Signs of Labor

Now that I am at my 37th week (9 months, 1 week), it's only natural for me to take my maternity leave. It officially starts on Monday and honestly, I really want to give birth now so that I can take care of my little one a bit longer. I kept thinking that two months is not long enough. I mean, in other countries like Canada, they allow pregnant women to take a year long leave WITH PAY. Why can't we have that here in the Philippines? We pay taxes (a lot of evil taxes) and what do we get? A measly 30k from SSS (39k if you'll do a caesarean delivery, which by the way, isn't even half of the actual cost) and no pay for two months. And THEY say that the Philippines is one of the most women friendly countries. Yeah right.

Anyway, enough ranting. Let's talk labor. For the past days, I have been feeling extreme pains which eventually goes away. Talk about false alarm. At one time, I gave a big yelp and my Dydy almost rushed me to the hospital --- only to find out that our baby just gave me a kick. A big one.

So, what are the signs to expect when you're about to give birth? After a thorough interview from my co-workers and Google (of course), here's the list that I found out from this link:

Signs of Labor

Some women experience very distinct signs of labor, while others do not. No one knows what causes labor to start or when it will start, but several hormonal and physical changes may indicate the beginning of labor.

These changes include:

• Lightening
• Passing of the mucus plug
• Contractions
• Water breaking
• Effacement and dilation of the cervix

Lightening During Labor

The process of your baby settling or lowering into your pelvis just before labor is called lightening. Lightening can occur a few weeks or a few hours before labor. Because the uterus rests on the bladder more after lightening, you may feel the need to urinate more frequently.

Passing of the Mucus Plug

The mucus plug accumulates at the cervix during pregnancy. When the cervix begins to open wider, the mucus is discharged into the vagina and may be clear, pink, or slightly bloody. Labor may begin soon after the mucus plug is discharged or one to two weeks later.

Labor Contractions

During contractions, the abdomen becomes hard. Between contractions, the uterus relaxes and the abdomen becomes soft. The way a contraction feels is different for each woman and may feel different from one pregnancy to the next. But, labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis. Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom. Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps. Unlike false labor contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions -- true labor contractions do not stop when you change your position or relax. Although the contractions may be uncomfortable, you will be able to relax in between contractions.

What's the Difference Between True Labor and False Labor?

Before "true" labor begins, you may have "false" labor pains, also known as Braxton Hicks contractions. These irregular uterine contractions are perfectly normal and may start to occur in your second trimester, although more commonly in your third trimester of pregnancy. They are your body's way of getting ready for the "real thing."

What Do Braxton Hicks Contractions Feel Like?

Braxton Hicks contractions can be described as a tightening in the abdomen that comes and goes. These contractions do not get closer together, do not increase with walking, do not increase in how long they last and do not feel stronger over time as they do when you are in true labor.

How Do I Know When I Am in True Labor?

To figure out if the contractions you are feeling are the real thing, ask yourself the following questions.

Contraction Characteristics	False Labor	True Labor
How often do the contractions occur?	Contractions are often irregular and do not get closer together.	Contractions come at regular intervals and last about 30-70 seconds. As time goes on, they get closer together.
Do they change with movement?	Contractions may stop when you walk or rest, or may even stop if you change positions.	Contractions continue despite movement or changing positions.
How strong are they?	Contractions are usually weak and do not get much stronger. Or they may be strong at first and then get weaker.	Contractions steadily increase in strength.
Where do you feel the pain?	Contractions are usually only felt in the front of the abdomen or pelvic region.	Contractions usually start in the lower back and move to the front of the abdomen.

How Do I Know When to Go to the Hospital?

When you think you are in true labor, start timing your contractions. To do this, write down the time each contraction starts and stops or have someone do it for you. The time between contractions includes the length or duration of the contraction and the minutes in between the contractions (called the interval).

Mild contractions generally begin 15 to 20 minutes apart and last 60 to 90 seconds. The contractions become more regular until they are less than 5 minutes apart. Active labor (the time you should come into the hospital) is usually characterized by strong contractions that last 45 to 60 seconds and occur 3 to 4 minutes apart.

What Can I Do to Relieve Labor Pain?

The first stage of labor (called the Latent Phase) is best experienced in the comfort of your home. Here are some tips to help you cope.

• Try to distract yourself -- take a walk, watch a movie.
• Soak in a warm tub or take a warm shower. But, ask your health care provider if you can take a tub bath if your water has broken.
• Try to sleep if it is in the evening. You need to store up your energy for active labor.

What Happens When My Water Breaks During Labor?

The rupture of the amniotic membrane (the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the baby during pregnancy) may feel either like a sudden gush of fluid or a trickle of fluid that leaks steadily. The fluid is usually odorless and may look clear or straw-colored. If your "water breaks," write down the time this occurs, how much fluid is released and what the fluid looks like and then notify your health care provider. Although, labor may not start immediately after your water breaks, delivery of your baby will occur within the next 24 hours.

Lastly, keep in mind that not all women will have their water break when they are in labor. Many times the doctor will rupture the amniotic membrane in the hospital.

