signs of impending labor

The big meeting with your baby is fast approaching! Before the big day, you might be wondering what are the signs of imminent labor? Contractions, water breaking, loss of energy, pain…

Signs of impending labor : the answers are right here!

What are the main signs of impending labor?

The pregnant body is well designed! It sets up different signals to let you know that labor is near. Before listing the signs that your baby might arrive in a few days, here are the symptoms of imminent labor.

Water breaking

Whether the water breaks suddenly (a large loss of warm amniotic fluid) or as a slow leak (a small trickle of fluid), your baby is no longer in a sterile environment. It’s time to head to the hospital within 1 to 2 hours (unless advised otherwise by your maternity unit)!

Contractions

Of course! They’re often the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about labor and going to the hospital. At the end of pregnancy, you may feel the first labor contractions. If you experience intense and painful contractions every 5 minutes for at least two hours, labor is on its way. Time to go to the hospital.

Fluid loss

Vaginal discharge can be a sign of labor when it is thick and persistent. During the last month of pregnancy, you may also notice a mucus-like substance in your underwear; this could be the mucus plug. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you will give birth right away. The mucus plug’s job is to protect your baby from external bacteria. The size of the mucus plug varies depending on the woman and the number of pregnancies (it will be smaller in a first pregnancy). For reference, the mucus plug measures about 2.5 centimeters thick.
(Sometimes, water breaking is confused with vaginal discharge. To tell them apart, water breaking looks like water, is odorless and colorless).

Other signs that may indicate labor is near

Now here are some other signs suggesting that labor could begin in the coming days (though not immediately).

The need to pee

If the urge to use the bathroom becomes more frequent, it’s a sign that your baby is low and pressing on your bladder.

Breathing

You might suddenly feel like breathing is easier! That’s thanks to your baby settling lower. Result: your lungs are less compressed by the uterus, and you can breathe more freely.

Energy levels

Energy levels vary among women. Some may feel extremely tired before the big day, while others will feel the urge to be productive and active! Either way, it can be a sign your baby is coming soon.

Back pain

Back pain affects two-thirds of pregnant women and often appears in the third trimester, though sometimes earlier. It may involve upper back pain, lower back pain, or neck pain depending on the area. As labor approaches, some women may also feel pain in their lower back.

Restlessness or nervousness

Pregnancy is a time when emotions can be heightened and sometimes hard to manage. Besides hormones, which affect your body and intensify feelings, pregnancy can cause stress and/or anxiety related to the pregnancy itself or fear of childbirth. As your due date nears, you may feel restless, impatient, or nervous.

Nausea

This is a rather uncommon symptom, but some women experience vomiting or nausea in late pregnancy, in the days or hours before labor. This can be linked to increasingly intense uterine contractions, which push the stomach upwards and slow digestion (causing nausea). In any case, if nausea is severe or accompanied by other symptoms like fever, consult your doctor, as it could be an illness such as gastroenteritis.

Sleep disturbances

Sleep disturbances are common during pregnancy: due to hormones, physical changes, anxiety… Insomnia and other difficulties sleeping may worsen as labor approaches because of the symptoms mentioned earlier.

Fatigue

Fatigue is very common during pregnancy. After all, your whole body is working to support your baby’s development. In late pregnancy, your body is preparing for labor, which can cause even more fatigue. So, it could be a sign your body is getting ready for birth!

Diarrhea

Something that may surprise you before labor but is actually quite common: diarrhea. This digestive change is caused by increased prostaglandin levels, a hormone that softens the cervix and stimulates contractions but can also trigger diarrhea.

A feeling of pressure

Your uterus has grown considerably since the start of pregnancy, so it’s perfectly normal to feel pressure in your abdomen. This pressure also affects your bladder (hence the frequent urge to pee mentioned earlier). Note that this isn’t necessarily a sign of imminent labor but rather a late pregnancy symptom.
Be careful, if you experience bleeding, nausea, a fall, an accident, or a blow to the belly, you must go to the hospital even if you are not yet full term. Healthcare professionals can assess the situation and make sure it doesn’t affect your health or your baby’s health!

One last point: listen to your body. Every body is different, and you are the only one who can truly recognize the signs before your baby is born.

How to recognize the start of labor contractions?

Several factors can help distinguish true labor contractions from “false labor” contractions, also known as Braxton-Hicks contractions. These are painless uterine contractions that feel more like period cramps, baby movements, or ligament pain. They are generally irregular and fade over time.
In contrast, labor contractions are regular in frequency and duration. Each contraction becomes stronger and closer together over time. It becomes difficult to talk or walk when they occur because the pain wraps around your belly and lower back. When it’s true labor, the pain persists even if you try to rest, hydrate, or change position. If you notice all of this, head to the hospital right away, you are about to give birth!

Want to learn more? Feel free to download the May app, where you’ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your pregnancy.

What does it feel like when the baby has dropped?

It is the uterine contractions that push your baby toward the exit: in practical terms, this means the baby has dropped into the pelvis. You may feel that your baby is low in your pelvis, or your midwife may observe it when checking your cervical dilation.
When your baby drops into your pelvis, you’ll feel pressure on your rectum, like the urge to have a bowel movement. This feeling may be accompanied by a stronger or weaker urge to push.

A few natural tips to help induce labor

If your due date is approaching and you’re eager for the big day, here are a few tips, including some old wives’ remedies. Of course, none of these are 100% effective, but they might help get labor started.

• Membrane sweeping: you can ask for this during your due date appointment if your cervix is “favorable.” Sweeping releases prostaglandins, the hormones responsible for cervical dilation. Note: this procedure can be uncomfortable.
• Sexual intercourse: not only does your body release oxytocin during pleasurable intercourse, but semen contains prostaglandins, which help soften the cervix (yes, the human body is amazing!).
• Nipple stimulation: this also promotes the release of oxytocin. Bonus: it also prepares your breasts if you plan to breastfeed.
• Walking and physical activity: this helps the baby descend into the pelvis and increases the pressure of their head on the cervix, encouraging the release of prostaglandins.
• Acupuncture and homeopathy: so far, no studies have proven their effectiveness, but why not give them a try?
• Dates: eating 6 dates a day may help. Dates have a biochemical composition similar to oxytocin. When you eat them, your oxytocin receptors are stimulated, which could enhance the effects of natural oxytocin on the big day. Keep in mind that the impact of date consumption on labor duration and false labor has never been seriously studied. Also, avoid eating dates if you have gestational diabetes, as they are high in sugars.
• Wild raspberry leaf tea: check with your midwife (midwives on May are available to answer these kinds of questions) to consume the right products in the right amounts (never more than 2-3 cups a day).

The last days before your baby’s birth can feel long and the wait endless. Still, don’t forget to rest as much as you can to build up your strength for the big day!
We wish you the most beautiful birth experience and a wonderful meeting between mom and baby!

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Photo credits: Pressmaster | Aleksandra_Iarosh | nd3000 | Rawpixel | DC_Studio | Media_photos

This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.