True Vs. False Labour
Contractions that are irregular and stop when you rest are usually what type of labour?
False labour (Braxton Hicks)
What do many people describe contractions as feeling like?
Menstrual-like cramps or tightening
What is the pink or mucus-like discharge that may appear before labour called?
Bloody show
True or False: Your water always breaks before labour starts.
False
What is labour the process of?
Childbirth
What often helps relieve false labour contractions?
Rest, hydration, or changing position
How long do early labour contractions usually last?
About 30–70 seconds
Increased pelvic pressure late in pregnancy may mean the baby has done what?
Dropped lower into the pelvis
What is another term for water breaking?
Rupture of membranes
What does dilation mean?
Opening of the cervix
What key change separates true labour from false labour?
Cervical dilation and effacement
Pain that starts in the lower back and moves to the front may be a sign of what?
Back labour / true labour
What does lightening mean?
The baby drops into the pelvis
Water breaking may feel like a gush or a what?
Slow trickle
What muscles tighten and relax during contractions?
The uterus
True labour contractions cause changes to what part of the body?
The cervix
What two things should you track when timing contractions?
How long they last and how far apart they are
Why might urination increase after lightening?
The baby’s head presses on the bladder
What does amniotic fluid usually look like?
Clear or pale
Labour contractions help the cervix do what two things?
Dilate (open) and efface (thin)
Contractions that continue despite rest, hydration, or movement suggest what?
True labour
Where are Braxton Hicks contractions often felt?
In the front of the abdomen or groin
Name one body change that can happen hours to days before labour begins.
Lightening, backache, discharge, GI changes
What two pieces of information should you report to your provider if your water breaks?
The time it happened and the color of the fluid.
Why are contractions important during labour?
They help move the baby through the birth canal