Early Signs of Labor at 37 Weeks: What to Expect

Question
i am 37 weeks pregnant and i was just wondering if you could list some starting signs of labor for me.  my water hasn't broke and no mucus plug, but i have heard of diarrhea, baby movement, etc.  could you please clarify these?  
thank you,
dawn

Answer
Hello Dawn- it does not sound like you took any prenatal classes. That was very foolish- you will find labor much more of a challenge than it needs to be. At 37 weeks you will most likely have another 2-3 weeks without signs of labor-- your baby will NOT be ready until at least 40 weeks. In the last couple of weeks you may notice that your belly has "dropped"- you will be able to take a deeper breath, eat a little more at each meal but also need to empty your bladder more often. The settling of the baby lower into your pelvis is a sign that the lower third of your uterus is softening in preparation for labor. You may notice that the "practice" contractions happen more often and feel gradually stronger. I hope your water does NOT pop until you are far along in labor- 8-10 cm.- it helps protect the baby's head during labor. You may notice some pink mucus when labor is starting- the beginnings of your mucus plug. It will continue to shed in small bits over many hours- if you could see the whole thing at one time you would see about a half cup of material- most of it comes away at about 8cm. of dilation and you won't even notice it.You MAY have loose BMs when labor is going to happen in the next 24 hours- not everyone does. Baby movements generally slow down as labor approaches- but not always. Hope that helps- Cheri.