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Almost until the last moment before giving birth, your body is preparing to give birth to a baby. There are many needed changes to make it easier for you to bring your baby into the world. Check what symptoms predict the upcoming delivery.

Althoughpregnancyis considered to be fully termed after38. week ,childbirthwithout complications may occur even two weeks earlier. Usually, a little younger baby is capable of independent existence after birth (breathing, sucking, excreting, etc.). However, when you welcome them to the world depends on many factors. Also on how prepared you are for the hardships of childbirth. So your pregnancy can last up to 42 weeks, and you may be fine. Nature knows best when to end it.

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For every expectant mother it is important to know which week of pregnancy she is in. If you want to calculate the week of pregnancy and due date, use our calculator.

What you want to know:

Hormonal changes before childbirth

Of course, hormonal changes occur throughout pregnancy. Now, however, they are geared towards childbirth. For a baby to pass safely through the birth canal, the uterus must contract and the cervix must open efficiently. Already 4-6 weeks before giving birth, the neck should fluff, become soft and prone to opening. Many hormonal substances (progesterone, estrogens, oxytocin and prostaglandins) are responsible for these processes. At the end of pregnancy, they are not only intensively produced, but also the reaction to the presence of these compounds changes.

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For example: the cervix becomes sensitive to prostaglandins only around the time of delivery. It's a valuable mechanism: not only are prostaglandins produced by the mother's body, but also in male sperm. In the case of a properly running pregnancy, the cervix remains indifferent to it until about the 38th week, so you can make love to your heart's content without the risk of premature birth. The intense production of hormones can cause excessive sleepiness. So rest as much as possible, especially since sometimes beautiful, colorful dreams are "side effects" of the changes taking place.

Uterus training before labor

At the end of pregnancy, the uterus weighs about a kilogram. She no longer grows like a baby, which is why you stopped gaining weight. A few weeks before delivery, the bottom of the uterus, which has been steadily upward until now, lowers. It is not only the effect of gravity or the weight of the muscle itself, but rather the activity of its contents, i.e. a sweet baby. A big baby, or more precisely its head, is positioned in the upper part of the birth canal. It is so big that it influences the position and shape of the uterus. This change will make it easier for you to breathe, because the tummy will "come down" a bit, but its new position may cause more frequent urination, difficulty moving or pain in the perineum.

To reduce the number of visits to the toilet, it is worth avoiding diuretics (e.g. coffee and tea), but it is not advisable to drink smaller amounts of other fluids (e.g. water, juices). Before the uterus starts working intensively during labor, it must train a little. That is why its tension and hardening, which often occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy (the so-called Braxton-Hicks contractions or predictive contractions), may become stronger before delivery. Painless uterine contraction can last up to two minutes, although one contraction usually takes less than 30 seconds. When you additionally feel abdominal pain or pains in the area of ​​the lower back - most likely labor has started.

The mucus plug leaves the vagina before delivery

Usually, the birth announces the departure from the vagina of the mucus plug, i.e. the thick secretion that used to close the cervix. A thick mucus plug during pregnancy protected the baby from infections. Now, before delivery, the mucus plug is pushed out of the cervix to make room for the newborn baby. If the plug (like a thick ball of mucus) is colorless or whitish, it usually takes a few days for delivery. If stained with blood, within 24 hours.

Then go to the hospital. Each bleeding should be consulted with a specialist. If it is not a childbirth yet and the mucus plug has been expelled, some doctors recommend that you give up sexual intercourse as there is a risk of infection. Any change in vaginal discharge before delivery should be of interest to you, because not only the classic plug heralds the end of pregnancy - vaginal mucus may become more abundant and thicker than before. The thin pink "threads" in the mucus are the result of the rupture of individual blood vessels - a natural process when the cervix is ​​shortened and opened. It means that you are only hours away from giving birth. However, if blood particles appeared after sexual intercourse or a gynecological examination,the wait may be extended.

Intestinal cleansing before delivery

If you are expecting childbirth at any moment and you have unexpected digestive system problems, it is probably not a symptom of poisoning. Loose stools and strong intestinal contractions are signs that your body is cleansing itself before birth. The residual fecal matter may hinder the labor operation, which is why wise nature gives you such cleaning up. Spontaneous cleansing usually occurs the day before or on the day of delivery.

Other symptoms of upcoming delivery

A stressful, albeit miraculous, event ahead of you. The mixture of euphoria, boredom, sadness and fear is not only the result of a hormone storm. It is most natural in the face of the changes and stress that await you. So don't forget to relax. Did you know that pregnancy is often prolonged in women who are terrified of giving birth because they subconsciously block the processes in the brain necessary for childbirth? So think positively, listen to music, take a walk, meet friendly people, and it will end sooner the unbearable waiting.

Trying to predict your due date by observing your own emotions is not easy. You've been going through a mood swing for so many months now. If, however, you unexpectedly overcome your fatigue and want to clean, arrange, buy, or "make a nest", you will probably welcome your baby soon. On the day you give birth, you may feel extremely nervous or anxious for no obvious reason. A sign of impending labor is also a feeling of extreme exhaustion, vague fear, depression. But usually the very next day after giving birth you won't remember it. All you have to do is take your treasure in your arms.

"M jak mama" monthly

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Childbirth