Signs of labor – when to go to the hospital

The signs of labor can vary from person to person, but they can also vary between pregnancies for the same mother. In most cases, the first labor takes longer. However, the second, and especially the third, labor can be shorter, giving you less time to prepare.

Obviously, the most important question is when to go to the hospital, when can we be sure that the time has really come (and not just the signs that appear in the days before labor). We will also discuss what you can do if there is no time left and your baby will be born without professional help.

Before we go over the most common signs, let's take a look at what processes take place inside us during childbirth! This way, we can better understand the phenomena that accompany it.

Hormonal processes that aid childbirth

During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone plays one of the main roles: it protects the pregnancy and inhibits the synthesis of the hormone prostaglandin, which would allow uterine contractions. In this way, it stabilizes the uterine wall.

When the baby's adrenal glands are mature enough, they produce a hormone that helps synthesize prostaglandins. Prostaglandins sensitize the uterus to contractions, creating more oxytocin receptors, so the uterus can contract more forcefully in response to oxytocin later on. This will allow labor to begin .

Possible signs of labor starting 

Pains

As early as around 36-37 weeks, you may experience early labor pains, which are irregular and milder. The front may increase the chance of these occurring. However, these are different from the pains that occur during actual labor.

Some mothers-to-be do not experience labor pains ( Braxton-Hicks contractions ) , but some do. Labor pains are a sign of preparation. The cervix softens and moves forward, thinning. The body prepares for labor. Most of the time, the cervix is ​​not dilated yet, but it can happen.

Some women experience contractions only as a hardening, while others experience menstrual-like pain. You don't need to worry about this after week 37. If you experience it before then, be sure to talk to your doctor or midwife, as it could be a sign of preterm labor.

But after the 37th week, there's no need to immediately run to the hospital if there are no specific signs of labor yet.

Are you experiencing labor pains or real labor?

In fortune tellers, the contractions appear irregularly, or they have the same rhythm for days and do not develop further. If you are unsure, then sit in a tub of warm water, but only if the amniotic sac is intact! If the process passes, then this is not the beginning of the big event.

During labor, the contractions become stronger, more frequent, and longer. After a while, the divination can turn into this process. But it can take several days. In the meantime, the divination can stop, start again, etc. Then, almost imperceptibly, it can turn into the whole labor.

For labor pains, feel free to do whatever you normally do: cook, walk, unless the doctor has ordered rest. So don't worry too much about it. If it's evening, rest is the most important thing. This way you can gather a lot of strength for childbirth. If you can't sleep, don't worry: in the beginning you can still rest between contractions.

What does labor pain feel like ?

The pain at first resembles menstrual cramps and is not that severe, lasting only 20-30 seconds with longer breaks in between, usually 10-15 minutes. In the early stages of labor, it does not seem very strong, so you do not need to pay close attention.

Afterwards, the pain intensifies due to the tension of the uterine ligaments, they seem like more serious cramps, and they become increasingly difficult to bear. It can hurt in the lower abdomen, waist, or even the perineum or vagina. Some people feel it more in their abdomen, some in their waist.

In this case, just breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, slowly. Do not hold your breath under any circumstances! If you hold your breath, your muscles will tense up even more, you will feel the pain more strongly, and you will have less oxygen, even though the muscles need the right oxygen supply. The baby needs oxygen too . So breathe during contractions too!

The pains are getting stronger and more frequent, and you can hardly do anything else but pay attention to them.

If the contractions are coming every 8-10 minutes for an hour, it's worth going to the hospital. In most cases, with your first baby, it's enough to go to the hospital if the contractions last 6-7 minutes. (With your first baby, the uterus dilates more slowly, which is why labor usually lasts longer.) If it's your second baby, you need to be faster. If the doctor finds your cervix open during the last examination, you still need to hurry, because you'll reach the end of the dilation sooner.

You may feel the urge to have a bowel movement because the baby is pushing on your intestines, but this is not the pushing stage yet.

Before the pushing stage, the contractions become less frequent, as if they have stopped. It may not hurt as much, but there are still contractions. When it feels good to push, the cervix has completely disappeared, and the body is ready for the pushing stage.

