39 Weeks Pregnant: Is Labor Imminent? - Signs & What to Expect

Question
My name is Belinda, I am 19 years old, and I am 39 weeks pregnant. My due date is June 21st 2005 and I'm having a boy.  My question for you is: Will I be going into labor soon and if so how soon? My reasoning for this question is because I have been 1 and 1/2 cent. dialated for the last 3 weeks and I have been experiencing extreme lower back pain, a lot of abdominal and pelvic crampiness, and I am extremely tired all of a sudden. Could this be the onset of labor and is so how soon will it be?  

Answer
Usually, you will go into labor by your due date. Some women can go into labor from one week prior to the due date until one week after the due date. You can dilate up to 4cm before you actually go into labor. When you start to go into labor, you will start to have contractions in your back which radiate around to your lower abdomen. Then they will radiate to your belly button. When you are having contractions at the level of your belly button that come every 3 minutes (from the start of one to the start of the next one) and each contraction stays hard for at least 45 seconds, you are in labor. I can't predict when you will start going into labor. Some women do not go into labor until 42 weeks gestation (two weeks after the due date). That is fine also. Don't worry.