What Is Effacement and Dilation of the Cervix?

During labor, your cervix gets shorter and thins out in order to stretch and open around your baby's head. The shortening and thinning of the cervix is called effacement. Your health care provider will be able to tell you if there are changes to the cervix during a pelvic exam. Effacement is measured in percentages from 0% to 100%. If there are no changes to the cervix, it is described as 0% effaced. When the cervix is half the normal thickness, it is 50% effaced. When the cervix is completely thinned out, it is 100% effaced.

The stretching and opening of your cervix is called dilation and is measured in centimeters with complete dilation being at 10 centimeters.

Effacement and dilation are a direct result of effective uterine contractions. Progress in labor is measured by how much the cervix has opened and thinned to allow your baby to pass through the vagina.

When Should I Call My Health Care Provider or Go to the Hospital?

When you suspect you are in true labor, call your health care provider. Also call:

• If you think your water has broken
• If you are bleeding (more than spotting)
• If the baby seems to be moving less than normal
• When your contractions are very uncomfortable and have been coming every five minutes for an hour

Your health care provider will give you specific guidelines about when you should get ready to come to the hospital.

Of course, once you're in true labor, you'll want to know how it feels like. My best friend advised me to not take epidural anesthesia so that you'll feel the contractions 100%. It's called the Lamaze method (click on the link if you want to learn more about Lamaze method).

The Lamaze method, developed by the French obstetrician Ferdinand Lamaze, has been used in the United States since the late '50s and remains one of the most commonly taught types of childbirth classes. In the early days, the focus was on using controlled breathing techniques to cope with labor. But the vision of Lamaze educators has expanded a lot since then. According to Lamaze International, the goal of Lamaze classes is to "increase women's confidence in their ability to give birth." Toward that end, women learn a variety of simple coping strategies, of which breathing is only one. The classes aim to help women "learn how to respond to pain in ways that both facilitate labor and increase comfort."The Lamaze philosophy of birth stipulates that "birth is normal, natural, and healthy" and that "women have a right to give birth free from routine medical interventions." But Lamaze also educates women so that when interventions are needed, or pain relief medication is desired, women are able to give true informed consent.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I'll do the Lamaze method or have an epidural anesthesia. I mean, honestly,it's both exciting and scary. But, over-all, I just want to see my baby. So, what will I expect during labor?

Here's a list I got from Baby Center:

No one can predict what your own labor will be like, but hearing from those who have been there can help you get familiar with the possibilities.

The box of chocolates effect

Our survey results made one thing clear: Labor is different for every woman, with pain ranging from mild to extreme. Even the epidural reactions varied widely. As one mom put it, "Labor is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."
Here's a sampling of the different pain experiences reported.

• My pain was irritating but not unbearable.
• I had excruciating pain.
• My contractions felt like muscle spasms and weren't very painful.
• The pain was all-encompassing.
• At first I didn't know I was in labor and thought I needed to have a bowel movement. By the time we got to the hospital, I was at 10 centimeters. It hurt, but it wasn't that bad.
• I felt like I was being run over by a train.
• I begged my hubby to throw me out of the car on the way to the hospital, it hurt so bad.
• It was close to painless, thanks to all the training/prep work I did during pregnancy. Yay for Hypnobabies.
• I was induced and got my epidural early, so I only felt minor contractions. It was all fairly easy!
• The epidural didn't get rid of everything, like I had hoped. I felt the pressure of each contraction and the pain from the crowning.
• I had period-like cramps until I got an epidural. Then I just waited.
• Painful, until I got the epidural! It saved my life!
• I still felt most of the pain even after the epidural was in.

Cramping

Many moms told us that their contractions felt like an extreme version of menstrual cramps, while others compared them to cramps from gas, a stomach flu, or a charley horse.

• My contractions were like menstrual cramps on steroids.
• The cramping went from the top of my stomach down to my pubic area.
• It was like gas pains times a thousand.
• A horrible cramp that started in my back and radiated into my stomach.
• Very painful cramping and tightening that started at the top of my uterus and spread downward and through my back.
• Strong menstrual cramps that came and went. They would start low and radiate up my belly and around into my lower back.
• Like the cramps you get with a really bad stomach flu – but they last longer!
• Labor feels like charley horses in your lower abdomen.

Tightening

Several women described the contractions as a "tightening" rather than a cramping.

• It felt like my entire stomach was tightening down into a painful little ball. But the contractions were not unbearable at all.
• I literally felt my uterus muscles tightening.
• The contractions felt like my whole body was clenching up.
• It was like someone was grabbing all the skin in my back and pulling very slowly until it was tight, then holding it for a minute and releasing.
• I had tightening all over my belly, radiating into my lower back and rectum.
• It felt like someone was squeezing my belly every two or three minutes.
• It was like someone was squeezing my insides as hard as they could.

