What are the signs of impending labour?
At the end of pregnancy, your whole body and l'mind are on high alert. The slightest strange sensation (well, we mean weirder than feeling another human being wriggling in your gut...) catches our attention and we ask ourselves over and over again: is this (FINALLY!?) for today?
Very early on in pregnancy, doctors set a due date based on the last day of menstruation (a relatively uncertain date for many women). And naturally, we focus on THIS day, which will become l'one of the most important of our lives. A day to remember! Yes, but... science (like us, by the way) sometimes seems to forget that this baby is a little person in its own right, with its own sense of humor and timing, and that, despite all the scientific calculations, weight prognoses, height measurements, shin splints, etc., it will show up when it feels like it, period. Day or evening, weekdays, weekends or holidays (yes, some people really have no mercy), before or after the long-awaited D-day, one thing's for sure: you'll do what's best for him and not l'the other way round. However, there are certain signs - sometimes discreet - that can tip you off to l'ear.
There are clear signs, such as the charming rupture of the water sac, which often happens in public ("Why is the lady peeing herself?") and at a totally incongruous moment ("You can prepare l'addition quickly enough s'il vous plait and then, we'll rather take the rest of the menu to go thank you!). Because coming to the end of pregnancy isn't sporty enough, Mother Nature throws in a little joke to round off our personal Airon Man. But other signs of childbirth are less well known, but still invite you to prepare yourself gently but surely for l'the very imminent arrival of mini you.
It's a matter of days
You are full term, you have reached the 37th week of pregnancy, so your baby could come out at any time. Some make a dramatic and unexpected entrance before this time, so be on your guard. What are the warning signs?
- a very great fatigue. That's the theory, because we wonder what percentage of women wriggle like a roach with a 9-month-old belly, especially those who give birth in the summer when the mercury exceeds 30°C.
- the loss of the mucous plug. Yes, another glamorous pregnancy detail no one told you about... #derienlesfilles. The mucous plug, which has the delicious appearance of a mass of bloody mucus, is located in the cervix of l'uterus. It provides additional protection for the baby since, as its name l'suggests, it acts as a plug with l'outside. The closer l'delivery gets to the baby, the more the cervix changes, which can lead to the detachment and l'evacuation of the mucous plug. LFor some women, this may mean waiting another two or three weeks.
" I lost my mucous plug four days before giving birth. I'd already been off sick for two weeks because my cervix was getting wider and I was having regular contractions. I simply went to the toilet to urinate and when I m'wiped, I noticed a few fine traces of blood on the paper. PANIC ON BOARD! I look at the bottom of the bowl and see a mass of bloody mucus. Euuuuuuh ?! What? I use my two remaining brain cells and come to the conclusion that I'm not in labor or miscarrying, that this thing at the bottom of the toilet is neither my baby nor a piece of him. I calm down. I realize I feel no pain, nothing in particular, no stronger contractions. I google (aaah the poetry of internet searches during pregnancy!) "mucus with blood 9 months pregnant" and discover what a mucus plug is. I admit I was tempted to take a photo of the thing to ask my physiotherapist if that's what it was, but I l'really liked it and finally decided I didn't want to inflict it on her at 9.30am on a Tuesday. " Marie-Noëlle, Milk Away MUM.
- a lower belly. For some women, this is quite impressive. In just a few days, the belly (and therefore, more precisely, the baby) descends and becomes much more cumbersome. sWe give up counting the number of times l'we have to go to the bathroom to pee, and forget about l'sitting on anything lower than our knees. There's no way s'you'll get up on your own, that's for sure. At least not with your dignity intact. #saveWilly
- more regular and painful contractions. In truth, they are sometimes painful, sometimes just uncomfortable. These contractions, although regular, are often of low intensity and s'are called Braxton-Hicks contractions. In these cases, we recommend taking a bath. If the contractions don't subside once you've immersed yourself in l'water, it's time to get serious. It's a bit of a cliché, but we'll say it anyway: if you're wondering if this is a labor contraction, it's not! As the hours or days go by, they will s'intensify and get closer together, until the water breaks and/or labor contractions begin. Not all women break their waters first.