The pushing contraction starts at the top of your belly and pushes the baby out of your uterus. You should also breathe in during this time. It's important to pay attention to this and try to push while you exhale. Listen to your instincts, do what your body tells you to do!

This part doesn't hurt that much for many women, or they are simply distracted by the need to concentrate.

Of course, there are some people who find pushing very difficult, so you don't need to be scared if you feel that way.

Leakage of amniotic fluid

If your amniotic fluid breaks or leaks, you still need to go to the hospital.

If the casing crack is at the bottom, a larger amount will flow out at once, if it is at the top, it will leak more slowly.

When you are leaking, you may be unsure whether it is amniotic fluid or urine. You can end up putting a napkin or paper towel in your underwear and coughing. In this case, the pressure on your abdomen will usually cause the amniotic fluid to come out again, and the paper will become wet. Another solution is to buy pads at pharmacies that change color when exposed to amniotic fluid, but not urine.

It's worth checking the color of the amniotic fluid: if it's clear or slightly pink, everything is fine and you can safely go to the hospital.

However, if it is discolored, greenish, and even has pieces in it, then the amniotic fluid is meconium-stained, meaning it contains pieces of stool from the baby. In this case, you need to get to the hospital very quickly. If it is far away, you should call an ambulance, as this may also indicate a lack of oxygen.

Removal of the plug

The mucus plug is a mucous, jelly-like, pink substance that protects the baby from infections at the cervix. If it falls out, you don't have to rush right away, because it can come out 1-2 weeks before labor, but it may not come out until labor. So, losing the mucus plug alone doesn't mean you need to go to the hospital.

Bleeding

If you only see a tiny spot of pink or slightly red discharge on your underwear, you don't need to panic, but you should definitely call your doctor or midwife, or if you can't reach them, go to the hospital for a checkup. If the bleeding continues, you should go to the hospital urgently. If it's a larger amount, call an ambulance.

The nesting instinct

Many expectant mothers feel an even greater urge to organize their baby's things and room right before the birth. This nesting instinct can accompany the entire pregnancy, but it can intensify before the birth. It's less stressful if you prepare your baby's crib well in advance of the big day.

What should you do if you don't get to the hospital on time?

To give you complete peace of mind, it's a good idea to have a plan for what happens if you don't get to the hospital on time. It's rare with your first birth, but it's more likely to happen with your third. It's a good idea to know how to prepare for the birth in the car, in the parking lot, or at home.

It is important that your partner learns in advance how to help in this situation.

When you feel like you have to push, when the pushing pain comes, don't try to make it to the hospital because it won't work. In that case, come up with a plan B!

If you are in the car, have your partner stop the car, but not immediately, but in a safe place: that is, not in the parking lot, but find a proper parking space.

There is no need to panic, because it is a natural process. Don't imagine it like in the movies, don't think that there will be a big drama. Your body will take care of itself.

After stopping, take off your clothes, they will be good as a mat. Your partner can help you with this. Find a comfortable position. You don't necessarily have to lie on your back, you can kneel, but you should be able to catch your baby. You or your partner should be in a safe position so that the baby doesn't fall off.

If time permits, have your partner call 911, but safety comes first so that your partner can catch the baby. This way, they may not be able to call the ambulance until after the birth.

Don't think about pushing, just feel it, trust your instincts! Your partner shouldn't try to pull the baby out. Make sure the baby doesn't fall out, grab it when necessary. Then your partner should put it in your arms, as far as the umbilical cord will allow. The umbilical cord doesn't need to be cut or pulled, don't do anything to it, and then the professionals will take care of it. Keep the baby on your body, in skin-to-skin contact.

Have your partner cover you both. The mother's body will hold the baby warm, and the blanket will cover the baby from behind.

What if the baby has difficulty breathing or is having difficulty breathing? 

In this case, mothers suck the air out of the baby's airways, so suck the mucus out of the nose with your mouth.

What happens if professional help doesn't arrive until the placenta is born? 

There's no problem in this case, but there should be a towel, anything that can catch the blood.

Feelings after childbirth

There are so many births, so many types... You might experience it as a miracle, but it's possible that there will be things you need to process from it all.

If you feel like your story has been traumatized, feel free to ask for help, because you are not alone!