Symptoms of Labour Pain: Relief Methods for Expecting Mothers

Labour Pain 101: Essential Signs and Symptoms for Expecting Mothers

Labour pain is the most natural phenomenon that affects women during childbirth. However, the intensity of pain experienced during labour may vary from one woman to another. According to the global statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), labour pain is responsible for the long-term health issues of around 40 million women worldwide, which they experience post childbirth.

Thus, detecting early labor pain symptoms and timely seeking medical attention is essential for mothers during childbirth. Let us delve further into the signs and symptoms of labour pain, along with the stages of labour pain and false labor pain symptoms.

What are the Signs of Going Into Labor?

You may start experiencing changes in your body weeks or days before your actual childbirth. This phase is a part of labour, and the following are the signs that labour is 24 to 48 hours away:

●Lightening
During this process, the baby drops into the mother's pelvis a few weeks before labour kicks in. Some women may not be able to feel it at all, while for others, it will be an evident experience. This process indicates that your body is preparing to get the baby out soon. Usually, this is experienced by first-timers.

●Increased Vaginal Discharge
As your childbirth phase approaches, just before active labour, you may experience a slight increase in your vaginal discharge as the vagina begins to prepare itself for childbirth.

●Dilation of the Cervix
The dilation rate of the cervix differs from one woman to the other. Your cervix expands a few days before active labour; the maximum dilation is 10cm. During your third trimester, your doctor might examine the dilation of your cervix.

●Contractions and Cramps
As childbirth approaches, the intensity of cramps and contractions in your pelvis will increase. False contractions, also called Braxton Hicks contractions, may also begin occurring at the end of your third trimester, which are milder when compared to the active labor pain in pregnancy.

●Diarrhea
Just before active labour kicks in, women experience diarrhoea as muscles in the pelvis, including that of the rectum, begin relaxing to prepare for childbirth. Diarrhoea pre-labour is entirely normal, and you must stay hydrated so as not to get affected by it.

What are the Signs of Going into Active Labor?

Before childbirth, you must look for early signs of labor pain to get an indication of your active labor phase. Following are the labor pain symptoms, which, when experienced, require consultation with a doctor:

●Painful and Frequent Contractions
Regular, aching, and severe contractions begin during active labour, indicating childbirth soon. This can affect your ability to walk or move, requiring you to visit the doctor as quickly as possible and seek medical attention.

●Drops of Blood
A mucus plug is a cork that seals the uterus during pregnancy, while as a part of labor pain symptoms, the cervix enlarges and softens, leading to the fall out of this plug, thus causing the rupture of tiny blood vessels. Therefore, as you notice blood flow or mucus plug fall out, you must know that childbirth is a few days or hours away.

●Pain in Lower Back or Belly
Lower back pain is a common labor pain symptom. During labour, the baby starts moving downwards with its head forward, causing pain-like contractions in the back of the mother, also called back labour.

●Breaking of Water
Water break or amniotic fluid leakage is one of the last labor pain symptoms. This occurs due to rupturing of membranes and may appear in drips in some women. Thus, you must not wait for the water to break, among other labor pain symptoms, and seek medical attention immediately.

What are Braxton Hick's Contractions (False Labor Pain)?

Common during the end of the second trimester and throughout the third trimester occurs Braxton Hicks Contractions, also called "false labor pain," as these are irregular contractions in the belly that do not follow progress over time. Generally lasting for up to 30 seconds, these contractions stop as you rest or relax.

These contractions are not an indication of labor or childbirth; therefore, keep track of the following false labor pain symptoms to identify them:

●Short-duration contractions lasting 10-30 seconds
●It feels like mild menstrual cramps
●Irregular and not frequent contractions
●Go away as you take a rest or relax
●Do not get intense with time

What are the Different Stages of Labor?

Labour pain evolves in different stages in a pregnant woman, and this clear distinction in stages ensures healthy and safe childbirth. All the stages have varied periods, and various care or specializations are monitored to complete the process safely. Labor pain stages can be classified as follows:

●First Stage of Labor
The first stage of labor evolves in three phases, beginning with the thinning of the cervix and ending with the dilation of the cervix up to 10cm. In the first or latent phase of the first stage, the cervix dilates from 0 to 3 cm, accompanied by mild to moderate contractions.
In the active phase, painful and strong contractions follow, timed 3-4 minutes apart, and result in the cervix dilation of 7-8 cm. In the transitional phase, the cervix dilates to a limit of 10 cm and is fully dilated to kick-start the second stage of labor.

●Second Stage of Labor
The second stage of labor is associated with giving birth to the baby. The contractions in this stage get frequent and timed as the cervix dilation ranges from 8 to 10 cm. You will be guided to push to be able to birth the baby's head gently.
As the baby starts crowning or appearing at the vaginal door, the doctors guide the baby's body out carefully. This stage of labor lasts 1 to 2 hours, and the last stage follows.

●Third Stage of Labor
In the third or last stage of labor, the placenta is pushed out within 5 to 30 minutes of childbirth, which is accompanied by contractions that stop the bleeding from your uterus.

How Labor Pain Starts

Knowing when labour pain begins can also help you recognize when actual labour is starting. Early labour contractions are typically mild and irregular but gradually grow stronger, longer, and closer together. You might feel the pain as light menstrual cramps or lower back pain at first.

As labour advances, the symptoms can become much more severe. Contractions become stronger and more frequent, lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Your partner may also feel an increased pressure in the pelvic region and discomfort in the lower back.

