Am I in labour?

If you are full term, you may be wondering “am I in labour?!”. So, what are the signs and symptoms that you are going into labour?

You’ve had a “show”

The show is a bloody discharge. At the moment it will be sitting in your cervix and its role is to help reduce infection. As your cervix becomes thinner and begins to dilate the mucus comes away. It is a really exciting time that labour will be starting soon! You do not need to do anything when you get your show unless you are premature, in which case give your triage a call. After your bloody show, it can mean that labour is going to start in a few hours but it can still mean labour may not start for a few weeks. It’s just a sign that your cervix is starting to become thin and open.

It is normal to have dark blood in your show, but if you are noticing fresh blood – give triage a call.

Your waters have broken

Waters can go before labour, during labour, and some babies can even be born in their waters. If your waters go and your contractions haven’t started then you will be advised an induction 24 hours after if your contractions have not started. This is to reduce the chances of you or baby getting an infection.

Things to look out for with your waters

Firstly your waters can break in two ways. If they break at the front of your baby’s head then you can get the stereotypical movie-style “gush”. If they go at the top of baby (by baby’s feet) then they can come out as much more of a trickle as baby’s head can act as a plug. If you think you waters have broken you should always contact your midwife or triage.

Another thing to look out for is the colour of your waters. Your water should be clear or a straw-like colour. If they are murky / have a greenish tinge / green then this may be a sign your baby has done a poo inside. This is called meconium. Call your midwife / place of birth straight away if this happens because in some cases this can be a sign your baby is in distress.

Loose bowels

Having diarrhoea can be another sign of labour and a sign everything is heading in the right direction.

Contractions

This is the sure-fire symptom that labour is starting. At first they will most likely be irregular. This means they may be every 20 minutes, then go to every 7, then back to every 10. This can happen for a few hours. They can even suddenly stop all together. This is really normal, as frustrating as it may feel. It’s not false labour – it’s just early labour and means your body is getting ready for labour. The contractions may be working to turn baby into a more optimal position. They may also be softening your cervix.

If you are full turn and ready for baby to make their grand entrance, have a read of The Lazy Girl Guide to Kickstarting Labour. Another great blog for you is Optimal Fetal Positioning.

Photo creds: Rewildherbirth