Something that happens to many new moms is that just when the eighth month begins, something suddenly clicks and they realize that the delivery is very close, then all the excitement and joy of pregnancy turns into anxiety. . Any little pain or strange sensation makes them think that they are already in labor.

Please take a deep breath. Let's go little by little and we will see the clearest signs to identify a true labor. Remember that Knowledge is Power.

Surely your doctor has already given you a calculated delivery date, if they do not have it, the first step would be to go to the creafam. com/calculator page and write down your last period date so that they know the date of delivery. Even though only 5% of women give birth at exactly 40 weeks, having this date will give you a clear idea of when your baby will arrive.

Symptom number 1: The position of the baby. Around week 36, the baby adopts a prone position and its head fits into the mother's pelvis. Once it adopts this position, everything is ready to start labor, however, it is important to know that if the baby is already face down before week 36 does not mean that it will be born.

Throughout the pregnancy, the baby will move and change position a lot, but by week 36 it will remain in that position. . .

In whatever position it is in, the ideal is for it to be face down and it will no longer go to change position. Now, how do you know if you are already in position? Well, usually mommies report that they can suddenly breathe a little easier or it may feel like their baby has lodged in the lower part of their pelvis, some moms may begin to feel brief stings or pricks in their vagina, some It gives them the feeling that the baby wants to come out.

They will feel this especially when they walk or stand for a long time, but as a doctor, obviously I would recommend an ultrasound to confirm that the baby is positioned correctly. If it is past week 36 and the baby is still not face down, it is highly unlikely that it will be possible to turn again, so it is most likely that the baby will remain in that position from there until it is born, then, we have to be prepared for a breech delivery, which is currently not recommended, it would be recommended that she be delivered by caesarean section. Symptom number 2: Expulsion of the mucous plug.

During pregnancy, the cervix is covered by a mucous layer, this layer isolates the interior of the uterus, protecting it from infections and any harmful element. Each woman is unique and in some it is a very thick and dense layer, in others it is a little thinner and lighter, but if in the last month of pregnancy you notice that you are passing a little mucus, it is probably this plug that is released to prepare the birth canal, don't worry, the cervix will remain completely closed for a few more days. There are even many moms who never notice this symptom because it happens right when they are taking a shower or when they go to the bathroom or until the day of delivery.

Symptom number 3: Contractions. Uterine contractions are one of the best known signs of labor but it is also one of the symptoms that can be easily confused with another type of contractions called "Braxton Hicks contractions". Braxton Hicks contractions can appear from the beginning of the third trimester, it is felt that the belly becomes hard, very hard, especially in the lower abdomen, perhaps as a cramp or colic.

These false contractions can last quite a while but they only occur sporadically and there is no need to be alarmed, it is the uterus exercising and preparing to give birth. True labor contractions are not felt only in the lower abdomen but radiate to the back and legs, enveloping the entire belly that becomes as hard as the forehead. At first they last a short time, about 5 or 10 seconds, maybe 20 at most, but little by little they last longer and the period between one contraction and another also becomes shorter.

At first you may feel one or two per hour, when you feel one every ten minutes or the pain is very intense it is time to go to evaluation with your gynecologist. Symptom number 4: Power failure. Thanks to movies and television series, most of us are familiar with that moment when suddenly a jet of liquid comes out and that's it!

The mother and everyone around her realize that the time for delivery has arrived, but in real life it is not always so obvious. Usually the rupture of membranes occurs during labor but on some occasions it can occur before this period and this would be an indication to perform a labor induction. The most common is that the membrane has a sudden rupture, that is, it bursts like a balloon and they get wet up to their ankles, but on other occasions the rupture is high and can be confused with a flow or a stain.

That's why moms, as I've already said in several videos, no bleeding flow is normal during pregnancy. After the eighth month, if they have a clear and constant discharge, even if it is very light, there is a possibility that the uterine membranes have ruptured and that this discharge is actually amniotic fluid that is leaking from the uterus. If you notice a continuous discharge of the liquid or that it has been appearing and disappearing for a couple of days, you must go to the consultation immediately.

