This page looks at the way your body gets ready for labour and how you know labour is starting. 

The show, and other signs you’re getting ready for labour

During the last days and weeks of your pregnancy, you may notice your baby getting lower and pressing on your bladder more, and perhaps making walking more tiring. On the other hand, this may give your lungs a little more space which can reduce breathlessness when active. A first baby is likely to move down and stay down, while if you’ve had a baby before there can be more movement.

Some women report ‘nesting’ behaviour in the days before labour starts when they have a sudden burst of energy to organise or make changes to the home. Others are happier to mostly rest. A grown baby, plus water, plus a placenta - it’s a lot to carry around.

You may have a ‘show’. This is where the jelly-like substance which has been plugging the neck of your womb starts to come away. You may notice a lump of mucus, which can be creamy, pale yellow, and streaked with red or brown blood. It’s not beautiful but can be exciting. After a show, it could still be a couple of weeks or more before your labour starts, but it’s part of the process.

Your digestive system may empty out. For some, the first sign will be loose bowels, and perhaps being sick. This can happen one or two days before labour starts. It’s important to keep eating and drinking as you need your energy. You probably want to avoid large meals and rich food at this point. Of course, you may be having these symptoms for other reasons, especially if you feel unwell. Call your midwife if you are concerned.

Labour can start in different ways, and just as every baby is unique, every labour will unfold slightly differently.

There are three main signs that labour is starting:

You are probably used to You may notice tightening’s in your bump practice tightening’s (Braxton Hicks) from the last few weeks. These are different. Early labour tightening’s develop into longer, stronger, and more regular labour contractions. Some women prefer to think of tightening’s and contractions as surges or waves as this makes them easier to welcome. Early labour tightening’s might be:

  • More like period cramps than anything you’ve felt in a while
  • Stronger than practice tightening’s 
  • Lasting longer than practice tightening’s
  • Coming predictably after a set amount of time 

You may find you need to stop what you’re doing when they come and just give yourself a moment. They might last a few seconds, or they might last half a minute or more. The gap between could be a few minutes, or it could be half an hour or even longer. Contraction tracker apps are useful to keep a note of the pattern.

Early labour tightening’s will develop into long, strong, regular labour contractions but this can take up to a couple of days, especially with a first baby. It is also normal for the early labour tightening’s to ease off.

This is not unusual, and the important thing is to remind yourself that it won’t last forever. Concentrate on saving your energy for when things do move to the next phase.

In a film, mothers always seem to know instinctively when this is happening. In reality, you may be uncertain. The fluid may come out in a gush, or it is often a trickle. A gush makes it obvious, but with a trickle, it is much harder to know. Some women feel or hear a ‘pop’, while many don’t. Watery vaginal discharge is normal for many women in late pregnancy, which can make it harder to be sure.

Early labour contractions sometimes feel more like waves of backache, and less like tightening’s in the bump. This is more common when the baby’s back is lined up with your back, rather than curling into the front of your bump. Forward leaning positions are fantastic in early labour. You might want to be on your hands and knees for the contractions or sitting and leaning. A birth ball can be ideal, with something sturdy such as the back of the sofa in front of you to hold. If you feel tired, you can lie down on your side with your bump, tipped down towards the cushions or mattress.

When to call a midwife

Call the number you have been given when:

  • The contractions are getting longer, stronger and more regular
  • or your waters are leaking
  • or you have any concerns

Going to a birth centre or obstetric unit too early can raise the chance of needing more interventions. For this reason, while the pattern of labour indicates the early stage, you are likely to be advised to continue at home. It is useful to have the call though, to let the team know how you are getting on.

If your waters are leaking, you will be invited for an assessment. If the waters are clear and your baby is moving well, this is reassuring. You can discuss the best timing for the assessment with your team.

If you’re having contractions without water leaking, you will be asked to call back once contractions are long, strong and regular. This is the sign that you are reaching ‘active labour’, also called ‘established labour’. In active labour, the neck of the womb is opening. This is the stage where regular or continuous monitoring of the baby is advised and your midwife will travel to you for homebirth, or you will travel to the birth centre or obstetric unit. 

When you have had a baby before, it is possible that things can start very quickly, and you may have little warning before being in active labour. It is, of course, very normal for things to start slowly too. Labour is well-known for being unpredictable!

Signs you are in ‘active’ labour:

  • Contractions generally last 45 seconds to one minute or more
  • It is usually difficult to talk during a contraction
  • From the start of one contraction to the start of the next will generally have shortened to be just a few minutes

Call or call back if you think it is ‘active labour’ or if you have any concerns.  If you experience any of these, then call your unit urgently:

  • Signs of labour before you reach 37 weeks of pregnancy
  • Bleeding from the vagina that is not a show 
  • Waters leaking before you reach 37 weeks of pregnancy
  • Waters leaking at any time which have a green or brown tint
  • Pain from your bump which is constant, not coming and going