{"id":17876,"date":"2023-10-12T11:00:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T16:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=17876"},"modified":"2023-10-12T11:20:43","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T16:20:43","slug":"when-to-go-to-the-hospital-for-labor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/when-to-go-to-the-hospital-for-labor\/","title":{"rendered":"When to go to the hospital for labor"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your due date is close, you know labor is coming soon. But, going into labor doesn\u2019t really look like it\u2019s often shown in the movies \u2013 a woman\u2019s water breaking with a dramatic splash, pregnancy hormones raging as she screams for pain relief<\/a>, and a baby that comes out looking five months old.<\/p>\n

The average labor and delivery for the first-time mother is 12-24 hours. Some last less than 12 hours, and some go longer than 24 hours \u2013 every labor is different. So, when you experience early labor signs, call your provider immediately for guidance and instructions. Here\u2019s what to look for.<\/p>\n

Are there signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away?<\/h2>\n

When looking for signs that labor is coming in the next day or two, keep in mind that, because every pregnancy is different, the signs of approaching labor don\u2019t really come with a timetable. These signs, however, are common early signs that labor just might start very soon.<\/p>\n

Nesting<\/h3>\n

When labor approaches, you may find yourself feeling energized and focused on readying your home for your new baby.<\/p>\n

Lightening, or dropping<\/h3>\n

You may notice you\u2019re carrying your baby lower in your belly than before. That\u2019s because baby is facing down and baby\u2019s head is moving toward the birth canal in preparation for delivery.<\/p>\n

Bloody show<\/h3>\n

Your cervix dilates to make room for delivering your baby. As the walls of the cervix begin to thin out in preparation for labor, the mucus plug that blocks the passage will break free and be discharged. Bloody show in pregnancy isn\u2019t entirely uncommon. Sometimes you\u2019ll see faint streaks of blood.<\/p>\n

How do you know the difference between your mucus plug vs. discharge? Your mucus plug, also called bloody show, is a pink-tinged discharge. It\u2019s more stringy and gelatinous than your typical vaginal discharge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you lose your mucus plug, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you’re going into labor,\u201d said Gina Demas, a supervisor for nursing and patient care at OSF HealthCare.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt could be within a few hours. It could be within a few days. It could not necessarily be related to labor at all. So, when you notify your provider, let them know that you lost your mucus plug.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is nausea a sign of labor?<\/h3>\n

Nausea can be a sign of approaching labor. But it can also be caused by several other things, making it a poor predictor of labor by itself.<\/p>\n

Diarrhea before labor is also common. Your body releases compounds called prostaglandins to help get labor started, and these prostaglandins can cause loose stool.<\/p>\n

When to go to the hospital for labor<\/h2>\n

Your last cervical exam may have shown signs that your body is gearing up for labor. You will start to experience regular contractions when the early stage of labor<\/a> begins. But you may experience contractions for hours before you need medical monitoring.<\/p>\n

For first-time mothers, health care providers typically want you to go to the hospital once your contractions are three to four minutes apart for two hours. If you\u2019ve given birth before, your labor is likely to move more quickly. That\u2019s why providers suggest going to the hospital once your contractions occur every five minutes for one hour.<\/p>\n

Your water breaking is another sign that your pregnancy has hit the labor stage. It\u2019s time to call your provider and go to the hospital.<\/p>\n

How do you know if your water bag \u2013 the sac of fluid that surrounds your baby inside the womb \u2013 has broken? Your discharge will be more watery than your usual pregnancy discharge. It could be clear, pink, yellow or brown, depending on what\u2019s happening with the baby inside your womb.<\/p>\n

Also, your underwear will continue to be damp because you won\u2019t be able to stop the leaking.<\/p>\n

How to time contractions<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Download a contraction tracker<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

A true labor contraction is felt in your back and all the way around your stomach.<\/p>\n

Labor contractions feel different, and are more painful, than Braxton Hicks contractions<\/a>, also known as false labor. Braxton Hicks feels like an uncomfortable cramp isolated to one part of your stomach or back.<\/p>\n

True contractions consistently occur every few minutes, becoming more painful and at shorter intervals. Braxton Hicks contractions happen irregularly and may even stop when you change positions.<\/p>\n

If your contractions aren\u2019t close enough to go to the hospital or you\u2019re having Braxton Hicks and the pain is uncomfortable, you can try to relieve some of the pain at home. Tennis balls can be used to roll across your back for temporary relief. Your provider will be able to offer other suggestions to alleviate back labor pain.<\/p>\n

Time your contractions by writing down when they start. Also, note the length of the contraction and the time that passes between the start of one contraction and the next.<\/p>\n

A contraction tracker can help you keep it organized.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If your due date is close, you know labor is coming soon. But, going into labor doesn\u2019t really look like it\u2019s often shown in the movies \u2013 a woman\u2019s water breaking with a dramatic splash, pregnancy hormones raging as she screams for pain relief, and a baby that comes out looking five months old. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":17879,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[117,1142,1118],"coauthors":[726],"class_list":["post-17876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birthing-center","tag-birth","tag-contractions","tag-labor"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat are the signs labor is 24 to 48 hours away? | OSF HealthCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Know when to go to the hospital with these signs you\u2019re about to give birth.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/when-to-go-to-the-hospital-for-labor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What are the signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Know when to go to the hospital with these signs you\u2019re about to give birth.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/when-to-go-to-the-hospital-for-labor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"OSF HealthCare Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/osfhealthcare\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-10-12T16:00:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-12T16:20:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/shutterstock_2198788403.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"OSF HealthCare\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"What are the signs that labor is 24 to 48 hours away?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Know when to go to the hospital with these signs you\u2019re about to give birth.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/shutterstock_2198788403.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@osfhealthcare\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@osfhealthcare\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"OSF HealthCare\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/when-to-go-to-the-hospital-for-labor\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/when-to-go-to-the-hospital-for-labor\/\",\"name\":\"What are the signs labor is 24 to 48 hours away? 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