Signs of labour: how to know when it's really time
Wondering if this is it? Here are the real signs of labour, what each one means, and when to pick up the phone.
The early signs
Around 38 weeks, every twinge starts to feel like the real thing. The show is when the mucus plug that has sealed your cervix comes away, sometimes tinged with blood. It can happen days or even weeks before labour starts, or right at the beginning.
Your waters breaking can be a dramatic gush or a slow, steady trickle. Put on a sanitary towel and note the colour of any remaining water and the time it happened. Call your maternity unit straight away, even if you are not having contractions yet.
Early practice contractions are irregular and often ease off if you move or change position. True labour contractions tend to come at increasingly regular intervals, grow steadily stronger and longer, and not ease off with rest or a change of position.
- The show
- Waters breaking
- Contractions that mean business
- Lower back pain and pressure
The 4-1-1 rule
A helpful rule many midwives use is the 4-1-1 rule: contractions 4 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour.
At this stage, call your midwife. They will want to speak to you on the phone to hear how you are getting on.
When to call your midwife
Trust your instincts. Midwives would always rather you call and it be a false alarm than stay home unsure. You are never a bother for asking.
- Reduced movement from baby
- Any bleeding, not just the show
- Waters breaking, especially if not a clear colour
- You simply feel something is not right