Pre-labor is when your body is getting ready for labor, it is like warming-up before a workout. You may feel excited, discouraged, tired, or even not notice the pre-labor at all.
While many women giving birth for the first time don't even notice the pre-labor, some do. You may feel contractions and think you are in labor, want to pack your bags and rush to the hospital or prepare for your home birth. Before you rush anywhere or try to get everything ready, start timing your contractions. There are many free and easy to use apps to time contractions, you can also write them down. Tracking them for an hour will help you to know if it is labor or not. If the contractions are not getting longer, stronger and closer together you are probably in pre- labor. The warm-up can stop and go for hours, even days. You may feel excited, tired and/or discouraged, wondering when labor will start. Remember that labor is not far away. A long pre-labor is nothing to be alarmed about, it is a normal birthing process for women who are 38+ weeks pregnant with low risks. This means that your cervix is beginning to soften, move forward and thin, but unlikely to dilate more than 2-3 cm. Always contact your caregiver if you are 37 weeks pregnant or less, and if you are having a high risk pregnancy with possible complications.
If you are in pre-labor, you will need to be patient because you don't know how long it will be before labor begins. I have put together a list of things and activities that can help:
Watch your favorite movie or a fun show,
Take short walks,
Cook or bake something that you can freeze, then you will have food ready for after birth,
Take a long shower or bath while listening to relaxing music,
Read a book aloud with your partner,
Call a friend or family member,
Browse album photos,
Go for a lunch date,
Try to sleep,
Ask your partner to give you a massage, etc.
You can do a lot to distract yourself. Focusing on pre-labor can make it seem longer or feel more uncomfortable than it actually is.
Always call you caregiver if you are unsure or have questions. As soon as the contractions get stronger, longer and closer together, give a call to your midwife and follow the 4-1-1 rule to find out when to go to the hospital or birth center. This will prevent you from going to the hospital too soon with the possibility of being sent home or being admitted with an increased risk of interventions.
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