As you get to the end of your pregnancy, you might wonder when you are going to go into labor. only time and your body will know when active labor will start. Here are 11 signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away.
This post is about signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away
1. Nesting
Have you noticed that you are constantly cleaning and organizing your home? Nesting is one of the first signs that labor is right around the corner. The urge to nest will be very strong in the last weeks of your pregnancy. You will nest because once the baby is here, you will not have time to do the cleaning and organizing. it is best to do everything you can before baby’s arrival.
2.Lightening Crotch
Lightening crotch is sharp pains that happen in the vagina, pelvis, or rectum. Lightening crotch is caused by your growing baby putting pressure on your nerves. When you feel the pain of lightening crotch coming on, try to sit down and breath through the pain. There isn’t much that you can do for this condition. However, once you deliver your baby, you will no longer experience lightening crotch.
3.Constant Back Pain
Back pain is a common symptom of pregnancy that you can experience throughout pregnancy. It can start as early as the twelfth week of pregnancy. However back pain becomes more prominent in the last weeks of pregnancy. This is caused by the weight of your baby and sometimes posture. To alleviate back pain, try massaging, applying heat, and resting.
4.Contractions
Before you actually go into labor, you will have practice contractions called Braxton Hicks. These contraction happen to prepare you for actual labor. If you are not close to your due date but are having consistent contractions, contact your doctor right away to ensure that you are not in preterm labor. You will know if you are in active labor if your contractions last for one minute and are a few minutes apart.
5.Dilation
A major sign that labor is 24 to 48 hours away is dilation. Dilation can start even before you go into labor. When dilation occurs, your cervix softens and becomes short. This will allow your baby to pass through the birthing canal. Throughout pregnancy, your cervix should remain firm and closed. If you are experiencing dilation early in your pregnancy, you might have incompetent cervix.
6.Loss of Mucous Plug
Your mucous plug is in place to prevent bacteria or other infections from entering into your body and harming your baby. The color of mucous plug is off white and might have a tinge of blood in it. The consistency is very thick and this will help you distinguish it from normal discharge. The loss of the mucous plug usually occurs after 38 weeks of pregnancy. You can go into labor soon after you lose your plug. This one of the most important signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away.
7. Weight Loss
When labor is eminent, you might find yourself shedding a few pounds. This is caused by you losing water weight. As you get closer to your due date, your amniotic fluid will decrease due to your growing baby and constant urination.
8. Loose Joints
Your joints will become loose when you are close to delivering your baby. Your body will produce hormones that will increase ligamentous laxity, making your muscles and joints relaxed. This will allow your baby to travel through your birth canal much easier.
9.Diarrhea
Your hormones will be in overdrive when your due date is near. This can also lead to you having bouts of diarrhea. Prostaglandins is a hormone that is responsible for you having diarrhea. Your body will purge itself so that your uterus can contact effectively to make labor easier.
10.Nausea
Nausea will come and go when you there is a countdown to labor. Digestion usually slows down when you are close to labor and will stop when you are in active labor. If you have a full stomach when you start labor, you will become nauseous because your body will begin to purge itself to be at its best to make pushing easier.
11.Water Breaking
When your water breaks, that means that labor is right around the corner. Water breaking signs include some pressure and then release of water. Water breaking consists of the rupturing of the membranes that provide the amniotic fluid that protects your baby. It can be a gushing feeling or a consistent trickle. Only around 20% of women will experience their water breaking. If you are one of the lucky few, you should grab your hospital bag and head to the hospital right away.
