# Early Warning Signs Of Labour



## PixieKitty

Hi girls, noticed a fair few threads about early labour signs and found this online, hope it helps!
x


*Early Warning Signs For Labour*

Its not like it is in the movies. When a woman goes into labour, there is rarely a gush of fluid and then a mind-blowing cramp that doubles her over in screaming agony that must be answered with a panicked rush to the hospital. No, the onset of labour is a surprisingly gradual thing and a woman in tune with her body will see the warning signs long before contractions make her growl.

When any of the following happen, a woman can be sure that labour is on its way. It may take a few hours or a few days, but its happening. All she should do is make sure her hospital bag is packed, have a bite to eat and get some sleep - things are about to get very busy!

*Backache*

Before contractions start, many women will develop a backache. This isnt the same soreness many women get from carrying their baby around up front. No, this is a deep ache that will happen in the lower back from the hips to the top of the pelvic bones. It wont feel like pain, but it will feel annoying and inescapable: position changes will not remedy this type of back ache.
When a baby has dropped, usually a few weeks before birth for first-time mums and a few days or hours before birth for more experienced mums, it puts pressure on the pelvis. This is one reason for some of the backache, but mainly the backache is due to actual contractions. Of course, the contractions are so mild that most women would never feel them. But, they do show up as a persistent dull lower back ache. Non-pregnant women will also feel this at the onset of menstrution and throughout their period.

*Cramps*

Menstruation is a good analogy for the feelings a women gets before labour begins. Just as with menstruation, the cervix needs to open (though just a tiny bit) and the uterus must provide gentle crontractions to move the menstrual blood out of the body. If a woman feels period cramps near the end of her pergnancy, its a very good sign that her body is about to go into labour.

*Diarrhea*

This is one of the least pleasant sign that labour is approaching. In order to ensure that there is maximum room for a baby to pass out of the uterus and through the birth canal, a womans body evacuates her bowels before labour happens.
If a pregnant woman finds that she is suddenly experiencing loose stools and multiple trips to the bathroom, that is her bodys way of saying, youre baby will be arriving soon. Mums should keep well hydrated and continue eating to sate their hunger. Women with constipation problems may find that their body goes through a couples days worth of diarrhea, often spaced a few days or weeks apart, to help ensure the body voids as much stool as possible. Sometimes the contractions of the bowels required to move the stool out of the body can be mistaken for labour. Women should always keep calm when they experience this and call their healthcare provider or their doula for assurance.

*Nesting*

It sound almost comical: a woman approaching labour gets a sudden insatiable urge to tackle a big homemaking project. It is true, though. Women nearing labour often get an urge to clean, decorate or organize. I, myself, wound up on the bathroom floor scrubbing a dirty shower stall at 2am while my husband pleaded with me to go to bed and rest. I gave birth two days later.
The important thing to remember is to keep it simple and light. Women shouldnt be doing hard labour, hauling heavy objects or climbing ladders in their last trimester. The urge to nest is a primal urge to make sure there is a safe place for baby to be after birth, so dont ignore it, but dont overdo it either. Partners will usually be happy to do the harder jobs for their pregnant wives and girlfriends.

*Shivering or Trembling*

Some women, without being cold or physically exhausted, may experience shivering or trembling before labour begins. Changes in the hormones responsible for helping to trigger labour may cause shaking. If the shaking is disconcerting, a woman can call her healthcare provider or her doula for guidance.

If a woman recognizes any of these very early labour symptoms, she should first make sure she is ready for labour to begin. Is she rested? Has she made arrangements for pets or other children? Is the hospital bag packed or are all the supplies for a homebirth ready? Is she hydrated and has she eaten? Are the baby supplies available for when baby arrives? Is the carseat installed in the car?

This is the time to make sure all the last minute preparations are made. This is not the time to panic. Some women will want to talk with their healthcare providers, but they dont need to unless they want assurance on specific issues. Women should definitely call or email their doulas to let them know that things are slowly beginning to happen. This is not a sign that labour has officially begun, but it is a sign that labour will begin very soon.


----------



## pippam116

a gush of fluid and then a mind-blowing cramp that doubles her over in screaming agony that must be answered with a panicked rush to the hospital. <<<<<< it is mine!!!!!!!!! lol


----------



## elm

Well, I've had the cramps... Did have a tiny bit of lower back pain earlier that I got excited about but then it went away.....

Grrrr!!!! x


----------



## pippam116

go and dtd lol


----------



## baby#4due2/16

i have some backache...but mainly getting that really sharp pain down below that makes you stop in your tracks til it eases off...that and some pressure in lower stomach


----------



## SareBear

Thanks, this was really helpful. 

