand that menstruation will begin soon. Do not get sick, and let the critical days become for you only a physiological process, and nothing more.
Many women worry that they will not be able to correctly determine the onset of labor. Indeed, it is important to guess this moment: you need to have time to prepare for childbirth, mentally and physically tune in to the upcoming event, withstand a lot of stress. You will need to prepare things for a trip to the hospital, collect documents, necessary hygiene items. You should call doctors in time so as not to pose a threat to your health, the life of the baby.
Often, young expectant mothers believe that they can miss this unique moment, not notice the onset of childbirth in time. In fact, experts note that it is almost impossible to confuse real labor pains with preparatory ones. In addition, the approaching birth has a lot of signs. Some are widespread, some symptoms are characteristic of specific groups of women. Even the expectant mother, who is preparing for childbirth for the first time, will easily be able to determine the very moment when the child is about to be born. How to understand that soon to give birth? Monitor your condition, pay attention to any changes. Remember a few basic signs, follow the recommendations. Then you will immediately know that the birth is close, you will be able to properly prepare for them.
How to distinguish preparatory contractions from generic?
Most women are concerned about the similarity of sensations during the so-called "training" fights with those signs of an approaching birth, which they have read about many times in various sources, heard from their friends. Of course, preparatory contractions are a bit similar to prenatal contractions, but it is still very difficult to confuse them with them. Any woman who is not giving birth for the first time will not be embarrassed by this behavior of the uterus. Learn to distinguish between pre-labor contractions and labor contractions.
- When 38 weeks of pregnancy passes, training contractions may begin.
- Preparatory contractions are noticeably less painful than labor. True, primiparous women have nothing to compare with, so the sensations may seem extremely unpleasant.
- An important feature of training bouts is monotony. They do not increase, do not become more painful, prolonged.
- The intensity of the preliminary contractions does not increase.
- Most often, the so-called "false contractions" stop quickly enough, and the woman feels good again.
Signs of labor pains
Harbingers of the birth of a baby are labor pains. You will identify them immediately. They have a number of distinctive features, so it is almost impossible to confuse these contractions before childbirth with preparatory ones.
- Regularity. Labor contractions are regular. They do not pass, they appear with a certain systematicity. The contractions are most characteristic for forty seconds, the breaks between them are approximately 15 minutes.
- Increasing intensity. The contractions before childbirth gradually increase, become more intense, heavy.
- Pain sensations. Labor pains are much more painful than training ones. The pain comes in waves, usually begins in the back, lower back. Then the sensation spreads along the hips, and a kind of ring closes in the abdomen.
- Tone of the uterus. With real contractions, the state of the uterus can be easily determined if you simply put your hand on your stomach. The uterus is tense because it is in good shape.
- Increased contractions immediately before childbirth. Gradually, the contractions become more intense. When the contraction lasts about a minute, and the break between contractions has already decreased, it is 3-5 minutes, it's time to go to the hospital, or call the midwife at home if you decide to give birth at home.
Note! When strong, frequent and painful labor pains suddenly stop, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. This may be a sign of weak labor activity. Even in the absence of contractions, specialists will help the baby to be born and preserve the health of the young mother.
Preparation for childbirth and behavior during labor. A few nuances
Behave correctly during labor pains in order to alleviate your condition as much as possible, to prepare well for the upcoming hard work.
- Calm. Try to calm down and relax completely. Think about the fact that not much time will pass - and you will already give birth. Realize the end of a difficult period, do not be afraid of pain. She will pass.
- Positive attitude. Tune in to the upcoming birth, maintain confidence in a successful outcome. Your attitude will positively affect the condition of the baby, and will help you yourself.
- Relax. During contractions, you must completely relax, do not pinch, do not strain your muscles.
- Proper breathing. Breathe deeply when you feel pain approaching. After the start of the fight, you need to change your breathing to superficial, frequent and rhythmic. If the contraction is over, take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
- Body position. During fights, it is better to stand with your back against the wall, the back of the chair. When a woman is lying, the pain may be stronger.
