Every twinge, cramp, and hiccup during pregnancy can make you think about going into labor. You may even be worried about if you could be in labor without knowing it, otherwise known as silent labor—for example, one of the anecdotal signs of silent labor is painless contractions.
It's the gold standard for knowing that labor is starting in earnest (and the standard gag for any TV or movie birth story), but it doesn't always happen like that. You can be in labor without your water breaking -- or if your water breaks without contractions.
It's thought that their womb (uterus) contracts so painlessly that they don't feel the contractions in the first stage of labour at all. If this happens to you, the first clue that your baby is on his way may only come as you enter your second stage of labour.
Since some of the early labor signs, like back pain, are indistinguishable from the other weird sensations of pregnancy, it's possible your body will start labor without you knowing it.
Labour can start very quickly, but is often slow at the start (particularly if it's your first baby). Sometimes it can start without you realising it.
The cervix can be dilated to 1 centimeter for weeks before the beginning of labor. This extent of dilation only signals that the cervix is starting to prepare for labor. Most pregnant women spend some time wondering when they will go into labor, especially as the due date draws near.
Some women experience a bloody show weeks before labor and others don't have a bloody show until they are in labor. It's a good indication that your body is getting ready and your baby is in the final stages of development.
As the countdown to birth begins, some signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away can include low back pain, weight loss, diarrhea — and of course, your water breaking.
Your contractions may feel like cramps in your lower stomach and can start off feeling like period pain. You may have dull lower back pain or pain in your inner thigh that you feel down your legs. At first, your contractions will be short and around 30 minutes apart.
Labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis. Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom. Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps.
Diarrhea is a common and normal part of the prelabor process, so try to go with the flow. Yes, it's unpleasant, but it can mean you're that much closer to meeting your baby.
Try being upright
One of your biggest allies is gravity. When you are upright—standing, sitting or kneeling—the weight of your baby presses on the cervix, encouraging it to open. An upright position may also help get your baby into the best position for birth.
Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.
Researchers now believe that when a baby is ready for life outside his mother's uterus, his body releases a tiny amount of a substance that signals the mother's hormones to begin labor (Condon, Jeyasuria, Faust, & Mendelson, 2004). In most cases, your labor will begin only when both your body and your baby are ready.
It may last up to 2 to 3 days. Contractions are mild to moderate and shorter (about 30 to 45 seconds). You can usually keep talking during them.
Are contractions painful? Although they're usually painful, between each contraction you may not feel much pain at all. They may remind you of period pains or feel much more painful. Every woman's experience is different, as the intensity can vary a lot.
They may feel like period cramps.
Some women describe labor contraction pain as intense menstrual cramps that increase in intensity.
You can't feel your cervix thinning, but you might pick up on a few cervical effacement symptoms. When your cervix effaces, you may feel pressure down there, Thiel says. You might also notice an increase in cervical mucus or discharge. “It may feel kind of crampy,” Cackovic says.