Many pregnant women ask about childbirth symptoms and signs of labor so that you know exactly when to go to the hospital immediately. It can be difficult for a pregnant woman to decide when to go to the hospital to give birth, especially if she is not sure that she will actually give birth soon. When a pregnant woman nears her due date, she will want to know the difference between false labor and real labor and know when she actually goes to the hospital to deliver her baby.
A pregnant woman may suffer from some signs of labor a little earlier than the expected time of childbirth, so it is necessary to know the real signs of childbirth that require the pregnant woman to go to the hospital immediately.
And there is a common rule among gynecologists, which means that a woman goes to the hospital to give birth, and it is the 5-1-1 rule, which means the occurrence of contractions in the uterus every 5 minutes on a regular basis, which each lasts for one minute, and This situation lasts for at least an hour.
But despite this, it may also be difficult to determine the ideal and appropriate time to go to the hospital for childbirth, as with the approaching date of delivery, a pregnant woman may feel tingling, cramps and some kicks from the fetus in the mother's womb, so it is better to know the signs of childbirth that should be Then the pregnant woman should go to the hospital immediately.
Childbirth symptoms
Many people believe that natural childbirth occurs immediately after the descent of the water from a pregnant woman, "what is known as water birth." But in reality, only about 10% of women experience hydration just before birth.
The signs of childbirth are usually subtle and come gradually. Signs of labor are divided into two parts: early labor and active labor.
1- Early labor and birth symptoms
Or what is known as premature birth, which is a date somewhat far from the actual date of birth. This stage helps the fetus reach the place of natural birth, and during the early labor stage, the pregnant woman begins to feel some moderate contractions and you may feel the contractions on a regular basis or they may come and go.
At this stage, the cervix may open slightly, and reports of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists confirm that the cervix widens at this stage up to 6 cm. During this stage, the mother may also feel that the fetus is moving and kicking more than it usually does, and she may feel additional pressure on the baby.
A pregnant woman may feel some pain and discomfort at this stage, but despite this, it is still too early to go to the hospital. And early labor can last from hours to days, as a 2010 study found that premature labor may take 9 hours for the cervix to widen to 6 centimeters. Early labor may start and stop for a short period and then happen again, so when you feel the signs of premature labor all you have to do is:
Try to relax as much as possible.
Take a walk around the house.
Lie in a comfortable position.
Try taking a warm shower.
Do anything to keep you calm.
See here ways to facilitate natural childbirth
Childbirth symptoms
Childbirth symptoms
2- Active labor "childbirth"
A pregnant woman will know that she has already entered the phase of active labor (or “true labor”) when contractions are stronger, more regular, and close together. Therefore, most gynecologists advise pregnant women to write down when contractions occur and follow them. You will know you are in labor if you have the following symptoms:
Painful contractions.
Contractions 3-4 minutes apart.
Each contraction lasts about 60 seconds.
The descent of birth water from the womb.
Lower back pain or a feeling of strong pressure.
nausea.
Leg cramps.
During childbirth, the cervix opens and widens from 6 to 10 cm, and contractions may occur faster after the descent of the water. If you develop these symptoms, you must go to the hospital immediately, as this is considered an active labor.
The difference between the symptoms of a real birth and a false birth
Sometimes a woman may think that she has already started the real delivery, but it may be just a false alarm about childbirth, as she may feel some contractions but without dilating the cervix. False birth occurs near the due date, and this makes it extremely confusing. And in order for a pregnant woman to be able to tell the difference between a true and false birth, she must verify some symptoms such as:
Symptoms of false childbirth true birth
Contractions improve after walking, not after walking
The strength of the contractions remains the same and gets stronger over time
The period between contractions remains the same over time
Contractions are generally located in the front of the abdomen, starting at the back and then moving forward
The vaginal secretions do not contain blood, which may have a little blood
Childbirth symptoms that a pregnant woman should not ignore
A pregnant woman should go to the hospital immediately if any of the following symptoms appear:
The descent of birth water from the womb.
If blood appears in the vaginal secretions.
If you feel stressed out or need to push something out of your body.
In the end, if you feel regular contractions every 5 minutes, and each contraction lasts for one minute and lasts for an hour or more, you should go to the hospital immediately. And if the contractions are getting stronger and closer in time, this means that you will deliver your baby soon. Do not go to the hospital if your symptoms are the early symptoms of childbirth or the symptoms of false labor that we mentioned.