It will feel as if your baby has dropped lower in your abdomen. This happens when your baby's head settles deeper into your pelvis. This occurs a few weeks to a few hours before labor begins.

You may pass a thick plug of cervical mucus or have an increase of vaginal discharge that may look clear, slightly bloody, or pink. The mucus plug is pushed into the vagina when the cervix begins to open. This may occur several days before labor begins or during the onset of labor.

You may feel a continuous trickle or a gush of fluid from your vagina. This is caused when the amniotic sac breaks, releasing the fluid that surrounded your baby during pregnancy. The water may break before labor starts, or it may not break until after labor has begun.

When regular contractions occur, you may actually be going into labor. Effective labor contractions (as opposed to false labor contractions) are usually felt in the abdomen, but with a heavy sense of low-back pressure or discomfort.

When you actually go into labor, you will experience the following signs:

• Contractions that come at regular intervals and last about 30-40 seconds. The contractions will get closer and closer together.
• Contractions that do not go away when you move around.
• Pain from the contractions that may be felt in the back and the front of your abdomen.

During the first stage of labor, regular contractions begin causing the cervix to dilate. At the end of the first stage, your cervix will be completely dilated. The first stage of labor consists of a latent phase and an active phase. In the latent phase, your cervix slowly dilates up to three or four centimeters—a process that can take eight or more hours. It is marked by fairly mild contractions that last about 30-40 seconds and shorten to about five minutes apart.

The active first stage of labor starts when your cervix is about three centimeters dilated and lasts until you are fully dilated. Contractions become more intense and closer together. The contractions become increasingly more painful. Some women request painkilling drugs and some women get an epidural to decrease pain. During this phase, you may want to change positions frequently, sit up, begin controlled breathing, or even get up and walk around. A warm bath or shower may help you relax. You will also benefit from coaching and support, which will help to increase relaxation.

At the end of the active first stage, contractions become very intense, about two to three minutes apart, and last from 60 to 90 seconds each. You will need to concentrate on your breathing and will benefit from a lot of coaching. During this phase, you may experience the following signs:

• Hot and cold flashes
• Irritability
• Sensitivity to the environment
• Nausea or vomiting
• Leg cramps
• The urge to push

The second stage of labor starts when your cervix is fully dilated to 10 centimeters. Contractions will be very strong and painful, will last about 60 seconds, and will come at intervals of about two to three minutes. You will have an intense urge to push. This stage can last anywhere from a few minutes to up to a few hours for a first-time mother. You may feel a stretching or burning sensation as the baby's head is pushed out of your vagina. At the end of the second stage of labor, after your baby is born, you will feel greatly relieved and excited.

The third stage of labor directly follows delivery and ends with the delivery of the placenta, usually within 30 minutes of the birth. During this stage, your uterus will contract and expel the placenta and membranes that have surrounded the fetus in your uterus. You will feel mild contractions that are very different from labor contractions. During these contractions, you may be encouraged to push. You also may be given intravenous oxytocin to assist uterine contractions.

After the placenta is delivered, you may need some sutures placed to close any tears that occurred during delivery. You will also be closely monitored for complications, such as bleeding and infection.