With a crystallography, which is a study in which the fluid is allowed to dry and we observe it under the microscope, we can confirm if it is amniotic fluid, if so , it is possible that labor has already started or that we should induce it, don't worry, at Creafam you are in good hands. The best way to prevent premature births and early ruptures of the membranes, that is, a rupture before the 37th week of pregnancy, is to avoid infections. Remember that the general urine test is a simple and inexpensive study that must be carried out regularly and if an infection is detected, it must be fought following the doctor's instructions to the letter.

Symptom number 5: Dilation of the cervix. Throughout pregnancy the cervix closes completely, but at the time of delivery it begins to dilate or open. Usually the doctor performs a vaginal examination to measure the dilation, when this dilation is three centimeters we affirm that the mother is in labor, although we still have a little time.

The neck dilates one centimeter per hour more or less and if the mother wishes to receive anesthesia, that is, an epidural after 3-4 centimeters of dilation could already be placed, assessing the pain that each patient feels. Now that we have seen the symptoms of labor, I want to take the opportunity to clarify some myths regarding labor. If I get to the hospital and it's a false alarm, will they forcefully remove my baby?

No, of course not, don't worry. If you arrive at the hospital and it is a false alarm, nothing happens! They will check you and through vaginal examination we can determine if you are already going into labor or not.

What is vaginal examination? With the vaginal examination we are going to check the cervix, when there is still no labor it will feel very long, it will feel towards the back and it will be very hard, when you have already started labor, that neck it will become soft and dilation will begin and it will become central, then we can determine when you will start labor. Are there massages, exercises or techniques for the baby to change position?

Ok, currently only certain exercises are recommended , certain positions of the mother, that is, getting into a crawling position often helps the baby change position. What is no longer indicated are the external versions, what midwives used to do: Moving the baby to try to accommodate him upside down when he was actually sitting, that is currently prohibited and they do not allow this type of maneuver. Can I induce labor if I have already reached 40 weeks?

Yes, it can be induced but personalizing each patient, because there will be women who are in induction conditions and there will be women who are not in induction conditions. What will it depend on? How is she clinically, how is the baby and very important: How is the cervix to see if it will really work or not induction, this assessment will be made by your gynecologist through a touch.

There are other ways to induce labor naturally. One would be nipple stimulation, when you stimulate your nipples, you will release the oxytocin hormone, which is in charge of causing contractions, so arriving at week 38, 39, 40 you could start with this type of exercise to favor induction of labor naturally. There are other myths such as eating spicy food is not necessarily going to induce labor.

Sexual relations could induce it but it is not recommended. Why? Because it can cause premature rupture of membranes.

Exercise is something natural, going for a walk, going out to do a little exercise can favor these contractions. How to avoid an episiotomy? The episiotomy is the cut that the gynecologist has to make to help deliver the baby.

When is this episiotomy done? This cut is made once the little head is about to be born, that is when we call it "It is crowning". There are times when we as gynecologists can avoid it by doing certain maneuvers, but there are times when it cannot be avoided and it is better to perform an episiotomy than to have a tear.

Since I am hip, my delivery will be easy or vice versa. Don't worry, the important thing is not if they are hipsters or not. Of course, a woman with more hips will surely have a larger pelvis and then she could have an easier delivery, but this is not always the case.

There are occasions when the woman has a wider hip and it is not a good pelvis for the birth of the baby and also many times it will depend on the size of the baby if it is a small baby or it is a very large baby for the pelvis of each woman . Should I do anything before going to the hospital? Yes, there are certain things that are recommended to get to the hospital.

One is, if they started the labor at home, that their diet has not been with a lot of fat or with a lot of flour, especially for the moment of pushing so that there will not be a major accident during the birth, so if the enemas so that your intestine is cleaner so that at the time of birth your baby will not be contaminated. Shaving, shaving is something optional, it is not necessary, it is not essential, although it is very good for the moment of the baby's birth, to be able to make, if a cut is made, everything is cleaner and prepared for that cut. 15 days before the calculated date of birth I would recommend that you go to the hospital, especially so that they tell you what papers you have to bring, so that you don't get rushed and have a suitcase ready in the car so that you don't get rushed either .

Moms, I hope this video has helped you better recognize the symptoms of true labor. See you in the consultation or until the next video.