Pre-Labour

What is pre-labour?

Pre-labour is your body letting you know it’s nearly time to have your baby. Signs include, ‘lightening’, as your baby drops into your pelvis, changes in pressure as your baby shifts nearer to birth position, twinges and pain in your belly and feeling increasingly tired. You may notice your weight stabilising as your body feels it has gained enough padding for birth – it may even drop slightly.

You may also feel more sensitive to foods as your body temperature increases slightly, have a funny tummy or feel queasy. Diarrhoea is often reported in the few hours before labour begins.

Braxton Hicks

Some women have Braxton Hicks for weeks before the birth, and even earlier in pregnancy. AS birth draws closer, these may become more frequent and feel more painful, even though they are still not the real deal.