Some women may feel baby dropping as a sudden, noticeable movement. Others may not notice it happening at all. Some women may notice that their abdomen feels lighter after the baby has dropped. This might be because the baby is positioned lower in the pelvis, leaving more room in her middle.
You may be surprised to find that you can feel your baby kicking your cervix and even your bowels. But don't worry, fetal movements in the pubic area are normal and very common, if not annoying.
As your baby passes through the birth canal, the baby's head will change positions. These changes are needed for your baby to fit and move through your pelvis. These movements of your baby's head are called cardinal movements of labor. This is when the widest part of your baby's head has entered the pelvis.
Remember, you should continue to feel your baby move right up to the time you go into labour and during labour. If you think your baby's movements have slowed down, stopped or changed, contact your midwife or maternity unit immediately.
In first-time mothers, dropping usually occurs 2 to 4 weeks before delivery, but it can happen earlier. In women who have already had children, the baby may not drop until labor begins. You may or may not notice a change in the shape of your abdomen after dropping.
If your baby is head down and facing your back (OA position), you'll probably feel kicks under your ribs. You'll also be able to feel the hard, rounded surface of your baby's back, which will be on one side of your belly.
Very active baby before labor
Some women experience their baby moving a lot in the run-up to labor. One theory for this is the increase in Braxton Hicks contractions. As your body prepares for labor and birth, you might start to experience a greater frequency of Braxton Hicks contractions.
There are no signs that your water is going to break; however, most people will be in labor and have contractions before their water breaks. So, if you're in labor and experiencing contractions, your water can break at any moment.
If your baby's head has 'engaged' (entered the pelvic cavity), you might be feeling more pressure lower down in your pelvis. You might even feel baby's head putting pressure on your cervix, which can be quite uncomfortable. You'll probably need to go to the toilet even more often.
Early dilation often feels like menstrual cramps as the cervical changes cause pain and cramping noticed in the lower part of the uterus. It is the same sensation and location as menstrual cramps. Active labor tends to be felt in a larger area but can be a similar sensation as cramping (with more intensity of course).
The science suggests that the pressure of baby's head pressing down on the cervix promotes the release of oxytocin, the hormone that stimulates birth.
The pressure of your baby's head as it descends into the pelvis. It pushes on nerves and causes lightning-like shocks. When cervical dilation begins, it might also cause sharp vaginal pain.
There are several different reasons why expecting mamas get these pains, but boils down to pressure on the bundle of nerves around the cervix. The majority of the nerves in the uterus just so happen to be right above your cervix. As baby moves around and things start happening down there, it can stimulate these nerves.
Many of these symptoms are due to increased levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which boost blood flow throughout your body to support your baby — including to your labia. As a result, your labia and vagina may experience the following changes: Swelling.
While there is no way to know when labor is 24 to 48 hours away, labor signs include a bloody show, Braxton Hicks contractions, labor contractions, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lower back pain, rupture of the amniotic sac (“water breaking”), and nesting instinct.
You may start to feel pressure in your vagina or pelvis. “This may be due to 'lightening,' which is when the baby drops down from the abdomen. Some women feel lightening as pelvic pressure or even low back pain,” says Dr. Emery.
The cervix generally needs to be dilated to 10 centimeters before it's ready for the baby to pass through. Your cervix can be dilated to a couple of centimeters for a few weeks before delivery. This softening can cause the mucus plug to be dislodged and come out.
Figure 11.5 Press firmly with your fingers just above the pubic bone to see if you can feel the baby's head. 3 If the shape is not clearly round, it may be the baby's face or the baby's bottom that you can feel. Or sometimes the baby's bottom is up, but the head is not straight down (Figure 11.6a and b).
Does baby always drop before you go into labor? Your baby won't necessarily drop before labor begins — whether it's your first pregnancy or a subsequent one. If yours doesn't, don't worry. When or whether baby drops and you experience lightening will have no impact on your labor.
Background. Many physicians advise pregnant women to sleep on their left side. Previous studies have linked back and right-side sleeping with a higher risk of stillbirth, reduced fetal growth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia, a life-threatening high blood pressure disorder that affects the mother.