labour If you’re nearing your due
date and cramps are starting, then the chances are that you are going into labour
> your womb tense and work to gradually open up your cervix and push your baby out. As labour progresses, the contractions become more intense, but, since the muscles relax aſter each contraction, the pain fades – albeit temporarily. Some women will actually experience
contractions during or throughout their pregnancy, but these painless tightenings are actually Braxton Hicks contractions. You can distinguish between Braxton
Hicks and the real thing primarily due to how far on in your pregnancy you are, ie, if you’re only three months gone and you’re having these cramps, then you’re not going into labour. If, however, you’re nearing your due date and the cramps are starting, then the chances are that you are going into labour. You can also distinguish between the Braxton Hicks and true contractions because:
• If you're in true labour, the contractions will get stronger instead of easing up • True contraction pain starts in your lower back and moves to your lower abdomen, and possibly your legs • If you change position, true contractions don’t go away
6MODERNMUM Spring 2016
• True contractions progress, ie, they become, over time, more frequent and more painful.
When you are in labour, your contractions will become more regular and will feel stronger, oſten lasting more than 30 seconds. Most midwives advise women to stay at
home until their contractions become frequent, ie, when they last 30-60 seconds and occur every five minutes. If you have any queries or doubts, it’s always a good idea to either call your midwife for guidance or, if you’re planning to have your baby in a maternity ward, phone the hospital.
• Waters breaking
One of the final signs of labour that most women notice will be when their ‘water breaks’. Your unborn baby develops and grows inside a bag of fluid called the amniotic sac. When it’s time for baby to make his or her appearance, the sac breaks and the amniotic fluid – which is a clear liquid – drains out through your vagina. Ironically, although it’s one of those classic
•
TV drama moments, waters breaking only actually happens in fewer than fiſteen per cent of births! Most women’s waters break during labour, but it can also happen before labour starts. If it does happen to you, you’ll simply feel a gush or a trickle of liquid coming from your vagina, so it’s a good idea to keep a sanitary towel (not a tampon) handy if you’re going out in the days leading up to your due date. „
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR MIDWIFE IF:
• You experience any bleeding or bright red discharge (ie, not brown or pinkish)
• Your water breaks and the fluid looks green or brown. This could be a sign that meconium (your baby’s first stool (poo)) is present and it could be dangerous if your baby inhales or ingests it during birth
• You experience vision changes, a headache or severe swelling. These can be symptoms of pre-eclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension.
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