Early Labour: Fast-Track Baby Lane and What You Can Do

Early labour and pre-labour contractions are very, very different things.  As one step in a series of events in which the mother pushes the baby out of her womb, these labour contractions may actually occur at any time during a pregnancy.  Many pregnant women dash to the hospital room at the first early labour signs only to return home empty-handed.

Strong & Long

It all boils down to this: early labour contractions are strong and last for extended periods compared to pre-labour ones. It may seem counterintuitive to most people, but contractions should actually be ignored by sheer willpower unless they have become too prominent and/or unbearable.  This way, when normal contractions finally arrive, you will be able to spot the genuine article from pre-labour events.

The old WWII slogan, “Keep Calm and Carry On,” seems somewhat incongruous and inappropriate here, but that's what's gonna keep you going.

Here are a few signs for you to watch out.

Lightening: when a baby descends into the lower part of the abdomen in anticipation of labour, the diaphragm will be released from continual pressure and breathing will become easier.   Clothes might go out of shape all of a sudden, and your toilet trips will get even more frequent.

The mucus plug ranges in appearance from clear to blood-like and sits at the end of the uterus.  Once the cervix softens in preparation for the baby to pass through, the plug will be excreted.

Think Movies

Then there is the event that has been etched into the popular imagination – the water breaking.  The membrane on the sack literally tears itself apart just as labour starts.  This is often followed by genuine labour contractions: strong, rhythmic, and long-lasting ones that are nonetheless quite similar to false contractions for some women.

Apart from membrane rupture, none of these events can be categorically defined as a milestone of any sort.  But in conjunction, these early labour signs are a good indicator for you to grab your pregnancy bag.  As with everything else in a pregnancy, you’d rather be safe than sorry.