Ta chuck! x x x


----------



## elm

pippam116 said:


> go and dtd lol

Round two for today is coming later.... DP doesn't know it yet though... :rofl:


----------



## Plumfairy

Ooh Thanks for putting this up! :) I've had really low backache today and lots of cramping... Hoping something happens soooooooooon x


----------



## PixieKitty

Hope this is it for all you full termers getting these symptoms :)
Only 2 more weeks til I'm full term hehe, can't wait :D then it's just another 3 week countdown til due date!


----------



## passengerrach

thanks for the post will remember it in 6 weeks lol


----------



## Dragonfly

Ok i have the period type cramps and back ache and I wonder if the shivering and trembling was the flu I had that seemed to disappear myseriously! i was really ill yesterday and worse day before and now its gone. I havent got the shits though but my mum said she never had that with any of her kids so I know it dosnt always happen. Nesting i have been at for a while now. 

Also swollen feet are a sign apparently that your baby has dropped into position as it squashes the blood vessels. My feet are fat :( I cant get me shoes on.


----------



## chocopud

Thanks this has helped alot :0


----------



## PixieKitty

Ooooh hope this is it for you Dragonfly! :hugs:


----------



## danni2609

Ive had all of these and still nothing!!


----------



## sparkle1

danni2609 said:


> Ive had all of these and still nothing!!

Me too, ive been having all of them for weeks & now im 41 + 1
I cant wait to have a real contraction


----------



## amylw1

well i have had a blood stained jelly "leave" nearly 2 weeks ago, have had a low dull backache, crampy abdo pains and tightenings for 10days and i now have loose bowels - i thought this was a bug as no-1 else in house is like it. we will see!


----------



## RedString

thought some ladies might find this helpful, so i'm necromancing it, :haha:

enjoy!


----------



## tequila

Excellent post thanks for bumping.

My symptoms are textbook so far then. Just sitting up waiting for my 30 min contractions to increase!


----------



## RedString

ooo exciting! good luck!!

Its only made my symptom spotting worse, to be honest :dohh:


----------



## Cabbage

pippam116 said:


> a gush of fluid and then a mind-blowing cramp that doubles her over in screaming agony that must be answered with a panicked rush to the hospital

This is what my OH thinks is going to happen! Seriously! :haha:


----------



## MrsCKO

.


----------



## preggers amo

ive had all of the things you have written, very helpful but still no baby! and no contractions either! i am 39 weeks today.....guess itll happen when it happens,i better stop waiting every second for it! :)


----------



## sarahjane10

i had such bad Diarrhea in labour xx


----------



## biscuitnodles

I have had a few of the things too - backache, period cramps, lots of braxton hicks.... I'm just waiting for them to get stronger!!


----------



## elm

elm said:


> Well, I've had the cramps... Did have a tiny bit of lower back pain earlier that I got excited about but then it went away.....
> 
> Grrrr!!!! x

awww, memories! I gave birth a week later!


----------



## pickleton

Bump!

I found this whilst researching labour signs on google and even though it's old I thought it was worth a bump! X


----------



## kmbabycrazy

Thanks because today I have had horrendous back ache like i've never had before, horrid cramps that have left me breathless, terrible diarrhea and since getting out of the bath I've been feeling rather shaky. I also have been thinking I should bring my hospital bag downstairs today, put my notes with it and go through it to check everything is ready and in there...hopefully it's a sign that things are close xx


----------



## pickleton

You have the same due date as me! I've had period pains and backache today too, hence the research but I doubt it's anything. X


----------



## kmbabycrazy

pickleton said:


> You have the same due date as me! I've had period pains and backache today too, hence the research but I doubt it's anything. X

Crazy. I hope it is for both of us. I'm feeling awful today and really hope it's because she's on her way x


----------



## katrinalorien

What a wonderful post, thanks for all the information!! I really really appreciate it.

My hospital told me I wasn't allowed to eat once labor started... but they didn't bar me from eating lightly when it seemed like it was about to start!


----------



## taybaby925

Very Helpful, thanks :)


----------



## seanelle

reallllly helpful ive been experiencing alot of diarrhea tmi and cramps accompanied by alot of pressure down there


----------



## Cabbage

wow! this thread is a year old! My LO is now almost one! I winded up being induced so I never had those early warning signs of labour!! Good luck to all you ladies!


----------



## kmbabycrazy

I had all those signs yesterday and eff all lol so no more symptom spotting for me!!


----------



## InVivoVeritas

I've had all of these (bar the shaking) for over a week and still nothing doing. I'm about ready to give up symptom spotting!


----------



## holidaysan

Bumping. Great thread. Thanks :)


----------



## SarahP13

Thanks for bumping this Holiday. Have had backache and cramps for past 48 hrs and
Diarrhoea in the night plus an overwhelming urge to tidy the house! 

Never really had any of that with DD1. Don't want to go into labour until the end of the week though as OH is away til Friday! Uh oh.


----------