Pounding

Some women described labor as more of a pounding or punching feeling

• It was like being slammed in the uterus with a sledgehammer while simultaneously being squeezed by a powerful vise.
• Having contractions felt like being hit with something really hard.
• Each contraction felt like getting punched in the stomach – the type of punch that knocks all the air out of you.
• It was like getting punched in the back and the stomach at the same time, but only when the epidural wore off.

Stabbing

In some cases, the labor pain was decidedly more sharp than dull.

• It felt like I was being impaled on a hot fireplace poker.
• It was like someone took a serrated knife and stabbed me in the top of my stomach slowly, slowly sawed downward to my pubic bone, and then stopped for a few minutes and started all over again.
• It felt like a knife going through my cervix.

Burning

Several moms felt a burning sensation during the contractions and crowning.

• I was expecting the contractions to feel like intense menstrual cramps, but it felt more like burning.
• I felt a burning pain that spread across my lower abdomen and then slowly eased up as a contraction ended.
• During crowning there was a definite burning sensation, but I did tear, and it made it feel so much better, believe it or not.

Back pain

We tend to think of labor pains as occurring in the abdomen, but for some, the pain is in the back.

• I had terrible back pain. I didn't have any contractions in my stomach like you see in the movies.
• It felt like a really bad backache.
• It felt like a Mack truck running over my spine over and over again.
• It felt like a knife in my back with every contraction. I was literally trying to get away from my own back.

Pain in other areas

Legs, hips, and the rectal area were also fair game for pain.

• I had rectal pain with each contraction from the very beginning.
• I had an hour of labor before my epidural was placed, with really bad cramping along my upper thighs.
• It felt as though a 400 pound man was pressing down on each hip.
• I felt sharp aching in my hips.
• It felt like someone was stabbing me in the butt and hips from the inside. I had no pain in my back or tummy.

Waves

Labor certainly isn't a trip to the beach, but many women described the contractions' wavelike effect.

• Each contraction felt like a wave of pain that rose, peaked, and fell.
• I could feel each contraction coming on, building and building, then peaking and coming down. When the contraction was over I felt completely fine.
• I had very intense waves of pain, coming right on top of one another.

Pressure

Lots of women felt pressure, even before the pushing stage. The most common analogy used to describe the sensation? All decorum aside, think poop.

• After the epidural it just felt like so much pressure. I was surprised that it felt like I had to have a bowel movement rather than pressure in the vagina.
• You feel like you want to poop really bad and there's some pressure pushing down.
• It felt like a big poop to be completely honest.
• When my contractions started I thought I had to have a bowel movement.
• I felt extreme pressure on my rectum.
• I had lots of pressure in the groin area
• I had extreme pressure on my tailbone and vagina.
• It felt like I had to take a giant poop! Honestly! The pressure was insane!
• Transition made me feel like I had to move my bowels.
• When the contractions were beginning, before they really hurt, it just felt like I had to go to the bathroom!

Pushing

Many women described pushing as a relief, while others found it painful.

• There is a ton of pressure, and once you start pushing it hurts so bad to stop.
• My contractions were manageable but the rectal pressure was intense! It was relieving to push and incredibly relieving to push him out.
• Pushing felt awful – like I was constipated times a hundred and trying to push a baby out of my butt!
• Pushing was great because I could finally do something.
• I felt contractions during pushing that were pretty bad, but the pushing made them stop hurting.
• I had deep waves of intense pain up until I was able to push. Then, the pain became part of the background noise, as though I was in an altered state.

Our bodies, ourselves

While some women felt very present in their bodies during labor, others felt separated.

• I felt like I was not in control of my body.
• My body wanted to take over and do its own thing.
• It felt like an out-of-body experience.
• I was stuck between agony with my contractions, ecstasy when I sneaked a push in, and feeling like I was trying to stop a freight train (trying not to push when the urge was there). I have never been more in my body.
• It was very calm. I was working with my body and felt very empowered.

Exhaustion

They don't call it labor for nothing. Moms definitely acknowledged how much work was involved.

• It was very consuming. I was unable to think of or do anything else after contractions started.
• It was a lot of physical work, kind of like doing weight training at the gym with heavy weights.
• If I could describe it, I would say it was the hardest work I have ever done in my life.
• It was exhausting. I hadn't eaten, so I had very little energy and had to be on oxygen for about half my labor.
• The pushing made time fly, but at the same time really exhausted me in a way that I wasn't prepared for.

The sunny side

Even if your own piece from that box of labor chocolates turns out to be considerably less than tasty, remember that childbirth has a definite sunny side, as celebrated by many BabyCenter moms.

• It was the most beautiful pain I've ever felt.
• It was amazing. Painful, yes, but I could see (with a mirror) my baby coming out!
• I was cracking jokes between contractions. I had a blast and was not afraid
• It felt natural, like my body was meant to do it and I should just let it happen.
• It was painful of course, but it was a different pain. I had never really felt pain with a purpose. Somehow knowing the end result and that it was normal made it easier to bear.
• Emotionally, it was amazing. Many people say the pain disappears once your child is in your arms, and they're right!

Okay, I think that's about it. Let me end this post with a video I got from the youtube page of Baby Center about Labor and Birth: