If you’ve been talking to women who have given birth, you might be confused about how you’ll know when it’s YOUR time and if you are actually having your baby.

Every delivery experience is a bit different, so there’s almost no way to be 100% certain what your own experience will be like. But, there are a few common clues that you can look for. Here are five of the most common…

1. Sudden Burst of Energy

Throughout most of your pregnancy, you’ll be more tired than normal. You’ll want to take more naps, sleep in more often and go to bed early. However, this often changes just before you go into labour.

Many times, you’ll experience a sudden burst of energy which seems to come from out of nowhere. If this happens during the final months of your pregnancy, there’s a good chance you’ll be going into labour soon.

2.It’s Suddenly Easier to Breath

During most of your pregnancy, you’ll notice that your breathing is more strenuous than normal. This is because of the pressure of your baby’s body pressing against your diaphragm.

However, just before going into labour, your baby will drop down closer to your pelvis and relieve some of this pressure. So if you find that you can suddenly breathe easier, this might be a sign that you’re going into labour.

3.Labour Contractions

Labour contractions are a very telling sign that you’re about to give birth. How can you tell a labour contraction? First, of all they’re consistent. You can expect to have one of them about every 8 minutes. Labour contractions will also become longer and more intense as they progress.

Most importantly, labour contractions will be persistent. Regardless of how you reposition your body, they’ll continue to become more frequent and more difficult to ignore.

4.Your Water Breaks

This is how it always happens in movies. The woman says “Oh, my water just broke!” and off they go to the hospital. But in real life, this only happens to about one in ten women.

Most often, your water will break when you’re at home, often while you’re in bed. It will be hard not to notice. So if you’re one of the few women who experiences this certain sign, consider yourself lucky.

5.Cervix Dilation

Cervix dilation is your cervix opening in preparation for giving birth. This is often how your health care provider will confirm that you’re actually going into labour.

As with contractions, cervix dilation will become more noticeable as your labour progresses. Full cervix dilation, about 10 centimeters, means you’re just on the cusp of giving birth.

How Can You Know for Sure?

The best way to be 100% confident of when you’re going into labour is to educate yourself and to be aware of what’s happening with your body. This is why having a good health care provider is so important.

Don’t have a health care provider yet? We can help. Just fill in the contact form on contact us page, or call us at 02 4959 3883 to set up your first appointment.