Pre-labour - Braxton Hicks & Others

Pre Labour: What You Need to Know...

Medical definitions of labour divide it into three separate stages. During the first stage, the cervix opens out fully to allow the baby to pass through; in the second stage the baby is born; in the third stage the placenta is delivered. All these stages are discussed in detail over the following pages. But, in addition to these three stages, most women will experience pre-labour. Your experience of labour will be much more colourful and exciting than the above definition. Go into it believing that very little can go wrong and very little will go wrong.

Pre-Labour

Before real labour begins, hormones secreted by your uterus and the baby prepare your body for birth in a number of ways. During the last few weeks, you will probably notice a few signs of your impending labour. However, just as each woman's experience of labour and birth is unique, so these pre-labour symptoms affect each woman in varying degrees. They provide useful signals that indicate to you that labour is imminent.

Engagement

To position himself for the journey through the birth canal, your baby will move lower down so that his presenting part, usually the head, will settle into your bony pelvis. This is known as engagement and you will experience it as a feeling of lightening. If this is your first pregnancy, engagement will probably occur about two to three weeks before the onset of labour. If you've had previous babies, the baby's head may remain higher until just before labour starts, as your uterine muscles may have stretched and so will exert less pressure on your baby. You will know when engagement occurs because pressure on your diaphragm eases and breathing becomes easier. On the other hand, you will probably have to pass urine more frequently, as your baby is now pressing down on your bladder.

Braxton Hicks' Contractions

During your pregnancy, your uterus has been practising for the strong contractions needed during labour with weak, irregular contractions. Named after the doctor who first described them, the majority of women feel them throughout the last few months of their pregnancies. If you place your hand on your abdomen, you may be able to feel it hardening and tightening for approximately 25 seconds. Unlike real labour contractions, these are usually painless, although a few women find them slightly uncomfortable. If you feel any discomfort, sitting down quietly should help to ease them.

Runs of Braxton Hicks' contractions may become more frequent and intense as real labour approaches, helping to prepare the cervix for dilatation, and to increase the circulation of blood to the placenta. When you feel a run of Braxton Hicks', practise the relaxation techniques you intend to use during labour; the tightening and relaxing of your uterus will give you a good idea of how a contraction feels as it waxes and then wanes.

Some mothers misinterpret Braxton Hicks' for real labour, arriving at hospital only to be told they can go home again.

"Nesting instinct" You may experience a surge of energy to make final preparations for the arrival of your baby. If you feel the need to rush around cleaning or decorating the house, or cooking large meals, try to restrain yourself. You will need all this extra energy for coping with labour and delivery.

The Show

An obvious sign that labour is imminent is the appearance of the show - the plug of mucus that seals your cervix during pregnancy, providing protection against infection. Although the show often does not appear until labour is underway, the cervix may widen enough for the mucus plug to be dislodged up to 12 days before labour begins. This sticky substance may be slightly brown, pink or blood-tinged from the capillaries that attached it to the cervix. The show signals dilatation of the cervix.