- Massage. A light massage of the lower back will help alleviate the condition. Movement should be directed from top to bottom. You can simply stroke your stomach with smooth circular movements.
Signs of an upcoming birth
You can understand that labor will begin soon, not only by the nature of the contractions. There are a few more common signs that will let you know: the baby is about to be born.
- Preliminary fights. When the birth is already close, a few days are left before them, preliminary contractions appear regularly. They are necessary to prepare the uterus for the future birth of the baby.
- Discomfort in the thighs. When a woman carries a child for 35 weeks, discomfort may appear in the pelvis and hips.
- Pulling in the lower abdomen. Ligaments are stretched more and more before childbirth, so women can feel an unpleasant pull in the stomach.
- Aching pains. The pubic bones gradually diverge. So the mother's body prepares for childbirth. In this case, there is aching pain in the perineum.
- The belly dropped. Before childbirth, the abdomen drops. The child moves into the pelvis, and the stomach is gradually pulled down.
- The waters have receded. Immediately before childbirth, the waters break. It is advisable to pay attention to their color, texture, smell, so that later everything can be reported to the doctor. Sometimes the water breaks right during contractions. It is important to remember that immediately after the departure of the waters, you need to consult a doctor, since childbirth has already begun.
- Birth pains. A sign of the imminent birth of a baby is frequent, regular, painful contractions.
- Loose stools, frequent urination. Sometimes women begin to go to the toilet more often when labor approaches.
- Chills. Some expectant mothers are shivering before childbirth.
- Increased activity. It is characteristic that many women become more active before childbirth. They have a desire to create a more comfortable atmosphere in the apartment, to cook more things for the baby, to go around the shops.
The moment that all 9 months have been waiting for: joyful, but exciting, and often frightening.
In a few hours, the baby will be born.
How to understand that labor will begin soon? How will the birth go? What will your meeting be like? Will everything be ok with the newborn?
The health of the expectant mother and child largely depends on the course of childbirth and their proper management. If a woman is at home, then recognizing the approaching birth and being in the clinic on time is an extremely important task.
There is a well-known formula for the date of the beginning of the last menstruation.
It is necessary to subtract 3 months from the date of menstruation and add 7 days to the result.
However, only a small number of babies are born exactly on the calculated day. The average duration of a normal pregnancy is 38-40 weeks.
Regardless of whether a woman is observed in a regular district antenatal clinic or has a contract for childbirth with a medical center and a specific obstetric team, she will be assigned 1-2 additional appointments in the last month of pregnancy. This will allow you to determine the early signs of incipient labor and, if necessary, leave the woman in the hospital.
Signs of approaching childbirth in primiparous and multiparous
Often, expectant mothers often ask the question, how to understand that childbirth has begun in primiparas?
There are a number of typical signs of an approaching birth. But the order of their appearance is individual for each case.
And even in the same woman, the first and subsequent births can begin and proceed differently. The second (and subsequent births) are usually faster than the first. In this case, you need to be especially attentive to the appearance of any sign of the onset of labor.
This is the most "insidious" of the signs. It can appear a few days, or even a week before the onset of labor, and the first appearance will greatly alarm the expectant mother.
However, if this did not turn out to be the true beginning of labor, and heaviness in the lower back either arises or disappears again for a day or two, the woman gets used to these sensations and may not pay attention to them when the birth really begins. Time will be lost, and this is dangerous if the path to the hospital is long or there are traffic jams on the roads.
- Removal of the mucous plug.
The exit of the mucous plug is the most true and “physiologically correct” sign of incipient labor. The softening and expanding cervix no longer securely holds this protective mucous clot, the cork comes out.
The process depends on some features of the anatomy and physiology of a woman. The exit of the mucous plug can be soft and unhurried, accompanied by the urge to go to the toilet for several hours. Or it can be swift, like a cork from champagne.
It is most dangerous if the cork does not come out in a single clot, but mucous secretions of varying degrees of density simply appear, they may have a brown color or bloody streaks. In these clots, a woman may not recognize the passage of the cork and not go to the maternity hospital on time.
