Anticipate & Adjust in Birth | Pearently

All about the umbilical cord and and how to care for it

pearentlycare — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 21:18:49 +0000

Let’s first talk about delayed cord clamping!

Babies receive 30-50% of their normal blood supply through the umbilical cord after birth if the cord is allowed to finish pulsating before it is clamped.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a delay in umbilical cord clamping in vigorous term and preterm infants for at least 30–60 seconds.

There is a small increase in the incidence of jaundice that requires phototherapy in babies where delayed umbilical cord clamping was the practice of choice.

Baby should be born in a setting where baby can be monitored and treated if jaundice were to occur.

Jaundice can occur with delayed cord clamping in the case that the extra red blood cells are no longer needed and begin to be broken down and excreted in the feces (poop). The liver, which helps this process, can become overrun by the by-products of the broken-down red blood cells. The risk is to wait too long to clamp the cord (more than 3 minutes).

Talk to your doctor or midwife about delayed cord clamping (60-90 seconds) for the benefit of your baby.

After the cord is clamped, Dad can cut the cord to be involved. Many dads love being apart of birth in this way.

After the cord is cut, there is a stump that needs to stay dry until it falls off.

-Give baby sponge baths (no submersion in water)

-Fold diaper flap down under the stump and prevent soiling of stump (stump getting dirty)

-Don’t pull on the stump (allow stump to fall off naturally)

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by download the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Visit our Website – http://Pearently.com

Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only. This should not be taken as medical advice or take the place of what your healthcare provider recommends. Please discuss any healthcare information found on this channel with your healthcare provider. Pearently exists as a source of information and knowledge and in no way can we determine whether or not any of the information is specifically best for your individual case. With that in mind, we are grateful to share this information with you and we hope that you find success in your journey to achieve a happy and healthy pregnancy, labor, and birth.

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

All links Keep in mind this video/post contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

The post All about the umbilical cord and and how to care for it first appeared on Pearently.

Do I have to wear a gown in labor

pearentlycare — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 21:12:28 +0000

Let’s talk about the gown because it is something that comes up a lot in mommy circles.

You do not have to wear a hospital gown when you are in labor. But the nurses will provide a clean cover for you if you want it.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by download the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

You have the complete right to bring your own laboring gown. A nursing or sports bra is a great option during labor and birth. You probably won’t want anything getting in your way.

Many moms are completely naked during birth whereas other moms wear a nursing or sports bra.

Think about how you will feel when you are moving around, hot, tired, and ready to give birth.

What will you want to be wearing?

Then on the other side of birth you can wear your pretty gown or PJs that you brought with you.

Items I recommend for labor and postpartum

► Comfy Bra – https://amzn.to/3eIPp84

► Shoes for labor – https://amzn.to/2Vv2vP3

►Postpartum robe – https://amzn.to/3cxB9x2

►Postpartum PJs – https://amzn.to/2x0xb12

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by download the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Visit our Website – http://Pearently.com

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

All links Keep in mind this video/post contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

The post Do I have to wear a gown in labor first appeared on Pearently.

Can I eat snacks during labor

pearentlycare — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 21:01:16 +0000

Can you eat snacks during labor? Yes, you always have the right to eat and drink during labor!

What is the big deal? – “Don’t eat because you might aspirate during a C-Section with general anesthesia.”

-First, aspiration during a C-Section with the result of sickness and death is very small, and should not be a reason why a healthy woman should not be able to eat and drink during labor.

-Second, fasting will not remove all food contents of the stomach.

-Third, the concern is aspiration of acid from the stomach, and no amount of fasting will decrease stomach acid.

-Fourth, restricting food and liquids from Mom during labor can lead to unwanted results.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by download the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Do you NEED to eat during labor?

-Labor is hard work, and your uterus (big muscle) needs energy as a marathon runner needs energy.

-If your labor progresses slowly, you might benefit from eating.

-Ketosis can occur after several hours of fasting (increasing acidity of mom and baby’s blood) causing contractions to weaken and the progression of labor to slow.

-BUT…You might not want to eat, especially as labor progresses. Women often become nauseated around 6-8 cm dilated (active labor), and food is not on her mind.

What should you eat?

-Small snacks at the beginning of labor.

-Eat less when your contractions increase.

