Many women confuse early labor contractions with pre-labor contractions. To differentiate between the two, it is important to find out about the various labor stages during the pregnancy period. Labor is a series of steps that the soon-to-be mother's womb goes through to enable her to push the baby out of her body. Labor may start anytime during one's pregnancy but true labor signs are the ones that are experienced close to the due date of one's delivery. Not knowing how to differentiate real labor from early or false labor, can make the expectant mother rush to the hospital to come back with no great news just because she confused Early Labor with Pre labor. One simple way to differentiate between the two is to understand that Early Labor contractions are stronger and continue for a longer period of time as compared to the pre labor contractions.

Some Suggestions To Deal With Early Labor

If you are a first time mother, chances are that you would be more curious and would want to know all about pregnancy from almost everybody around you. This will make you more anxious, forcing you to consider even normal contractions as pre labor contractions. For anyone who is expecting for the first time, it is essential to differentiate between contractions. One must learn to ignore the contractions unless they become too prominent. Paying close attention to contractions will make one fret more often than required, making normal contractions seem like pre labor contractions.

Many hospitals advise that the expecting mother should not eat anything during labor. This, however, does not imply that eating during labor is not safe or will get into the way of normal delivery. When the expectant mother feels hungry, it is an indication from her body that her blood sugar level is falling. So anything that she eats would then raise her blood sugar level. Hunger during pregnancy is an indication that the would-be mother needs to be fed and is just experiencing Early Labor. Also, one must remember that restricting food intake will reduce the body's capability to combat the pregnancy stress.

Some Indications To Help You Know That Labor Is Getting "Close":

• Lightening: This refers to a situation when the baby drops into the lower abdomen. In such a case, the clothes would fit differently and breathing may become easier. However, when the baby drops, the mother needs to urinate more often which is an indication that labor is not too far!
• Mucus Plug: Also referred to as the "show". It is a thick plug of mucus - clear, slightly pink or blood-like that forms at the bottom of the uterus, at cervix and oozes out when the cervix becomes soft, thins and opens out. Excretion of the same is an indication that labor is close.
• Membrane rupture: The water like sack that surrounds the baby often breaks releasing the fluids with a sudden gush from the vagina. This can happen just before the labor starts and is a clear indication that the delivery is not too far.
• Contractions: Often women confuse real contractions with false ones. One rule of thumb here is that true contractions are the ones that are stronger, rhythmic and last for a longer time period. This happens when true labor is near.

Many women experience sudden bursts of energy or feel very active indicating that labor may not be too far! So, it is important to know the changes one's body experiences during pregnancy to save a trip to the hospital due to confusing early labor signs with pre labor ones.