The birth of a baby is always considered to be a joyous occasion. The anticipation starts the first time you get the news that you are pregnant. The feeling might take a while if it was unexpected but it catches on fast. A baby birth is the culmination of nine months of jumbled emotions from anxiety, happiness, expectation and finally relief when you hold your bundle of joy.

Sometimes the ninth month seems to be the hardest to go through especially when the physician announces that 'it may happen any day now'. There are some easily recognizable symptoms to watch out for that predicts your baby is ready to be born.

1. Bloody Show: You notice a pinkish or red streaked discharge. This usually means that labor is starting but it may take up to 24 hours for contractions to begin.
2. Mucous Plug: A thick blob of gelatinous mucous is what keeps the cervix closed and acts like a bottle cork. When the baby birth is imminent this mucous plug detaches itself and comes out. It does not mean that labor pains are around the corner but that your body has started preparing itself for the B-day.
3. Rupture Of Membranes: When you wake up in the middle of the night and find your bed wet, you might think your bladder is to be blamed. It most likely means that your membranes have ruptured and that amniotic fluid is slowly leaking out. You need not worry that the baby will be deprived of this life-giving fluid, since it is self-produced in the uterus until the baby is delivered.
4. Contractions: Contractions are a sure-fire way of knowing that the baby is ready to join you in the outside world. They might start out slow and become steadily faster coming closer together and becoming more painful. You need to time the contractions to know when to start moving to the hospital.

As soon as you reach the hospital, the staff and your doctor will pitch in and help you get more comfortable. They will hook you up to a fetal monitor and put you on routine IV medications to prepare for the baby birth.

Your doctor will keep a close eye on the progress of the baby and accordingly decide on the safest option, be it vaginal delivery or a cesarean section. The safety of both mother and child is the first priority on the doctor's agenda.

Whatever the routine you can rest assured that your welfare is a priority for your doctor. An experienced gynecologist is well-aware of the complications that can arise in a delivery and is fully capable of handling any surprises that are thrown their way. This means you can concentrate fully on the baby birth and experience the joy of seeing and holding your baby for the first time.