-Snacks that digest easily: berries, dried fruit, honey sticks, all fruit popsicles, oranges, bananas…

-Fluids are very important!

-Drinks with nutrients: bone broth, vitamin water, smoothie drinks

-Stay away from dairy in case you do throw up.

The BIG point is having the right to eat.

-Stress can increase when mom cannot eat or drink during labor, causing contractions to weaken and the progression of labor to slow.

-Satisfaction and empowerment with labor will increase if mom has the choice to eat.

*Side note, epidural placement will restrict mom to clear liquids. But you still have the right to eat and drink. You might have to sign a form taking full responsibility for your outcomes.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by download the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Visit our Website – http://Pearently.com

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

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What does a contraction feel like?

pearentlycare — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 14:18:49 +0000

You are pregnant, and the thing that probably concerns you most is labor and delivery!

Some women say a contraction feels like a menstrual cramp: dull and achy. So, what is the big deal with labor? Let’s talk about why labor is so painful and hard.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Visit our Website – http://Pearently.com

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

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How to give birth naturally after C-Section

pearentlycare — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 14:55:37 +0000

ACOG recommends VBAC as a safe choice for most women who have had a C-section in the past. Studies show 60% to 80% success rate for women who attempt VBAC (who have low-risk pregnancy).

You need to know if you are a candidate and then take these steps towards your dream birth!

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Who is a candidate for VBAC with a high rate of success and low risk for complications?

-Low-transverse incision = horizontal incision on uterus (vertical on the uterus = “classical”)

-2 C-Sections (no more)

-On-board healthcare provider who will do a VBAC

What increases your rate for success?

-1 C-Section

-Labor starts on its own

-Proven pelvis (you have had a previous vaginal birth)

-Age (under 40 years old)

-Mom’s weight (BMI less than 30)

-Size of baby

What is the risk associated with VBAC?

-Uterine Rupture

-Contents spill into the abdomen *Be in the hospital!

-Very small risk (less than 1 percent)

-Risk for uterine rupture increases with 2 or more C-Sections

-Mom may not successfully VBAC for other reasons other than uterine rupture

How to VBAC Safe in faith?

Make sense of your first birth and know that this birth is new and different.
1. Learn about the previous C-Section (look at medical records and ask your healthcare provider that did the surgery)
2. Was C-Section because of an issue that is likely to happen again?
3. “Was the baby just not in the optimal position to help labor progress or was there a problem with my pelvis?”
4. You can give birth vaginally even if you have a “small” pelvis!
5. Is the incision on your uterus a low-transverse incision?
Decide that you can VBAC
1. Mindset of peace, calmness, trust
Find a supportive care provider if your current provider is not supportive
1. How do you feel about VBAC
2. How do you help me have VBAC
3. What is the percentage of VBAC that you attempt
4. What is your VBAC success rate
5. What is your induction rate
6. What is your c-section rate
7. What is the hospital’s VBAC rate and philosophy on VBAC
Readiness
1. Birth plan
2. Childbirth class with an inspiring community
3. Continuous labor support
4. Supportive healthcare provider that educates you and works with you

Now is the time to take the next steps towards your dream birth! Download the free workbook below to get started.

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

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Cervical Exams in Labor

pearentlycare — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 14:40:27 +0000

It is said that “Cervical exams are for you and your provider to know the progress of labor.” The idea that doctors can give moms an idea of when the baby will be born. But is this really true? Are cervical exams necessary, and do they give us good data?

Discover the answers below…

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

What is a cervical exam?

Also called vaginal exams or pelvic exams. This exam is the examining of the cervix, which is part of the uterus (the muscle surrounding your baby).

Your cervix should be closed and thick (5 cm in length) during your pregnancy.

This means that your cervix is competent and can hold your baby inside of your uterus until the time of birth, around 40 weeks gestation.

When is a cervical exam routinely done?

-First OB visit.

-If problems arise in pregnancy (preterm labor, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, etc.).

-It is common in physicians’ offices to start cervical exams at 37 weeks gestation, and perform the exam weekly until labor starts.

-Arrive at the hospital (should you be admitted to the L&D unit or go home?)

-When labor seems to have changed.

-When mom feels like she needs to push (“I feel a lot of pressure!”)

