![]() ![]() Active Laborīased on the timing of your contractions and other signs, your doctor or midwife will tell you to head to the hospital for active labor. This will help your doctor or midwife determine when you should go to the hospital.ĭuring this time, your support person can help you by being calm, timing your contractions, and offering you comfort and support. Time how long your contractions last and the amount of time between them. Ask your doctor if you can eat and drink something, which may give you energy later in the birthing process. Try to relax, take it easy, take a walk or do any mild activity that makes you feel better. You’ll generally work through early labor at home. This phase continues until your cervix is dilated to 3 cm. Contractions help your cervix thin (efface) and dilate (widen) to make it easier for your baby to move through your birth canal (vagina). You’ll experience contractions that last about 30 to 45 seconds, with five to 30 minutes between them. This early phase can last about eight to 12 hours. If you are truly in labor, the contractions won’t stop, and they’ll get harder and faster. These are irregular and often stop when you rest or lie down. They have mini contractions called Braxton Hicks contractions that are getting the body ready for the real thing. ![]() Many women, especially first-timers, experience false labor. Bloody show, a brownish-red mucus discharge that generally blocks your cervix but falls out as your cervix dilates.Gush or slow trickle of amniotic fluid as your “water breaks.” (The technical term is ruptured membranes.).Lower back pain and cramping that doesn’t go away.Contractions of your uterus that become stronger and more regular.If you have any of the following - even if you’re not due for a few weeks - call your doctor to determine if you may be in labor: True labor produces signs you don’t want to ignore. These are signs that you’re getting close. You may feel your baby dropping lower in your pelvis, and some women get a surge of energy to cook, clean or get things ready for the baby’s arrival. Am I in Labor?Īs your due date approaches, you’ll likely be watching closely for signs of labor. It has three phases of its own: early labor, active labor and transition phase. The first stage of labor is the longest, typically taking 12 to 19 hours. Health care providers describe three stages of labor. Knowing what to expect can help you stay relaxed and focused as you bring your baby into the world.Īlthough every delivery is unique, there’s a common process women share as they go through labor. After several months the info will give you a good sense of when you usually ovulate so you can plan babymaking accordingly.Giving birth is an amazing process that raises all kinds of emotions: excitement, fear, nervousness, joy. Keep in mind that from day to day, your BBT can fluctuate by half a degree or more, so don’t be fooled by a little blip-look for a sustained rise to confirm that you’ve ovulated. Take your temperature with a digital thermometer designed for basal body (you can get one online or at the drugstore) as soon as you wake up, even before you get out of bed, and jot down the reading every morning. One way to know if you’re ovulating is to track your basal body temperature over a series of months. As you get closer to ovulation, there’s a slight dip in basal body temperature followed by a sharp increase, typically of about 0.4 to 1.0 degrees, just after ovulation. At the beginning of your cycle, basal body temperature remains fairly consistent and averages between 97.2 and 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes referred to as BBT, your basal body temperature is the temperature of your body at rest. ![]()
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