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How does a woman know she's in labor? What are the early signs?
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Having regular contractions (four to six times each hour lasting 30 to 60 seconds) is usually the first sign. They usually start with mild cramping and gain in intensity.
If you notice that one hour goes by and you have six contractions, and then the next hour goes by and you have 10 contractions, and you're noticing that there is actually a pattern — every 10 minutes or every five minutes — you should call your doctor to let them know what's going on.
Another sign that labor is near could be the loss of the mucus plug. The mucus plug is a large amount of mucus (contains blood) that passes some time between two weeks and a few days before labor begins.
A woman’s water may break before contractions begin, either as a small trickle of fluid or a large gush. Usually when that happens, women are aware and call their doctor right away.
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