How is the exam performed?

This exam should not hurt. Notify your healthcare provider if she or he is hurting you.

Also, make sure you are relaxed (relax the muscles around your vagina), make sure you have given your healthcare provider permission, and you are ready.

The exam might hurt if your doctor tries to dilate your cervix and strip the membranes (separate the membranes from the cervical wall). This is common for healthcare providers to do at the end of a pregnancy, without your permission. So, make sure you tell the healthcare provider if you consent to this or not.

The exam is done the same way at the office or at the hospital.

The nurse or doctor will place two fingers into your vagina and feel for your cervix. They are checking for three things:

Effacement (shortening, thinning, ripening, ability to stretch) – 0% to 100%.
Dilation (how big is the hole?) – 0 cm to 10 cm.
Station (how high or low baby is inside of mom) – the examiner is feeling for the ischial spines in relation to the top of the baby’s head. 0 station is top of baby’s head at ischial spines, + station is when the baby’s head passes the ischial spines and comes down into the vagina.

Said purpose of cervical exams?

“Why does a doctor need to check your cervix late in pregnancy?”

The exam is very useful for moms with preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, baby is not growing adequately, etc.

An assessment is done using a tool called the Bishop’s score. This is used to determine the likelihood of successful vaginal birth with induction of labor (or if mom will need a C-Section for delivery).

Why does a nurse need to check your cervix in labor?

To notify the doctor or midwife of the progress of labor and when to come.

Is it necessary?

Late in pregnancy?

Why do we need to check the thinning and opening of the cervix if mom does not have a medical condition and the baby is healthy?

In my opinion, cervical exams are not necessary late in pregnancy unless there is a medical indication (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes with the need for induction).

But the exams are not needed routinely if mom and baby are healthy because these cervical exams do not tell us how close you are to labor or the birth of your baby.

Example: You might be 6 cm for a week with no contractions.

I was 0 cm on Monday and then my baby was born on Wednesday afternoon.

In labor?

It is said that these exams are used to determine the progress of labor. The question is…”Is this really encouraging mom or discouraging mom in her labor process?”

Example: At 7 cm you are almost through the hardest part. So, it might be encouraging for you to keep going.

But what about the other side? Maybe your cervix is 3 cm dilated after several hours of labor. But you might progress very quickly and very soon. All of that anxiety was for not.

Is it dangerous?

Research shows that there really is no harm and no benefit to cervical checks at the end of pregnancy.

Now, if mom has suffered sexual abuse, there is question whether this is harmful to her.

Also, if the cervical check leads mom to be discouraged about her labor progress, this could lead to negative effects.

Also, if the doctor strips the membranes, there is possibly a risk for PROM (premature rupture of membranes) with the cervical checks. If Mom’s water breaks, there is increased risk for infection with each cervical exam thereafter. Also if PROM occurs and labor does not start, Mom might find herself going down a road of interventions that she did not desire.

Bottom line:

Cervical checks cause a lot of anxiety, yet they don’t give us a lot of information about the progress of labor.

If you do decide to get cervical exams routinely and throughout labor, then make sure you get “all” of the information (dilation, effacement, and station), and take it with a grain of salt.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Studies used for this content

Evidence Based Birth – https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-prenatal-checks/

Effect of routine weekly cervical examinations at term on premature rupture of the membranes – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=mcduffie+weekly+cervical+examinations

Relationship of antepartum pelvic examinations to premature rupture of the membranes – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=lenihan+antepartum+pelvic

Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only. This should not be taken as medical advice or take the place of what your healthcare provider recommends. This is educational information not medical advice.

—–

Visit our Website – http://Pearently.com

Disclaimer: Please discuss any healthcare information found on this channel with your healthcare provider. Pearently exists as a source of information and knowledge and in no way can we determine whether or not any of the information is specifically best for your individual case without conducting an in-person assessment. With that in mind, we are grateful to share this information with you and we hope that you find success in your journey to achieve a happy and healthy pregnancy, labor, and birth.

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

All links Keep in mind this video/post contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

The post Cervical Exams in Labor first appeared on Pearently.

