Congratulations to you for pulling off 8+ months of your pregnancy! Right from swollen ankles and weight gain to back pain and heartburn, you’ve come a long way. When labor is very close, you might experience several things at once. Whether it’s excitement, fatigue, or nervousness, your journey of motherhood is just about to begin. As a to-be-mother, it’s important that you recognize the signals or signs of labor. Don’t worry, we’ve listed out several signs that labor is 24 – 48 hours away.
Water Breaking
One of the most common labor signs before delivery is when your amniotic sac breaks during the last month of your pregnancy. Your baby grows and develops in the sac which is filled with amniotic fluid. When your baby’s head puts pressure on the wall of the sac, it ruptures the sac and the fluid comes out. This is known as your water breaking and is a sure sign that labor is 24- 48 hours away.
Your water breaking is one of the most common signs that labor is 24 – 48 hours away now.
When you feel a gush of water or wetness in your underwear, you must understand that your water has broken. It could either be an intermittent or constant leak of small amounts of fluid, or a much more obvious gushing of fluid. The fluid will generally be clear or of a pale yellow color.
Early Contractions
Early contractions are like menstrual cramps, the only difference is that they happen at regular intervals. Do keep in mind that these contractions can increase in frequency with time. Regardless of whether you drink water, lie down or eat, these contractions don’t ease up or go away. That’s when you must understand that they are real contractions, and not false or Braxton Hicks contractions.
We suggest you keep a track of them or have someone else do it for you since the closer they get, the closer to labor you are. An important thing to note is that when these contractions happen every 3-5 minutes, you are in active labor. In such a situation, see to it that you contact your doctor or midwife immediately.
Loss Of Mucus Plug
Your uterus is protected by a mucus plug at the opening of the cervix that is responsible for keeping away the bacteria that can cause an infection. When your vaginal discharge has some blood to it, you should get a green signal that it’s the passing of your mucus plug. This is nothing but blood from the mucus plug coming out of your discharge and it can be clear to pink in color.
As you get closer to labor, you’ll experience a gradual bloody flow as your cervix starts to open to prepare for it. But, when you notice a blob of mucus on your underwear or while urinating, it’s a sign that labor is 24 – 48 hours away and you should inform your doctor.
Weight Loss
Weight loss can be one of the most surprising things about pregnancy that usually happens 1-2 days before you get into labor. You won’t have a massive weight loss, it can be losing 1-3 pounds before you go into labor. It can happen because of two reasons, one of which is frequent urination causing water loss. The other reason for weight loss can be when your amniotic fluid gets reduced. Do keep in mind that when your delivery date is near, you can feel like urinating more. That’s because of the extra pressure on your bladder that is caused by your baby descending into a lower position, known as ‘lightening’.
Pain In The Lower Back
Due to the normal hormone secretion in your body, your joints and ligaments tend to become loose at the time of labor. It’s common for pregnant women to experience stomach aches and pain in the lower back. Do keep in mind that your pre-labor back pain can be persistent especially in your lower back. This lower back pain increases when your labor is 24 – 48 hours away and then radiates towards your pelvis area. Another important thing to note is that this pain prolongs itself till your delivery, making it a challenging experience.
Nesting
During your third trimester, you can experience an overwhelming, panicky, or restless feeling which is nothing but nesting. This panicky feeling inside you may make you feel uneasy and you might end up cleaning and organizing your baby’s nursery and baby-proofing your home for your little one. It’s natural for pregnant women to experience a sudden burst of energy during the last month of pregnancy that makes them want to dust the home entirely. This nesting instinct is yet another sign of labor that you shouldn’t miss.
Diarrhea
Another important sign of labor being 24 – 48 hours away is diarrhea. During the last months of your pregnancy, your muscles and ligaments tend to become loose. The hormonal secretion of relaxin can cause diarrhea. When you notice your muscles in your pelvic area, rectum, and lower back loosen up, you should recognize it as a sign of labor.
Morning sickness is common in the initial months of pregnancy. But getting diarrhea near your due date is one of the signs that labor is 24 – 48 hours away.
Conclusion
These were some of the signs that labor is just 24 – 48 hours away for you. Although it’s not always possible to predict labor, these signs of labor serve as important clues that your big day is near. You must have spent a lot of time imagining how your baby will look all through your six months of pregnancy. After you give birth to your little one, don’t forget that there are other important things you need to take care of. Those include your child’s immunization and vaccination schedules which you can easily store in a digitized format on our ImmunifyMe app.
FAQs On Signs That Labor Is 24 – 48 Hours Away
How Do You Feel 24 Hours Before Labor?
Some of the most common things women experience when labor is 24 hours away are cramps and contractions. You might feel that your stomach is becoming tight and may experience discomfort in your lower back. Along with that, you might also experience cramps in your pelvic area.
How Do You Feel In The Days Leading Up To Labor?
You might experience a sudden overdrive to clean, organize and set up your baby’s nursery in the days leading up to labor. That is nothing but nesting that most women feel during the third trimester of pregnancy. It can be considered as an important sign of labor wherein you’ll feel panicky and may end up cleaning and dusting your home for your baby.
How Do You Know When Labor Is Getting Close?
Here are some important signs that indicate that your labor is getting close:
- Your water breaks
- You experience early contractions
- There’s loss of the mucus plug
- Loss of weight
- Pain in the lower back
- Diarrhea
What Is A Silent Labor?
Sometimes, pregnant women are not able to understand that their labor is due even until the last minute. Even the contractions experienced can be painless and the pregnant woman may tend to push the baby in a manner that the baby has already descended. The pregnant woman isn’t aware of her labor even in the first stage and that is nothing but silent labor.