August 28th, 2011 by Hasham

Recognizing Signs Of Labor

When you are able to recognize the most prominent signs of labor, although you may feel somewhat nervous, you can also be excited. Early signs of labor let you know the time is near. Although you may not recognize every sign of labor, some cannot be missed. Perhaps you will be aware of only a couple of the ones mentioned here, or perhaps all of these signals will be recognized, but as you pay close attention to the changes that are taking place you will know that long awaited stage of labor is near or in progress.

One of the first signs of labor you might notice is the release of the mucus plug. The mucus plug is a thick blob of mucous, with the purpose of helping to provide protection to your baby by keeping the cervix protected. It does this by blocking the entryway to the uterus. When the cervix is changing and dilating, a showing of the mucus plug may be apparent. The amount seen may depend on how quickly the occurrence is happening. This may be noticed as increased discharge or perhaps the entire plug will be released during a bathroom session. Although labor could be within hours, it is possible to lose the plug weeks ahead of labor.

Blood is seen as pink, brown or barely red mucus that you may become aware of in the process of using the bathroom. Similarly, this may be noticed on a panty liner or on the lining of panties. This notification can be taken as a sure sign that changes are happening within your cervix.  Some of these changes include dilation, thinning, and other preparations for labor.

Looser stools may be apparent as the prostaglandins are released. Prostaglandins are hormones that the uterus produces for softening the cervix to prepare for a vaginal delivery. These hormones may also create soft stool and perhaps diarrhea. Once you reach this stage, labor is within perhaps just hours, or often within a day.

Contractions aid the cervix in dilation, causing it to be opened for your baby to be able to pass through the birth canal. Although a lot of women have contractions throughout pregnancy, the difference is that true labor contractions are of increased intensity compared with pre-labor contractions. They will also become increasingly closer together over time instead of ceasing.

Another sign that the onset of labor is near is that your back may be aching off and on. This is generally the contractions being felt in your back. If the aching in your back advances to becoming constant or if you notice other changes, you may be having back labor, which is most commonly caused because of the specific positioning of your baby.

Recognizing signs of labor will allow you to know how to prepare for your coming baby and when to know the long awaited time is near. Though these signals generally mean labor is near, not all pregnancies are the same and your pregnancy is unique to you. However, with patience and awareness, you can be aware of the indications of true onset of labor.

It’s Baby Time!!!

Well, this morning’s show was my last show…for the time being anyway. The baby is due in 15 days which means it’s time for me to get some sleep and get ready for my life to change forever!! I’ve heard babies do that?

This certainly is not goodbye- but rather thank you! I want to thank you for listening to my show, to me and my guests, each and every week for the last year. It has been a pleasure producing and hosting this radio talk show. I have met so many really great people along the way and I have been grateful to have been able to introduce to you some of the most wonderful experts and guests each week. I especially want to thank my producer- Nick Wynja- for his energy and enthusiasm each week. Nick has been with me from day one and I could not have done it without his passion and excitement. Nick- you made this show GREAT! Good luck in Kelowna BC- they are lucky to have you and I look forward to crossing paths again in our careers!

I would like to take minute to thank the sponsors that have been involved in the show. I can’t help but feel so incredibly fortunate to have had the privilege to work with all of you over this past year. Not only have you all become great friends of mine, but you provided very valuable, important information to our listeners in an entertaining, engaging manner every week. THANK YOU does not feel like enough.  You are all wonderful individuals and I am fortunate to have been so lucky to have such great people surrounding me throughout this incredible process! Thank you for believing in me and this product.

The staff at Corus Radio has also been absolutely stellar and I am so happy to have had the opportunity to work with all of them. Thank you Nathan Smith- News Director for AM980 and Dave Farough – Corus London Station Manager- for their support and for providing me with the medium for this show on AM980. It has been a wonderful journey for me and I hope to work for you both again in the future. Thank you Zoltan Haraszthy, Dave Longfield Dan Dasilva for selling the show and keeping it going from a financial stand point. I have learned so much from you guys! Thank you EVERYONE at Corus Radio London for your support and for helping me along the way whether that is from a sales perspective, programming, production or promotions. Thank you so much!!! This year has been an amazing journey for me and I thank you for this opportunity to build a radio show from the ground up!!

It’s baby time for me!!!! I’m taking some time to enjoy my new baby boy with my husband. Of course I could not have done this show without him- I love you Zoltan and I am so looking forward to having this time with you and our baby!!!! Thank you for believing in me being there to remind me that everything is always going to be okay!

Signs of Labor:

Consistent Contractions: When you begin to experience regular uterine contractions, this is the strongest indication that you are in labor. This is a good time to get out your notebook to record the exact time each one begins and how long they last. These contractions may feel like menstrual cramps or a lower backache that comes and goes, and during early labor they may be as far apart as 20 to 30 minutes. Over the course of several hours your contractions will typically begin occurring at shorter intervals; and you may notice they start happening every 10-15 minutes or less. When your contractions are consistently 5 minutes apart, it is time to call your health care provider.

Labor Contractions Have the Following Characteristics:

* They are regular
* They follow a predictable pattern (such as every eight minutes)
* They become progressively closer
* They last progressively longer
* They become progressively stronger
* Each contraction is felt first in the lower back and then radiates around to the front or visa versa
* A change in activity or position will not slow down or stop contractions
* There may be bloody show
* Membranes may rupture
* Your health care provider will notice cervical changes, such as effacement (thinning), or dilation