Am I In Labour?

Did you know there are three stages of labour?

Shall we discuss the first stage? This is known as the ''holy shit I think I am in labour'' stage, and you will probably need to head to the hospital soon. This can also be the LONGEST stage of birth.

The big question, is this labour for real? Or is it a false alarm? Well, here's how to tell (in no particular order);

Contractions! These can start as a backache/cramping feeling. I'd say it's the tricky one! It's hard to tell if you are actually going into labour or experiencing Braxton Hicks. I am one of the ''lucky'' women who experiences Braxton Hicks and actually feels them.. like really feels them.
Many women describe actual contractions as feeling like you are about to get your period. If you put your hand on your abdomen you will feel the tightening of the muscles in your womb getting harder, when the contraction eases, you will feel your abdomen soften, this is your body moving the baby down and opening your cervix in preparation for birth. You will also feel a lot of pressure, or like your organs might fall out of your bum.
If this is happening, grab a pen and paper and open up the stopwatch on your phone and start timing. You want to know how long each one goes for, the time between each one and how consistent they are. This will help you decipher if you are having real contractions or not. Braxton Hicks are VERY good at mimicking real contractions.
The difference between the two:
Braxton Hicks don't last longer over time (they last around 30 seconds to a minute)
They don't get closer together (they come at very irregular times - maybe once or twice a day)
They don't get stronger when you walk or move around (they generally stop when you change position)
You should call your doctor or midwife if;
You experience 4 or more contractions in an hour
If you experience any nausea or vomiting or loose bowel movements
If there's an increase in pressure in your pelvis or vagina
In saying all of that, if you are anything like me, the above won't mean much to you. I was on the phone to the doc, Braxton Hicks or not!

If your water breaks. The 'water' that we are talking about is the amniotic fluid your baby has been floating around in all these months. One thing I have learnt, your water breaking doesn't necessarily mean you are going feel like the Niagra Falls just fell out of your pants - although, this may actually happen to you.
Your water breaking might be a tiny trickle, or it might be a very slow leaking fluid, in fact - you might not even notice it at all! If you are worried about being embarrassed about this happening in public, keep a pad handy. I was also given the advice to sit on a plastic bag in my car, and get a little plastic sheet for sleeping (but really who could be bothered with that). Some women say they felt a ''pop'' before their water broke, and sometimes it can happen when you're already in hospital and your baby is already well on his/her way! This is definitely a tell sign that labour is happening soon.

The Bloody Show. Sounds absolutely delightful, doesn't it? This is also known as the mucus plug. Let's put it this way. If your vagina was a bottle of wine, this would be like popping the cork. The 'cork' has been the little blockage stopping any infection getting to your baby. The funny thing about the mucus plug is that you can lose it at any stage, and may not mean anything unless you feel contractions. Some women have lost their mucus plug weeks before they went into actual labour.
So, what is it and how do you tell what it is?
The bloody show is a sign that your cervix is softening to prepare itself for labour. The mucus plug itself is like a sticky discharge, it can be tinged with blood. It can be brown, pinkish or reddish in colour. Some women don't even notice it at all, you might do a quick wee, wipe and flush without ever knowing. If you happen to notice it, call your doctor and let them know.
Although, it's very important you contact your doctor immediately if it's accompanied by any of the below;
You are feeling contractions
You are feeling painful cramping
If there is any bright red bleeding
If your discharge increases more than normal
It happens before you are 36 weeks pregnant (to rule out preterm labour)

Thanks to the lovely Braxton Hicks contractions I have been feeling since Saturday night, it's safe to say a ''drug free labour'' is totally off the cards for me - honestly if real contractions are 100 times worse, I think I would pass out if I actually had to feel them.
If this is your first child, you won't know what contractions feel like (which I didn't), so we spent a little time in the hospital yesterday to rule out preterm labour. Turns out Braxton Hicks contractions can feel VERY feel, so if you happen to experience anything like what you think contractions might be - my advice would be to call your Ob, your midwife or your hospital and let them know what you are experiencing. You might think you have Braxton Hicks, but it might also be the real deal. Always better to be safe than sorry!

If you are feeling the real deal or have had any of the other signs - congratulations!!! You will most likely be meeting your little baby soon :) Could there be anything more exciting?!