" I was extremely lucky during my delivery: my cervix s'opened up to 6 cm without labor contractions starting. In l'euphoria of the moment I Googled (yes again!): delivery without painful contractions. It's possible, but extremely rare. During the contractions, I felt a lot of pressure on my belly, it was hard to breathe and it wasn't pleasant at all, but I was able to stand up without any problem, walk, chat, make jokes, show off a bit, "Did you see that? 6 cm and not bad at all! I asked my physio and midwife several times: "Are you sure these aren't labor contractions? And they m'replied in unison: trust us, you don't look like you're in labor." Well, okay. And then my water broke. And then I had labor contractions. I only have one thing to say: dear anesthetist, I love you. 6 hours later, Lily was in my arms, I felt everything, I just didn't have any more pain, it was a Walt Disney birth. " Marie-Noëlle, Milk Away MUM.
- severe back pain. We're talking about intense, unusual back pain. It is a collateral effect of contractions which s'accelerate and s'intensify.
- a baby who moves less. It s's a lesser-known sign that's difficult to interpret. Suddenly, no more boxing matches in your womb. The baby is moving less because he's running out of room and saving his strength for the big slide. Less movement is normal at the very end of pregnancy, but it can also be a bad sign. So don't hesitate to make an appointment with your gynecologist to make sure everything's going well.
It's a matter of hours
- the water breaking. From that moment on, we want to tell you: "Let the games begin! There's no doubt about it: you're in labor and ready to go to the maternity ward. You should be aware, however, that sometimes the bag cracks and s'flows slowly, which is much less obvious to notice. If this is your first child, no stress (in any case, there's no point in panicking, forgetting half your things at home or risking an accident). Set off in a happy, cheerful mood (and a little pain too, but l'adrenaline will do its job, it'll be fine!). If you already have children, the childbirth is generally quicker, so go to the maternity ward without stopping off at mother-in-law's to tell her in person that it's coming soon.
"Is this what contractions feel like? The sensation reminds me more of painful periods, even if the pains are regular. I call the world to find out if these are labor contractions or the famous Braxton-Hicks false-true contractions. But it's May 1st, a public holiday, it's 5 p.m. and nobody answers. At best, I could have spoken to a midwife walking up a mountain who m'would have told me to relax and not to m'worry. Yes, but... the contractions s'are getting stronger and closer. I'm 36 weeks pregnant - it's too early! My husband John and I prefer to go to l'hospital even if it means l'looking stupid and getting stuffed. He asks me s'he has time for a shower. "Yes, my love! ". Five minutes later: "Uh, I think my water just broke. It's not a false alarm, hurry up, let's go!" It's 6:15 p.m. when we pull away and l'hospital is 45 minutes from home. The looooongest 45 minutes of my life, having to pass all the Sunday grandpas on their way home from a walk. With my belt between my teeth and my feet on the dashboard, I go into labor. There they are: the real contractions. At 7pm, we arrive at l'hospital after turning the car into a swimming pool, as I l'feel like I've lost liters of amniotic fluid (thanks l'alaise sur le siège de la voiture). Covid obliges me to take my temperature first, but I've had enough ... CAN'T YOU SEE I'M IN LABOR?! What happens next is a bit of a blur. I was picked up in a wheelchair because I couldn't stand up. Once I was lying on a monitoring table, they m'announced that I was already at 6 cm. Off to the delivery room. No gynecologist, no epidural, John acted as midwife and at 7:15pm: Doug was born. This is what we call an express delivery. "Aurélie, Milk Away MUM.
- contractions every five minutes for at least an hour. Yes, it's a long time, but you run the risk of being turned away if you come too early and the maternity ward is crowded. And that's the real risk... When in doubt, or if you're feeling stressed, don't hesitate to call l'hospital where you're going to give birth; ask them any questions you may have, explain your symptoms to them, they're professionals, they'll be able to help you stay calm and tell you what to do and when to come.
We don't wait, we go for it
- In the event of fresh, red blood loss. Take a deep breath, focus on one goal and get to the nearest lhospital as quickly as possible. The first thing to do is call an ambulance and, if possible, move to the front door to speed up the transfer. Blood loss is abnormal, but not always serious; only a doctor can confirm it.
- If you feel in your gut that something is wrong.
Tick, tock, tick, tock, the big meeting is coming up. Get ready for a tsunami of emotions.
