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Signs of labor: Know what to expect
Content
Effacement: Thinning of the cervix
Dilation: Opening of the cervix
Increase in vaginal discharge
Nesting: Spurt of energy
Feeling the baby has dropped lower
Rupture of membranes: Your water breaks
Contractions: When labor pains begin
Expect false alarms
Effacement: Thinning of the cervix
Dilation: Opening of the cervix
Increase in vaginal discharge
Nesting: Spurt of energy
Feeling the baby has dropped lower
Rupture of membranes: Your water breaks
Contractions: When labor pains begin
Expect false alarms
Feeling the baby has dropped lower
Lightening is the term used to describe when the baby's head settles deep into your pelvis. This might cause a change in the shape of your abdomen. This change can happen anywhere from a few weeks to a few hours before labor begins.
