This entry was posted on Monday, February 18th, 2008 at 7:25 pm and is filed under Labor. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Signs and Symptoms of Labor
Author: AA Gifts
During labor the cervix thins and softens and then dilates to allow the baby’s head to pass through the birth canal. When the cervix is fully open it is considered “10cm dilated.” This marks the transition from the first to the second stage.
But before we get to that what are the signs and symptons the expecting couple can appreciate as the first indications that the birth of your child is near. These may be:
| Subtle Signs or Symptoms | Comments |
| Vague backache that may cause restlessness | Different from the posture related backache commonly experienced during pregnancy, this may be caused by early contractions. |
| Several soft bowel movements accompanied by flu-like “sick” feelings |
Probably related to increase in circulating prostaglandins, which ripen your cervix while causing other symptoms. |
| “The nesting urge”[an unusual burst of energy resulting in great activity] |
Helps ensure that you will have strength and energy to handle labor. You should try to avoid exhausting activity. |
| Preliminary Signs or Symptoms | |
| Helps ensure that you will have strength and energy to handle labor. You should try to avoid exhausting activity. |
Bloody show [passage of blood-tinged mucous from the vagina] Associated with thinning of the cervix. May occur days before other signs or not until after progressing labor contractions have begun. |
| Small break of the bag of waters [amniotic sac surrounding the baby], causing leakage of fluid. |
No contractions May not be associated with spontaneous labor, although cervical ripening may hasten after a membrane ruptures. Occurs in ten to twelve percent of labors. Leaking occurs when you change position, laugh, sneeze, etc., and may continue off and on for hours. |
| Continuing nonprogressing contractions [”false” labor, or prodromal labor]. The contractions stay the same over time |
Accomplishes softening and thinning of the cervix, although dilation does not occur until later. Should not be perceived as unproductive. |
| Absolutely Clear Signs or Symptoms | |
| Progressing contractions [ those that become longer, stronger. And closer together with the passage of time] |
Are dilating the cervix by the time the contractions are averaging one minute long and five minutes apart, and feel painful or “very strong” to the woman. May be felt in the abdomen, in the back, or both. |
| Breaking of the bag of waters with gush, pop, or leak, followed by progressing contractions |
Labor usually speeds up after the bag of waters breaks. |
* Note that all women do not experience all of these signs; the most important ones are the last two. The others are more like warning signs that labor is coming soon.
Leave a Reply
powered by Spherica
Copyright 2007-2008 © Babies Tale. All Rights Reserved.
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).
Copyright 2007-2008 © Babies Tale. All Rights Reserved.
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).