Harbingers of childbirth: how to understand that it is time to go to the hospital?

Pregnancy is a unique period of life for any woman, especially if the baby is the first. Each expectant mother prepares for childbirth in her own way, someone gathers huge trunks at the maternity hospital, trying to predict what might be needed for her and the child in the first three days. The other is emotionally tuned, because the upcoming birth is not just a physical shock, but also a powerful psychological surge. Few who manage to approach childbirth without anxiety and worries. Most often, women fear that they will miss the significant symptoms and moments that indicate the onset of labor. Recently, women have ceased to go to maternity hospitals at the place of residence, and they are trying to give birth to proven, familiar doctors who have been carrying out the entire pregnancy and know the features of this female body. This is the right of every woman, but if you are going to the maternity hospital, which is at a decent distance from your home, you need to listen to your body as carefully as possible.

Symptoms of onset of labor

It is proved that only every tenth child is born according to the stipulated time limit. All other children are born when they like, many factors can contribute to this. In the practice of gynecology, there was a woman who came to the maternity hospital at week 37 with outgoing water. It turns out that the day before she and her husband watched a comedy film and from the heart-rending laughter and tension of the abdomen began childbirth, for which the body was not ready. Fortunately, everything ended well. Early birth can be promoted by sex, uncharacteristic physical exertion, emotional upheavals, and other provoking factors. But how to recognize that the body is preparing for childbirth? Are there any special signals? Of course, nature arranged everything in an ideal way - the body itself prepares for childbirth. We will tell you about some special signs that may indicate the upcoming birth.

1. Slight relief. 7-10 days before the upcoming birth, the fetus begins to descend into the small pelvis, the woman feels some relief, as the pressure on the stomach, lungs, diaphragm decreases.It may seem to her that it has become easier to walk and even breathe.
2. Contraction of the uterus. The closer the term of labor, the more often the uterus begins to shrink. This does not mean that you need to run to the hospital immediately, because the reduction can last more than one week. This is usually manifested as - the stomach becomes hard and, as it were, is compressed for a few minutes. Sometimes the contraction may last a couple of hours, after which the abdomen again becomes more supple and soft.
3. Contractions. The surest sign of beginning labor is labor. However, they did not immediately become strong and painful. It all starts with a slight smack in the lower abdomen, as during menstruation. The pain is initially small, quite tolerable, so the cervix is ​​revealed. Not only the stomach, but also the lower back can hurt, depending on where the placenta is attached. Moderate pain does not mean that you should experience it at home. It is better to go to the hospital and be under the supervision of a doctor. Women who give birth again may experience a very short period of labor - from the first painful sensations to childbirth it can take just a few hours. Therefore, multiple women should go to the hospital as soon as possible. In addition, there are false fights.This is absolutely physiological and real pain, and not the fruit of the fantasy of a pregnant woman. The only thing with which false contractions differ from real ones is that they are not systematic, they proceed in a chaotic manner, they are less painful and do not increase.
4. Emotional condition. It is difficult not to note, but the mood of a woman often speaks for itself. Closer to the birth, she is fully ready for the process and dreams when the long-awaited moment will come. This is because with the growth of the fetus, a woman becomes more and more discomfort. It is difficult for her to walk, heartburn is activated, it is heavy to lie down. A few days before giving birth, a woman experiences a peak of discomfort and is psychologically ready for childbirth.
5. Diarrhea. About a day before giving birth, many women begin to clear their intestines. Some suggest that this is just a reaction to nervous experiences. But it's not that simple. Closer to childbirth in the body changes occur, especially hormonal. This hormones regulate labor and prepare the intestines, emptying it. This creates additional conditions for the unimpeded passage of the fetus through the birth canal. This causes a lack of appetite in a woman.
6. Highlight. Closer to childbirth (although this is not a prerequisite) a woman can have discharge - brown, transparent, abundant. If they are accompanied by contractions, most likely you will give birth within the next 24 hours.
7. Discharge of water. Waters can flow out just before the attempts, however, it happens that the bubble bursts even before the uterus begins to contract, and the cervix has opened. The discharge of water is difficult to confuse with something else, the feeling is the same as when urinating, but you can not stop this process - it does not depend on your desire. The amount of water is quite large - even a large night bedding usually does not cope or it lasts just an hour.
8. Urination. Closer to the birth, the uterus with the fetus drops below, putting more and more pressure on the bladder. Often, women literally sit around the toilet, since the urge to occur is very common, sometimes leading to trivial incontinence.
9. Bung. This is a slimy clot that was previously located in the cervix. The stopper may come off directly during labor or two weeks before it. Cork size can be different - usually it is about 1-2 cm.Color also varies from clear to bloody. Loose cork usually women notices on linen.

These are the main signs that can appear from 14 days before delivery, and immediately before delivery.

When to go to the hospital

So if a cork can go away a few weeks before the birth, do you really have to go to the hospital and look like so much time? Here are some signs, the appearance of which should immediately go to the hospital.

1. If bleeding started, the color of the blood secreted became scarlet.
2. If the contractions are rhythmic and between them equal periods of time are less than 10 minutes.
3. In the maternity hospital should go with the slightest suspicion, if the pregnancy is repeated - in this case, childbirth develops rapidly.
4. If you have a planned cesarean section, for any symptoms of the onset of labor, you should go to your doctor as soon as possible.
5. The discharge of water is a weighty symptom for immediate hospitalization, even if there are no contractions yet.
6. After 41 weeks of pregnancy, any changes in the state of health and the body should direct you to the hospital.
7. Acute pain, which does not pass for a long time, is considered a pathology and is also a reason for urgent hospitalization.
8. Any chronic illness and abnormalities should be supervised by a physician. In such cases, in late pregnancy it is better to be in the hospital. These include preeclampsia, high water and low water, eclampsia, renal or heart failure in the mother, intrauterine pathology in the baby, abnormal fetal position, etc.
9. In addition, if a woman lives far away from the maternity hospital or is at home alone, at the slightest sign of the onset of labor, you should consult a doctor.

Closer to childbirth, you need to decide where you want to give birth - from your obstetrician-gynecologist, or simply at your place of residence. If you choose the first case, you need to be in touch with the doctor. Be sure to calculate the backup option - where you go to give birth, if suddenly the doctor does not answer the call (in life there may be different situations) or the hospital closes the sink. Calculate and think over all possible situations - who are lucky to go to the maternity hospital, if the husband is sent on a business trip, with whom the eldest child will remain, who will feed the cat in your absence. This will help you calm down and protect yourself from external problems, and concentrate on labor activity.

Even in ancient Rome at the time of Hippocrates, people believed that before birth, a woman's complexion changes, especially if she is expecting a girl.Perhaps there is some truth in this, because hormonal changes are in full swing. Look in the mirror, perhaps there are answers to all your questions.

Video: how to understand that childbirth has begun