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Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Signs of Labor
"How do I know if I'm in labor?" As you get closer to your due date, this question becomes the most common concern for many women. Recognizing the signs of labor can prepare you for the delivery of your baby.
You have contractions
A contraction is a tightening of the uterine muscle that becomes frequent or regular as labor begins. It might feel like cramping or pressure in the uterus. If you feel contractions regularly every 10 to 15 minutes, especially if they do not go away with a change of activity, your labor has probably started. Count your contractions to determine whether or not your labor has started.
How to count contractions:
- Place your hands on your belly, over your uterus and feel for a tightening, then a relaxing (softening) of your uterus. In early labor, contractions last between 20 to 60 seconds.
- The tightening sensation should be felt over the entire uterus.
- Measure the length of time from the start of one contraction to the start of the next one. You are having a contraction if your uterus stays tight for 30 seconds or more and then repeats.
- It is normal for most women to have Braxton Hicks contractions (formerly called false labor contractions) throughout pregnancy. Braxton Hicks contractions do not usually come in a rhythmic pattern and do not continue for more than an hour. They can be painful, but often disappear if you change your activity.
- If you have a contraction every 5 minutes or more for more than an hour, you may be in labor.
Your water breaks
The "water" is really amniotic fluid, which fills your uterus during pregnancy and surrounds your baby. For 15 percent of women, their water breaks just before labor begins.
- This usually happens close to the due date and means labor will start within a day. However, for some women, it can happen much earlier.
- It feels like a gush of fluid from the vagina, or a steady trickle of fluid if the bag only has a leak.
- Usually the fluid is clear with a pink or straw-colored tinge.
If your water breaks or if you think you might be leaking fluid, call and report the time and color of the fluid to Labor and Delivery.
You have bloody discharge
If you have pink or bloody vaginal discharge or blood-tinged mucus (called a bloody show), you might be starting labor. However, this can occur 2 to 3 weeks before you actually go into labor. Tell us at your next visit if you think this has happened to you.
Your baby drops
If this is your first delivery, the baby might begin to settle into your pelvis up to 3 weeks before you go into labor. This is called lightening. If you have had a baby before, you might not experience lightening until you go into labor.
Your baby's movements change
At the end of your pregnancy, the baby becomes more crowded and the amount of movement might change. However, the baby should still be rolling, kicking, or squirming throughout the day and night.
Call our local Labor and Delivery department now if:
- You have heavy bleeding similar to a menstrual period.
- Your baby's movement has slowed down compared to the usual amount of activity.
- Your baby has not moved at all.
Related Health Tools:
Prepare for Your Procedure
- Childbirth (Emmi) Childbirth (Emmi)
- C-Section (Emmi) C-Section (Emmi)
- Pain Relief for Childbirth (Emmi) Pain Relief for Childbirth (Emmi)
- Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC) (Emmi) Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC) (Emmi)
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.