Do I need antibiotics before baby is born?

pearentlycare — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 15:09:07 +0000

The Group B Strep screening is performed on all pregnant women around 35-37 weeks gestation. This screening is to test for the bacteria Group B Streptococcus.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

We all have lots of bacteria that live in and around our bodies. Group B Strep is a normal bacteria that lives in the GI tract (gut) of some men and women. It can travel to and colonize the rectum, vagina, and urinary tract. This bacteria lives in the vagina and the rectal area of 1 out of 4 women, but most women don’t show symptoms of infection even though they carry the bacteria.

GBS is not a STI, but research shows that women with some risk factors are more likely to carry GBS: multiple sexual partners, male-to-female oral sex.

Why do we care about this bacteria?

The problem with this bacteria, GBS is that if your baby is born through your birth canal and gets this bacteria on his or her body (baby has immature immune system), there is a 1% chance of your baby developing either pneumonia (lung), meningitis (brain), or sepsis (blood).

These are potentially life-threatening illnesses. They can cause great harm or even death to your baby. So, your healthcare provider wants to know if you are positive for Group B Strep.

How is a Group B Strep screening performed?

You will be laid back on an assessment bed (similar to getting a pap smear) in your healthcare provider’s office. Your doctor will then place a speculum in your vagina, then your doctor will swab your vagina, cervix, and rectum. A total of three areas are swabbed during this test: the rectum, vagina, and cervix.

When the test results are returned, your doctor will notify you if you are Group B Strep positive or negative.

If you are negative, GREAT! You can simply notify the nurses that you are Group B Strep negative when you arrive at labor and delivery.

If you are Group B Strep positive it is very important that you notify the nurse immediately when you arrive on the labor and delivery unit.

How will you be managed?

If you are GBS Positive, you will need to receive antibiotics at least 4 hours prior to your baby being born.

Antibiotics during labor decrease the amount of bacteria in mom and decrease the risk of your baby getting sick (0.2% risk of getting infected after antibiotics rather than 1%).

Antibiotics need to be in your system for a minimum of 4 hours before your baby comes through the birth canal.

Some healthcare providers will want you to receive antibiotics at the onset of labor and receive antibiotics every 4 hours until birth.

Antibiotics take about 20-30 minutes to infuse. Then you can ask for a hep-lock after the infusion.

Are antibiotics harmful to baby?

IV antibiotics given during labor have a short-term negative effect on the baby’s microbiome, but this negative effect can be lessened by breastfeeding.

Antibiotics get rid of good and bad bacteria in mom. The good bacteria from the birth canal have been destroyed! Baby needed those.

Antibiotics also affect the development of gut bacteria in the baby (at least temporarily).

Baby can breastfeed within the first hour of birth and breastfeed until at least 3 months for a healthy gut in the baby.

What if I didn’t get antibiotics? Should my baby be tested?

Maybe you didn’t make it to the hospital in time to receive the antibiotics…

No testing if: If your baby is not showing symptoms within 1 hour of birth, if you did not give birth before 37 weeks, if you didn’t have an infection of the uterus, or if your water did not break greater than 18 hours before giving birth.

Baby needs 48-hours of observations if born to a GBS mom that did not receive antibiotics.

How do I labor at home if I need to get antibiotics?

Be at the hospital 4 hours before. Talk to your healthcare provider.

Can you decrease your risk for carrying GBS?

GBS is linked to your GI tract. Therefore, it is thought that if you can get a healthy gut then you can decrease GBS.

Get a healthy gut to decrease the amount of GBS.

One study showed the benefit of taking 2 Probiotic capsules at night starting at 35-37 weeks. The first randomized trial on using probiotics to reduce GBS colonization in pregnant people had promising results, with 43% of GBS positive women becoming GBS negative by the time of birth.

Women with higher levels of lactobacilli in the vagina have lower levels of GBS. Lactobacilli strongly inhibits the growth of GBS by increasing the acidity of the vagina.

Also, consider a healthy diet: fresh berries, fresh vegetables, garlic, prenatal, and decreased sweets.

