how do i know when i’m in labour?!
So you’re approaching (or past!) your due date... you’re getting impatient and everyone keeps WhatsApping asking if the baby is here. You’re feeling some twinges but not sure if your labour has started.... You might want to rush into hospital, jump on the bed and ask for a vaginal examination to see if you’ve started to dilate.
First, hold UP! There’s no rush. Labour is shy. Don’t look her in the eye! And definitely don’t rush her. Running into a cold, bright hospital and being prodded ain’t the one. And remember, vaginal examinations are always your choice. Health care professionals may push you to have one because it’s helpful for them, not you. If you are told you can’t access a service (e.g. a pool, or your own room) without one, ask your birth partner to challenge that - because they’re not allowed to gatekeep in that way.
Cervical dilation is just a snapshot in time and can’t predict when your baby will be born. It can be really frustrating if you’re told that you’re “only” 2cm dilated and can get in your headspace - feeling like you can’t do it, that you’re a million miles away from birth and that you need some extra help. It’s always good to weigh up the pros and cons of any intervention before agreeing.
So here’s some signs you might be in labour without vaginal examinations.
1) Contractions
This might sound obvious! But contractions are funny things. You might have been having Braxton Hicks for a while and we often get in our own head about what ‘counts’ as a contraction.
First time mums particularly may go into hospital and be told to go home because they’re not in ‘established labour’. This can be really dissappointing. Generally, if you think you might be in established labour, you’re probably not!
Unless there’s a cause for concern (reduced baby movements, bleeding or colour in your waters breaking), it can be a good idea to stay at home in early labour until your contractions are regular and increasing in intensity. Build your nest, chill, get cosy, eat snacks and cuddle. Build that oxytocin and get some rest. There’s no rush!
2) Mucus plug or “bloody show”
What a lovely title! There’s no nice words for this one, haha! The mucus plug in your cervical canal is a clear or white jelly and may be streaked with a small amount of blood, making it pink. For some women, this plug will come away and you will see it in your underwear. This is usually a good sign that labour is on the way, either relatively soon or in a few days.
3) Backache
You may feel an achey feeling in your back, or a feeling of heaviness.
4) Needing to go to the toilet
You might feel an urge to go to the toilet - this is because your baby’s head is starting to press on your bowel.
5) Your waters might break
And this is a big might! In the movies, women have this huge dramatic gush of water and immediately need to be rushed to hospital - this is really unrealistic (surprise surprise!). Some women’s waters will break like this but that’s the exception. Some feel more of a trickle and others won’t break until they start pushing their baby into the world. Most women will go into labour relatively soon after their waters break. If this hasn’t happened within 24 hours, you will usually be offered an induction, as there is a small increased risk of infection to the baby. Remember this is always your choice - do your research and use the BRAIN acronym to make a decision you’re comfortable with.
