9 Early Signs Your Baby Is On The Way

If you’re finding yourself unable to sit down because you have the urge to clean, that could be a sign that the baby will be here sooner than later. “Most of the time just prior to labor nesting and cleaning the house instinctually starts,” Dr. Friedman says. It might feel like a burst of energy, and Dr. Friedman says it may even feel counterintuitive since you’re typically told to rest during this time. However, it’s your body’s natural way of preparing for the arrival of the baby.

A paper published by The Journal of Perinatal Education, indicates that in the weeks leading up to labor, expecting moms may notice their belly “drop” a bit as the baby turns its head down and starts preparing for birth. This is often more noticeable for first time moms.

In an email to Romper, Dr. Felice Gersh, M.D., OB-GYN and author of PCOS SOS Fertility Fast Track, explains that expecting moms may experience a “bloody show” as their body starts preparing for labor. “‘Blood show’ is a term that is used to describe the loss of the cervical mucus plug,” she says, “[which] often occurs prior to the onset of labor.” When this happens there could be “bleeding .. [and] leaking of smelling liquid [that’s] slightly yellow with white particles,” Dr. Friedman says. This is all normal, however, Dr. Friedman notes that if you notice significant bleeding that is bright red and/or clotting you should contact your healthcare provider right away.

You’ve probably been told that you’ll experience contractions at regular intervals once you’re in labor, but your body will start practicing well before that. “Lower abdominal or back pains which can be very irregular [are called] Braxton-Hicks contractions,” explains Dr. Friedman. You can typically tell these are practice contractions because when you time them, they’re not evenly spaced out. “Usually they are like a tightening of the abdomen and get progressively more painful like those of a bad menstrual cramp,” says Dr. Friedman, “When the pains get regular, usually every 15-20 minutes, it’s time to start making plans and calls.”

In addition to the possible visual evidence of the baby dropping, Dr. Gersh says you may notice some physical symptoms, too. “Feeling lots of pelvic pressure as the baby’s head descends further into the pelvis” is common in the days leading up to labor, and can be an early sign that the baby is getting ready to be on its way.

In some cases, your water breaking could be one of your earliest signs of labor. “There can be a slow leak which a sanitary pad can absorb,” explains Dr. Friedman, “or a gush of lots of liquid, which is about 85% true breaking of the water.” Whether it’s a slow leak or a big gush, when it happens you’ll want to call your healthcare provider to be evaluated and likely make your way to labor and delivery.

Labor happens in various stages, and even though you might not be experiencing regular contractions or any other telltale sign of labor, when your cervix starts dilating and effacing, you’re entering the latent phase which lasts until you’re around 6 cm dilated, according to a review by the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. Typically, in the weeks leading up to your due date, your healthcare provider will regularly check your cervix for dilation and effacement, and one of those checks could be your first sign that labor is getting close.