Probiotics that I recommend:

PRO45: #1 Clinical Grade Probiotic Formula – https://amzn.to/2UuBBWT

Probiotics 60 Billion CFU – Dr. Approved Probiotics for Women – https://amzn.to/2JqflXO

Studies used for this blog post:

The Evidence On: Group B Strep – https://evidencebasedbirth.com/groupbstrep/

Science Daily – Antibiotics administered during labor delay healthy gut bacteria in babies – Delay increased with longer durations of exposure to the antibiotics https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171128160344.htm

CDC – GBS – https://www.cdc.gov/groupbstrep/about/prevention.html

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

—–

Visit our Website – http://Pearently.com

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

The post Do I need antibiotics before baby is born? first appeared on Pearently.

Did my water break or is it urine?

pearentlycare — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:27:37 +0000

We are talking about your bag of waters breaking, how to know it is amniotic fluid not pee, and what to do if this happens to you before labor or during labor.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Mom’s water bag is like a big water balloon inside of her uterus (the uterus is the muscle that causes contractions).

The water bag has layers/membranes and the bag allows your baby to move around during pregnancy.

“Water breaking” means that the amniotic sac surrounding your baby has either ruptured or has a leak. The water bag can break in two ways: a big gush from a rupture at the bottom of the bag (now baby’s head can sit on cervix and speed up labor) or it can leak at the top (a high leak) which causes more of a trickle.

If you gush (really only about ¼ cup of fluid), know that there is still plenty of fluid inside for your baby.

This can diminish over time, but he or she has a lot to spare.

This usually happens once moms are around term (37 weeks or more) because the sac surrounding the baby begins to weaken.

How do you know that it is the amniotic fluid?

You might feel like you peed your pants. This is what you need to do… Go sit on the toilet and empty your bladder. Note 4 things about the fluid

1. Time

2. Amount

3. Color

4. Odor

Change your underwear and walk around (amniotic fluid will continue to leak)

What should you do?

If you are not in labor and your water breaks then call your HCP.

If you are in labor and water breaks then…go to the hospital! *Extra pressure on the cervix will cause contractions to increase in intensity telling you that dilation is happening very quickly.

What will your healthcare provider do?

Not term (37 weeks or more)?

Your healthcare provider will feel for intact bag of waters with vaginal exam, ultrasound baby to check the fluid level, or swab to check the pH of the fluid.

Term (37 weeks or more) with no contractions?

Your healthcare provider will tell you to wait at home for contractions to start for at most 12 hours, or tell you to go to the hospital and induce you with Pitocin.

Term (37 weeks or more) with contractions?

You can probably labor at home for 12 hours or go to the hospital.

What are Mom’s options?

Some moms experience their water break before labor starts (less than 10% of moms).

In the majority of moms, their water usually breaks in the active or transition phase of labor.

If mom & baby are healthy, the fluid is clear with no smell, but contractions have not started…you don’t have to be induced. About 45% of women will go into spontaneous labor within 12 hours. 75 – 95% of women will go into labor within 24 hours.

BUT it is important to understand that as the length of time increases, the risk of infection also increases.

If you are 37 weeks or more, your HCP might want to induce you. Mom needs to monitor for infection (she might need to stay at the hospital to be monitored if she does not want to be induced) –

Some signs of infection include fever, chills, foul smelling, and greenish amniotic fluid

*ACOG says infection includes fever AND one other factor. *There is no definitive answer for if you will develop an infection.

Check out this article

Evidence on: Premature Rupture of Membranes https://evidencebasedbirth.com/eviden…

Whatever the scenario, you get to make a choice. Make sure you are informed and know the risks and benefits.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

The post Did my water break or is it urine? first appeared on Pearently.

Labor at home until active labor

pearentlycare — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:02:02 +0000

Around 38-40 weeks gestation you might go into labor. But is it true labor and should you go to the hospital? That is what we are going to talk about today.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Labor is the hard work of giving birth to your baby. It will start with uterine contractions and end with the delivery of your placenta.

Let’s talk about how the stages of labor work

Stage 1

Your cervix will dilate from 0 cm to 10 cm and it will efface to 100% (open and thin out).

Stage 2

You will begin pushing in stage 2 and this stage will end with the birth of your baby.

Stage 3

This stage starts from the birth until delivery of your placenta.

Stage 1 – Active Labor

We are looking at the frequency, duration, and intensity of your contractions to determine if you are in active labor or not.