Early symptoms of labour pain often involve:

● Mild cramps or backaches
● Contractions that are irregular but increase in intensity
● Pressure in the pelvic area
● Slight nausea or fatigue

These early signs mark the start of the labour process but don't necessarily mean that your partner will give birth immediately. This phase can last for several hours or even days.

Symptoms of Labour Pain in the 9th Month

As your partner approaches the 9th Month of pregnancy, it is essential to know that symptoms of labour pain will be more severe and may occur more often. As the baby gets closer to birth, contractions grow closer together and, in some cases, may last longer.
Symptoms of labour pain in the 9th Month can include:

More Frequent Contractions

Contractions can be more painful and occur at constant intervals. If they are 5 minutes apart for over an hour, then the baby is ready for birth.

Water Breaking

A baby in the uterus is surrounded by amniotic fluid, which ruptures when the baby is ready to come out.

Extreme Pelvic Pressure

When the baby moves down the pelvic canal, one may feel a heavy feeling in this area.

Backache

The extra weight can put excessive pressure on the back, making it achy.

Nausea or Diarrhea

Some women experience vomiting or frequent loose stools during the 9th Month.

These labour pain symptoms often signal that your partner is close to entering active labour.

Different Ways to Support Your Partner During Labor

Being a supportive partner during labour means knowing the different stages of labour pain symptoms and how to empathize and help. Some ways to help your partner are:

Prepare for Delivery : Be completely ready for delivery by staying up to date with the labour plan and packing the hospital bag.
Massage Back & Shoulders : Gently massage their lower back and shoulders to relieve your partner. Moreover, applying a heating pad can help ease stress.
Help them Relax : Help your partner relax with breathing techniques, meditation, or simply playing soothing music that might ease the discomfort and distract them.
Positioning Assistance : As labour advances, changing positions can help ease discomfort and encourage the baby to move down the birth canal. Support your partner as they try different positions, such as standing, sitting, or lying on their side.
Reassure : Reassure your partner by saying encouraging words, such as they are doing really good, and additionally, wiping off their sweat, feeding them ice chips, etc.

When to Head to the Hospital

One of the most crucial things about labour support is knowing when to go to the hospital. Every birth is different, but here are a few signs your body is getting ready for labour and it may be time to head to the hospital:

Contractions Every 5 Minutes or Sooner : If the contractions are more often than every 60 seconds and precisely every 5 minutes, then go to the hospital.
Water Breaking : If the water breaks and the discharge is clear or contains trace amounts of blood, you should go to the hospital immediately.
Severe Pain : If the contractions are too painful, it then means the body is almost in the second stage of labour.

Common Myths about Labor Pain

There are many myths circulating about labour pain symptoms that can unnecessarily worry expectant parents:

Myth 1: "Labour always starts with your waters breaking."

Reality: Most women have contractions for hours or even days before their water breaks, or sometimes not at all.

Myth 2: "The pain will be unbearable."

Reality: Despite it being quite strong, it becomes bearable for the most part by many moms if they use the coping tools appropriate for their condition and experience proper support. If need be, there are the options of epidurals, among other pain management tools, too.

Myth 3: "Labor always follows a predictable pattern."

Reality: Every labour is quite different. Though there are general stages, the spacings between contractions as well as intensity, differ significantly with each birth.

Knowledge about the symptoms of labour pain and when it starts is one of the most important and best ways to support your partner. Emotional reassurance, comfort, and clear communication with healthcare providers all make the birth experience more positive and easy.

Moreover, the cost of pregnancy and overall delivery is quite expensive lately. Therefore, having a reliable health insurance coverage policy, such as Star Health can help reduce financial stress and other worries.

When is Labor Induced?

Labor pain symptoms might not occur naturally as they should, and in such cases, labor pain is induced by a medical expert. Labor is induced in cases like:

●You have surpassed your due date of delivery.
●Have underlying health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
●A water break occurred, but labor pain didn't follow.
●Low levels of amniotic fluid.

How Do You Deal With Labor at Home Without Medication?

A pregnant woman begins experiencing labor pain a few days to a few hours before the actual childbirth. Therefore, it is crucial to support the pregnant woman and help her find comfort at home without medication. However, in extreme cases, the medical expert might prescribe medication to bear labor pain before childbirth.

Following are some of how you can deal with labor pain at home without any medication:

●Engage in activities like shopping, watching movies, talking, etc., that you may find comforting and help you distract.
●Sit on the birth ball.
●Listen to some relaxing music.
●Dim the lights and use aromatherapy.
●Get a massage and try to sleep.
●Take a warm shower.

Labor pain is a natural process and is bound to occur before childbirth; however, in some cases, it might not happen as naturally as it should, and then it may be induced by a medical expert. Expecting mothers must have all the emotional and mental support along with physical ones to undergo healthy and safe childbirth.

Medical expenses incurred during childbirth can be a burden on your pockets while affecting your pleasant experience of welcoming a new one in your family. Thus, getting promising coverage, such as Star Health Maternity Policy, is wise and advisable, as it will allow you to incur all the medical expenses and ensure the best medical care for both the mother and the baby.

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FAQ

What are baby boy labor pain symptoms?

There are no different baby boy labor pain symptoms, as labour pain symptoms are similar for male and female infants.

What are the labor pain symptoms during the last month of pregnancy?

Symptoms of labor pain in the 9th month include backache, contractions, blood stains, water break, increased vaginal discharge, nausea, vomiting, lightning, and much more.

How does labor pain start?

Usually, labour pain begins with uterine contractions, and other symptoms like cramps, pressure in the pelvis, pain in the abdomen, backache, etc., follow.