After the cork is released, childbirth can develop quite rapidly, so the appearance of any mucous discharge in the last weeks of pregnancy should be a reason to see a doctor.
- Departure of amniotic fluid.
Usually, the discharge of water begins after the release of the mucous plug, but it can also get ahead of it. This happens if one of the walls of the neck is somewhat weaker and softer than the other (due to cicatricial changes or anatomical features).
In this case, the thick plug is still securely held by the muscular wall of the vagina, but the weakened place already gives a gap for the amniotic fluid to flow out. During the process, the amniotic fluid carries along the mucous plug, washing it out.
The outpouring of amniotic fluid is definitely a reason for an immediate visit to the maternity hospital!
- Regular contractions.
The signal for the onset of contractions is the discharge of amniotic fluid, a sharp change in the tone of the uterus. But there may be other mechanisms. One of them is biochemical, the signal for the onset of labor and contractions is given by the matured lungs of the baby. That is, tangible contractions can begin even before the mucous plug and amniotic fluid are discharged, and only then the contraction of the muscles of the small pelvis will lead to the release of mucus. It's important to remember this!
Many women consider contractions before the plug and water to be "training" and don't pay attention to this symptom until it's too late. A distinctive feature of the onset of labor is precisely the clear frequency of contractions.
Regular contractions help move the baby's head into the birth canal.
If at the same time the density of the walls of the vagina is maintained and the mucous plug has not come off, you may need help with its mechanical extraction, and sometimes a puncture of the fetal bladder (amniotomy). A woman must by this time be under the supervision of specialists!
- Increased peristalsis, vomiting.
Increased urge to go to the toilet may accompany an upcoming contraction or a plug. But they can also be called as an independent symptom of the onset of labor. The opening of the uterus may be accompanied by vomiting.
A little earlier, diarrhea may appear. The reason is a change in the content of hormones, in response to the onset of labor, their effect on smooth muscles. In anticipation of attempts, the body is freed from excess, so that the baby's path into the world is easier and more comfortable.
- Change in child's activity.
In the last month of pregnancy, it is already difficult for the baby to move in the womb, many expectant mothers note some, movements with a large amplitude disappear. The child "tosses" but does not "fight". But closer to childbirth, its activity increases again.
It affects the sensitivity of the fetus to hormonal changes and uterine tone. Changes in the behavior of the baby can be noticed 1-2 days before the onset of childbirth, he becomes especially active before the onset of contractions.
How to behave, realizing that labor will begin soon?
Many women prefer to wait for the start of labor in a hospital, they go to the hospital 5-7 days before the planned birth.
Others want to stay at home until the very last moment. What to do if you notice the symptoms of childbirth?
Is it worth going to the hospital with the first signs of childbirth or is there time to wait? If the water has broken, it is advisable to be in the hospital as soon as possible. If contractions became a harbinger of childbirth, but the mucous plug and water have not yet departed, some women (especially multiparous ones) stay at home, waiting for the period between contractions to decrease.
This can only be done if the journey to the hospital takes less than 30 minutes and you are not in danger of traffic jams. When the interval between contractions reaches 10-15 minutes, you should go to the hospital in any case.
If you have a contract for childbirth with a specific midwife or team, you should contact your doctor at the first sign of labor. The doctor will help you orientate with the symptoms, tell you when it is better to go to the maternity hospital, and arrange for the preparation of the ward for you.
What is the best way to go to the hospital? Your own car and your husband driving are undoubtedly more comfortable. But the ambulance will allow you to pass without traffic jams and delays at the traffic lights.
If necessary, a team of doctors will provide assistance on the way. In addition, the excitement of the future father can threaten traffic safety, so the ambulance is preferable. Relatives can accompany the woman in labor in the ambulance or follow.
It is important to recognize the onset of labor and be in the hospital on time. The successful course of childbirth, the health of the newborn and his mother depend on this. Not all signs clearly indicate the imminent birth of a child. Therefore, at the end of pregnancy, a woman should especially carefully note all the changes in her body and the behavior of the unborn baby, report all symptoms to the doctor.
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