Frequency (regular contractions)
1. We use the term active labor when your cervix is around 4-6 cm dilated, but this is not always the case. You might be in active labor around 2 cm dilated.
2. Regular contractions are frequent.
  1. Less than 5 minutes time between each contraction.
3. Early labor contractions last for several hours (20 hours)
  1. These contractions are not frequent because they come every 5 – 30 minutes.
4. Active Labor contractions can last 12-18 hours
  1. These contractions come every 2-4 minutes, and cannot be ignored.
Duration (Length of time)
1. Contractions usually last 60-90 seconds.
2. The duration means that you are having frequent contractions for at least 1-2 hours.
Intensity (Pain)
1. Pain is intense and increasing.
2. Mom’s demeanor has changed (Mom cannot function, is all over the place, not acting like her normal self).

How to labor at home in active labor?

Take a birth class to learn all that you can to prepare for labor.
Make sure you have a labor coach by your side throughout labor.
Practice breathing techniques, movement & meditation.

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

—–

Visit our Website – http://Pearently.com

– Sincerely, Team Pearently

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Body Changes Before Labor Starts

pearentlycare — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 18:30:57 +0000

Now is the time to get ready for your birth journey. Take your next step by downloading the FREE workbook below to get Annabelle’s 4 Step Process to a birth you will love to remember.

Labor might be getting close, but you are not quite in labor yet. What changes might mom experience before true labor begins? Let’s dive in…

Braxton-hicks contractions

These are irregular contractions starting in the third trimester for most moms. The uterus (a big muscle) is beginning to practice and warm up for labor. The key is that these contractions are not frequent (the time between each contraction is not consistently getting shorter) and the pain is not increasing over a period of more than one hour. Mom needs to do two things: sit down to rest, and drink a lot of water. It is not time to go to the hospital in labor yet.

Loose stools, emotional rollercoaster, and flu-like symptoms

Loose stools can happen as the uterus becomes more irritable as mom gets closer to her due date. This happens as the uterus practices contractions and stimulates the bowel that is nearby.

Don’t be too surprised if you start crying in the middle of the day for no apparent reason. Your hormones are all over the place, and your face will show it. This is completely normal.

Flu-like symptoms such as headache, nausea, and achy joints happens to some moms when labor is very close. This is normal, but make sure that you contact your healthcare provider if you experience a fever or worsening of symptoms.

Baby drops down into mom’s pelvis.

This is called lightening and happens so that baby can get engaged in mom’s pelvis for delivery day. You might experience a burst of energy and the ability to breathe with more ease.

Loss of the mucus plug

The cervical mucus plug is a normal part of pregnancy to prevent bacteria from the rectum and vagina from migrating into the uterus and infecting baby.

The cervix can start to open and thin out around 36 – 37 weeks gestation, weeks before baby arrives. Thus, the loss of the cervical mucus plug does not indicate that labor will start soon. But Mom’s body is getting ready for labor!

Dilation and effacement causes mucus plug to come out in one blob or in stringy fragments. This is different from your milky white, creamy discharge released from the cervix and vagina during pregnancy. Cervical mucus is like snot, egg whites, or glue. It can be white, clear, or a little yellow. Mom might have a little bit of blood in the mucus plug as the blood vessels from the cervix break and leak into the mucus.

This is all normal and not a reason to go to the hospital.

Spontaneous rupture of membranes

This means that the amniotic sac surrounding baby during pregnancy has broken. Mom can experience a gush of fluid or a trickle of fluid. The concern is whether mom’s “bag of waters” ruptured too early in pregnancy, and has labor started yet.

Amniotic fluid is clear and does not have a bad smell. If mom notices a color to the fluid or a bad smell, then she needs to go to the hospital immediately.

When mom notices a gush or trickle of fluid, and it is clear with no smell, then she should do three things:

Note the time
Empty bladder
Call healthcare provider

Mom’s healthcare provider might direct her to the hospital or tell her to labor at home if contractions have begun.

The important thing is that baby is born within 12-18 hours after mom’s membranes have ruptured. This is to prevent baby from getting sick from bacteria migrating into the uterine body during these hours. Mom’s doctor might want to start mom on antibiotics if baby is not born within 12-18 hours of “rupture of membranes”.

I know this is a lot of information. You might be wondering what else you need to know about birth. I would love to go on this journey with you so that you are fully prepared and confident for birth.

Start by downloading my free workbook below. Talk to you soon!

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