Has My Labor Started?

Your body is organized and finely tuned to give birth, and there are several signs that will tell that you are in labor. The early symptoms that give you a clear sign that your labor is about to start include:

Loose Bowel Movements

The intestine commonly empties just before the labor starts. A quick decrease in the level of hormone progesterone is being considered for causing this effect.

During pregnancy, the placenta makes high levels of the hormone, progesterone, which helps support the pregnancy. When the placenta stops producing progesterone – and maintaining the pregnancy - the hormone level drops quickly. A drop in progesterone level is considered one of the factors that start labor contractions.

The smooth muscle in the intestine is also sensitive to sudden changes in progesterone level. Thus, when the placenta stops producing progesterone, it results in episodes of loose bowel movements.

Shivering or Trembling

Another early sign that labor is occurring, is a feeling of shivering or trembling that you might experience without any sensation of coldness or weakness.

This shivering or trembling can be the result of the sudden drop in the level of progesterone in your body. Progesterone is a “warm” hormone and when the level suddenly drops just before your labor starts, you can have feelings of shivering or trembling.

Vaginal Discharge

An increase in vaginal secretions occurs as the softening of your cervix proceeds. White, and sometimes pink, discharge may be seen. When the cervix begins to dilate, the mucus plug, which has sealed the cervix throughout your pregnancy, begins to dislodge. As this occurs, a bright red to brownish liquid may appear which is called “bloody show”.

Loosing the mucus plug, however, can also occur days before the labor actually begins. Therefore, this cannot be the only sign and symptom that labor is to come.  

More signs of labor