Pregnancy Weeks 36-40
Now that you are in your 36th to 40th week of pregnancy, you probably have a lot of questions about labor and delivery. The following information has been prepared to help answer many of those questions.
By now you may have already had some signs of “false labor” or Braxton Hicks contractions. These contractions differ from true contractions in that they usually are not regular in occurrence and they often go away when you walk around. Signs of labor are different for every woman; some don’t even realize they are in the first stage of labor.
There are 3 main signs of labor that you should be aware of. Remember, these signs may appear in any order. A “pink show” or plug of mucous is usually the first sign that you may be going into labor soon. This “pink show” is a plug of mucous from your cervix. You may have one large plug of mucous with a small amount of blood or you may lose it over several days.
Another sign of labor is the loss of your “bag of water”, the membrane that surrounds the baby. This may be a slow trickle or a gush of warm water from your vagina. If either of these occurs you should contact your physician immediately. Do not be worried if this does not happen at all. Many times the doctor may break your “bag of water” after you are in labor at the hospital.
Contractions are usually the last sign that labor has begun. True contractions differ from Braxton Hicks or “false labor”. During early labor your contractions may feel like menstrual cramps or a backache. True contractions will not go away if you walk around or lie down. Once your contractions begin, you should not eat anything heavy. You may have clear liquids; water, broth, 7-up, jello, Sprite, and a light diet; toast, soup, crackers, scrambled eggs. To time your contractions you begin with the start of one contraction and end with the start of the next. This will tell you how far apart your contractions are. The length of the contraction is from the start of one contraction to the end of the same contraction. If this is your first baby, you should report to Labor and Delivery when your contractions have become 3-5 minutes apart, lasting in length for 30-60 seconds, and this has lasted for 1 hour. If you have had a previous delivery, you should report to Labor and Delivery when your contractions are 5-10 minutes apart, lasting in length for 30-60 seconds, and this lasting for 30 minutes, or as directed by your physician.
One thing you do not want to worry about at the time of labor is whether or not you are admitted to the hospital and whether or not your insurance will cover you and your baby’s stay. Please be sure you have pre-registered at the hospital and that you have spoken with your insurance company.
Again, this is just a general guide for you to use. If you have any questions please call our office at 397-6600. If you should need your physician after hours or on the weekend, please call our office number. The answering service will have your physician call you back.