Pregnancy and childbirth are such individual processes that even in the same woman they proceed in different ways. Many, talking about the birth of their first-born and second children, often describe a lot of differences between their feelings. Therefore, if you are in the last months of pregnancy and do not experience anything reminiscent of the stories of girlfriends, then do not worry. Signs of the approaching birth can manifest themselves just a couple of days before your baby declares his desire to be born, and in some cases even a few hours before.
Despite the fact that every woman can experience completely different sensations, in most cases they are still identical. We have collected in the article the main symptoms and signs of childbirth, which appear from approximately the thirty-eighth week of pregnancy. We will also tell readers if there are differences in the forerunners of first-born and second-born women.
Where does it all start?
Today, women can receive comprehensive information about the signs of childbirth from any available sources. If earlier they were guided only by the stories of experienced friends or relatives, now they can access numerous print media, forums and websites on the Internet. In addition, most pregnant women attend special courses where they undergo real preparation for the upcoming difficult birth of the baby. The birth process in such classes is considered in different aspects, however, some expectant mothers, even after taking courses, before the crucial moment begin to panic and look for information about the signs of the onset of childbirth.
We must say right away that doctors divide these signs into several categories, which future women in labor must be aware of:
- Harbingers. Signs and symptoms of the onset of labor can occur in women long before hour X. It is quite normal if you notice them one and a half months before the first contractions. But in cases where they arise a day or two before delivery, there is also nothing pathological. It is also worth considering the fact that some pregnant women have all the possible precursors, while others have a maximum of two signs from those that we list in the following sections of the article.
- Signs of the onset of labor. Water discharge and real contractions fall into this category.
I would also like to note that the signs of childbirth in primiparous and multiparous appear with some differences. Therefore, when studying this article, be sure to consider the time you are going to go to the hospital. After all, the process of the birth of a baby for the second time is much shorter than the first.
Briefly about the Harbingers
Throughout pregnancy, a woman experiences the influence of hormones. The body smoothly adjusts to the changes taking place in it and produces certain hormones necessary to preserve the baby inside. By the end of the term, the hormonal background changes, and this stage becomes a signal for the start of labor.
From the moment of conception, the main hormone becomes progesterone, which is responsible for the normal preservation of pregnancy and that the body does not reject the fetus. But in the last weeks of carrying a baby, its amount is sharply reduced. The placenta, which is gradually aging and fulfilling its functions, is developing it in smaller quantities, but the level of estrogen, on the contrary, is only increasing every day. He prepares the body for the birth of crumbs, and the moment of its maximum concentration in the blood becomes the beginning of the birth process.
However, the amount of estrogen changes gradually, so that the body has time to accept the changes that will occur in it. All of them are aimed at making it easier for the baby to pass through the birth canal and not harm the mother herself. It is the totality of the ongoing changes in obstetrics that is commonly called the “forerunners”. Women usually speak of them as signs of childbirth. Indeed, from the moment they appear, it becomes clear that the long-awaited meeting with the baby is just around the corner.
Typically, all pregnant women experience signs of childbirth by week 40. Moreover, in primiparous precursors appear earlier, but not always inexperienced expectant mothers can recognize them. The prepared organism of second-born women “remembers” about previous births, and therefore the symptoms appear much later, and the process itself is faster. Also, many mothers share the fact that the second time the contractions were less painful, which is also quite natural.
Women who understand what is happening with their body in the last stages of pregnancy feel confident and do not panic in a critical situation. In addition, they have time to prepare for a trip to the hospital and collect their things on time.
Signs of an approaching birth
Of course, every woman has everything individually. But in the classic version described in the textbooks on obstetrics and gynecology, nine signs of childbirth are indicated, which we will list below:
- prolapse of the fetus into the pelvis;
- discharge of the mucous plug;
- the disappearance of breathing problems;
- the appearance of aching pain in the sacrum;
- frequent urination;
- loss of several kilograms of weight;
- change in activity of the baby;
- problems with appetite;
- training fights.
