Birthing Naturally Books

Materials to nurture your spiritual life through childbearing.

Christian Childbirth Handbook

Pre-Labor

The process of giving birth begins weeks before you feel the contractions that make you catch your breath. Your body and your baby's body will both be preparing for the upcoming event in ways you may not even notice. If you notice the work before labor begins, it is called pre-labor, false labor, or prodromal labor. To work through pre-labor, you will need to have mastered the principle of peace.

Throughout your pregnancy, your body has been producing a hormone called Corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH). Near the end of pregnancy, larger amounts of this hormone are being released by the placenta and your baby. This does two things. First it signals an increase in estrogen production by the placenta, necessary to prepare your body for labor. Second, it signals your baby's lungs to mature, necessary to prepare your baby for labor.

The increased estrogen causes your uterus to become more sensitive to oxytocin, a hormone that causes contractions. At the same time, your baby's brain and the placenta respond to the hormones by increasing oxytocin production. As these changes are happening, you may find yourself feeling more frequent and prolonged series of Braxton-Hicks contractions. Generally these contractions are mild and irregular, lasting less than 45 seconds. It is also common for these contractions to stop or slow down if you change your activity. Contractions may stop and start several times as the hormone levels increase.

Higher levels of estrogen also signal an increase in prostaglandin levels. Prostaglandins help soften and efface (thin) the cervix (opening of the uterus) to make it ready for the stretching necessary to allow your baby to be born. Prostaglandins stimulate the contractions you have been feeling to become stronger. As your cervix softens, you may find the increased contractions achieve some dilation during this time of pre-labor. Some women have enough dilation before labor begins to release the mucus plug (tissue formed to seal the cervix during pregnancy), and others find the cervix opens enough to begin to see bloody mucus known as bloody show.

At the same time, your body will increase its production of relaxin, a hormone responsible for the relaxation of the ligaments and cartilage of the pelvis. This makes it possible for your pelvis to stretch to accommodate your baby's head. As your pelvis becomes more flexible, the pressure of your baby's head is able to stretch it. You may feel pressure on your pubic bone or notice your baby "dropped" deeper into your pelvis. It is common for dropping (or lightening) to relieve some of the pressure on your lungs or stomach, but increase the pressure on your bladder. Because the relaxin is distributed to your entire body, you may find yourself feeling loose or wobbly in all your joints.

Your vagina also prepares to give birth to your baby. The vagina is designed in a way that allows it to open, similar to the way the petals of a flower open. As labor approaches, vaginal tissues become more elastic allowing even more stretch to accommodate the baby. You may find the cervical mucus secreted from your vagina becomes thinner in texture and more abundant.

As labor nears and the placenta ages, it begins to allow larger molecules into your baby's blood. This allows antibodies and immunoglobulins to get to your baby, increasing her protection against disease and illness. Your body also prepares for your baby's birth by producing more colostrum, which you may or may not leak from your breasts. Colostrum is valuable for your baby because it contains your antibodies, which can help prevent your baby from becoming sick.

In addition to the maturation of his lungs, your baby is also preparing for labor by storing iron and fat. The extra iron helps supply baby's needs while breastfeeding. The extra fat helps baby maintain his body temperature, and also helps supply calorie needs until your milk comes in.

It is common for mothers to become anxious or excited, reacting to every contraction as if it is the start of active labor. It is also common for mothers to become physically and emotionally drained as they go through several cycles of contractions that end without the baby being born. Mother's who are uncomfortable in pregnancy can become impatient for labor to begin, looking for ways to speed the process of labor starting. These physical changes are important to the health of your baby and for your ability to give birth successfully. For that reason, it is important for you to have peace as this process takes place.

Peace throughout pre-labor allows you to remain calm and active regardless of the presence or absence of labor signals. Peace allows you to sleep through contractions.

Peace lets you go on with your daily activities even though contractions come and go.

Peace allows you to live your life until real labor demands your attention. Peace is important when you are frustrated that labor won't start. Peace is important when you are afraid of the upcoming labor.

Peace is not everything perfect. Peace is being able to do what you know you need to do regardless of what is or is not happening to prepare your body for labor. Peace is trusting you can take a nap and any work will be done. Peace is being comfortable enough with the process you neither rush it nor avoid it. Peace is knowing this can be a frustrating and exhausting part of pregnancy, but God will give you the strength to get through it. Peace is letting God be in control, and staying willing to do the things you need to do every day.

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