Each of these items we will assign a separate section of the article.
Abdominal prolapse
Even our grandmothers considered this factor the very first sign of childbirth. He testifies that the baby has already fully prepared to meet with his parents and the bill goes almost on the clock. In the last century, experienced women, having noticed a pregnant woman had a prolapse of the abdomen, began urgently to finish all the things that needed to be completed before the baby was born.
Today, this sign is also one of the most noticeable, it can not hide from the eyes of the future mother and her loved ones. The abdominal prolapse occurs due to the fact that the fetus is gradually preparing to move along the birth canal and in this regard, descends into the small pelvis. The muscles of the abdominal press by this period of time noticeably weaken, and therefore the bottom of the uterus is very easily stretched.
Visually, these changes are noticeable, but in parallel they are also accompanied by a strong protrusion of the navel. If before the prolapse of the abdomen, he simply stood out, before the birth, the navel becomes noticeable even under loose clothing. He seems to bulge out, which worries many women giving birth for the first time. They worry that he will remain so for life. But you should not worry anyway - a few months after the birth, when the uterus is completely contracted, the muscles will return to their previous state, as well as the navel.
Sometimes women note that after lowering the fetal head into the pelvis, the abdomen noticeably increases in size. In fact, this refers only to visual illusions due to the fact that the baby in the womb has changed its position.
Vaginal discharge
This is also one of the rather characteristic signs of childbirth. In multiparous children, it manifests itself literally a few days before hour X, so this symptom is an occasion to mentally prepare for a trip to the maternity hospital.
After conception, the cervix is securely sealed with a kind of mucus plug. She protects the baby from the penetration of various infections from the vagina, and the neck itself tightly closes the entrance to the uterus. However, the situation is changing before childbirth.
On the one hand, the neck is very wide open, it is here that the baby rests on the head. This significantly shortens the cervix and relaxes it. It gradually softens, becomes elastic and begins to unfold on the other side. If at this time the doctor will examine you, then he may say that one or two fingers have opened. Naturally, she is no longer able to hold the mucous plug, which begins to stand out profusely.
This secret has a viscous consistency and a transparent color. At first, yellowish or bloody streaks can be observed in it, and after a few days the mucus becomes more transparent. For some women, the cork goes off almost immediately and confusing this process with anything else is quite difficult. And for others, it lasts for days or even weeks, so it is difficult for inexperienced expectant mothers to understand exactly what is happening with their body.
It is worth noting that after the cork has come off, you need to be very careful, as the baby has become completely defenseless against any infection. At this time, it is not recommended to have unprotected sex and take a bath.
Breathing relief
In the last months of pregnancy, women suffer from breathing problems and difficulty digesting food. Some even say that they could not eat at all, since the stomach was strongly compressed by an enlarged uterus. But as soon as the fetus descends into the pelvis, it becomes easier for the pregnant woman to breathe. The diaphragm ceases to undergo deformations, and the expectant mother gets the opportunity to breathe fully.
Due to the omission of the abdomen, a woman is also relieved by eating. She has a feeling that the stomach seems to have been freed from something heavy. But unfortunately, heartburn may occur in return. She often accompanies pregnant women in the last weeks of bearing a baby.
Pain in the lumbar
With this sign of imminent birth, many women are faced. They note that a few days before the onset of labor, they have painful sensations in the lower abdomen, sacral zone and in the lumbar region. Usually they have a pulling and aching character, but sometimes they develop into rather obsessive sensations that do not give a woman peace for a minute.
Obstetricians explain such pains by dropping the fetus into the pelvis and accepting a position of readiness for childbirth. Also, do not forget that during this period there is a sprain of the ligaments and connective tissues. This process is accompanied by painful sensations, but the stronger the ligaments are stretched, the easier it will be for a woman in childbirth.
Bladder pressure
Rapid urination can also be considered a harbinger of an early birth. The amniotic fluid along with the baby strongly compresses all the organs of the small pelvis, which causes women to constantly urinate. Many complain that at night they have to get up to the toilet literally every hour, which makes it impossible to get enough sleep and negatively affects their well-being.
Diarrhea caused by a change in the hormonal background can also be included in the category of precursors described by us. The body, preparing for the upcoming birth process, seeks to cleanse itself, and the level of hormones helps it in this. Therefore, if you notice a similar laxative effect, then know that very soon you have to go to the maternity hospital.
Weight loss
Pregnant women who strictly monitor their weight note that they lose a few kilograms about a week before giving birth. Usually it does not exceed one and a half kilograms, but in special cases it comes to two.
This process is mainly due to the removal of excess fluid from the body. Before the very birth, they become unnecessary and can interfere during the process itself. In addition, edema disappears in women, which gradually normalizes the work of the kidneys.
Changes in fetal behavior
A harbinger of childbirth are changes in the motor activity of crumbs. Most children become inactive, their activity decreases by two, or even three times. Such changes should not be scared, because the baby is already ready for childbirth and can not spend energy on erratic movements. Moreover, every day he has less and less free space and every wave of his foot and hand is given to him with difficulty.
However, some babies, on the contrary, become overly active. They constantly remind themselves of themselves in rhythmic shocks, and this can also be considered a harbinger of childbirth.
Decreased appetite
As the body adjusts to the upcoming birth, the need for food is gradually reduced. Women switch to very light food and unconsciously reduce its calorie content several times. Sometimes pregnant women lose their appetite altogether, having difficulty forcing themselves to eat at least something.
In parallel, expectant mothers experience dramatic mood swings and tend to cry often. They feel causeless anxiety, the desire to equip the house and the inability to sit still, despite feeling unwell and tired.
Training fights
Uterine contractions are also considered the main harbingers of the imminent birth of a baby. Inexperienced future mothers attribute them to the initial signs of childbirth and begin to rush to the hospital, notifying relatives and friends about it. However, if you do not rush and wait a bit, then the pain will pass. This is what training fights differ from real ones.
False contractions can begin in the thirtieth week and periodically occur until the very birth. They can be distinguished from the real ones by some signs. Training uterine contractions have one level of pain, they are characterized by pulling sensations in the lumbar region and in the lower abdomen. In general, they can last from forty minutes to six hours, but during all this time their intensity will not change. Often with a change in body position, the pain decreases and then disappears altogether.
Interestingly, in multiparous women, training fights may not occur at all. Signs of childbirth in this case include severity in the lower abdomen and lower back. Moreover, similar symptoms may appear a couple of days before the real contractions.
A few words about the preliminary period
All the above symptoms mean that soon the pregnant woman will need to go to the maternity hospital. But the real signs of childbirth in women with the first, second and subsequent pregnancies include labor in the preliminary period. This is almost a real patrimonial process, but it is characterized by slightly erratic, cramping pains. They occur suddenly and last up to six hours. At this time, a woman can engage in familiar activities and even sleep, but after a while they acquire regularity and begin to repeat after a certain time interval.
Such a transformation is already a real patrimonial process, which means that it is time to take the bag that was previously packed with things and call a taxi to get to the hospital.
Signs of childbirth in multiparous and birthright: are there any differences
Regardless of whether you have a first or second pregnancy, the signs of an upcoming birth will be absolutely identical. However, it should be borne in mind that women who are preparing to become mothers for the first time can not always correctly characterize everything that happens to their body. Therefore, they often do not notice certain signs of early birth, although they appear in them quite early.
But pregnant women who have already given birth to a baby are more sensitive to their body. And therefore, clearly and correctly classify any changes in it, almost without mistake in determining the date of birth. But in cases where more than ten years have passed between pregnancies, the body will behave in exactly the same way as for the first time. The fact is that during this period the uterus has already “forgotten” about the past birth and the birth of a baby will last as long as the birthright. Nevertheless, the obstetricians themselves argue that women for the second time behave more responsibly, sensitively and confidently. And therefore, their births are easy, and the percentage of healthy babies is quite high.