A baby before week 37, is considered to be premature. Most premature babies are born after week 22. The later your baby is born, the better he is likely to do. A baby born later has more developed organs, and is better able to suck and feed. Premature babies often spend some time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) before they are able to go home. Premature babies have an increased risk of suffering from health problems.

Around 8% of babies are born premature in the UK, and this number rises to 12.5% in the US. If you are having a healthy low-risk pregnancy, your baby is most likely to be born at term. Less than 2% of healthy singleton pregnancies end in premature labor in the UK.

Your risk of premature labor increases if you:

• are carrying more than one baby
• are underweight or overweight
• smoke
• use recreational drugs
• have had a premature baby in the past
• lack prenatal support
• work long hours in a physically demanding job

How to avoid premature labor

Unfortunately, there aren’t any hard and fast rules for how to avoid premature labor, however there are things you can do to greatly reduce your risk of going into labor too soon:

• stop smoking, drinking alcohol and using drugs
• eat a healthy, balanced diet
• maintain a healthy weight gain
• start prenatal care as soon as you find out you’re pregnant
• take your prenatal vitamins
• stay hydrated
• empty your bladder regularly
• get tested – if you are high-risk for a premature birth, ask your healthcare provider to screen you for possible causes. Knowledge is key to prevention.

If you go into premature labor

If you think you may be in premature labor, ring your healthcare provider immediately. If your waters break, or if you are having contractions before week 37, contact your healthcare provider without delay. They should ask you to go in to be checked out. Around half of all cases of suspected premature labor end with the mum-to-be being sent home once the labor symptoms stop.

If your labor has really started though, what happens next will depend on the prematurity of your baby. Very premature babies require steroid injections to speed up lung development before the birth. Your doctor may try to delay labor for as long as possible, buying the baby extra development time in your uterus.

Premature labor and birth can be very scary experiences, and you will need the support of your partner, friends and family at times. Your healthcare provider is best placed to offer advice and support during this time, and will be able to answer any of your questions.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

If you’re hoping to have a natural birth, it’s a good idea to plan in advance how you want to manage the pain of labor. While these methods won’t rid you of the discomfort of contractions, they will help you get through. And that’s really all you need to do – get through one contraction at a time.

Try a new way of breathing – take a deep breath in through your nose and blow it out your mouth, relaxing your muscles on the outbreath. Focus on your breathing, not your contractions. Try counting as you breathe in and breathe out to the same number or imagine the air coming in as one color and going out as another, more relaxing, color. At the peak of a contraction, it might be necessary to change the pace of your breathing (not many people can maintain slow, deep breaths through pain). To practice this, start by placing your hands on your abdomen and breathe in as if the air is going the whole way to your hands, then breath out again. Now place your hands on your chest, and imagine the breaths in only going to that level – this is the level of breathing you might need at the hardest part of each contraction. Once the peak has passed, you can go back to the abdominal breaths.

Get a hand massage – let your birth partner support your hand and focus on his or her touch. He or she can make small circles all over your palm, stroke from wrist to fingertips, massage each finger separately, or squeeze your whole hand tightly. Use some massage oil to improve the effectiveness of the movements, and to keep your skin from getting chapped. Choose scented oil for the additional value of aromatherapy.

Follow the maze – consider placing a maze or labyrinth image on the wall, and as the contraction starts, work your way through it visually. If you’re laboring at home, you can even set up a labyrinth to walk if you have enough space inside or outside.

Color away your tension – coloring books aren’t just for kids! Find a book of mandalas or patterns, choose colored pencils or felt tipped pens, and color to your heart’s content. Coloring allows you to enter a meditative state, and can ease stress and help you maintain focus. You may even be able to find a book meant just for the purpose of childbirth.

Shake your booty – dance through your contractions. Put on some energizing music and sway your hips or put on some slow jams and dance closely with your partner. The movement will help baby move into a favorable position for birth, and will help you lessen the pain of each contraction.

No one method will work throughout labor, so plan to use more than one. What other methods can you think of to help get you through one contraction at a time?

Written by Michelle, lactation consultant, Lamaze instructor, writer and editor, and mom to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

If you’re anxiously waiting for the birth of your first child, you’re probably wondering what signs of labour to look out for. As your due date approaches, you may be over analysing every twinge to discover whether labour is imminent. Don’t forget, only five percent of babies are born on their due date, so you may have a little longer left to wait.

The following signs of labour may help you to identify when labour has begun:

The show

Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those ‘give birth on national television’ scenarios, it’s simply the name given to losing your mucus plug. The mucus plug has been sitting at the entrance to your uterus since the pregnancy began, keeping your uterus sterile for the baby. As your cervix begins to soften and dilate, the mucus plug can become dislodged. You may notice a heavy vaginal discharge, this could be tinged brown or red. Alternatively, you may be completely unaware that you have lost your mucus plug.

Waters breaking

Only around 10 percent of women notice their waters breaking before the onset of labour. For most, labour is well underway before their waters break. The water is actually amniotic fluid released when the amniotic sac ruptures. If your waters do break first, this is a good indicator that labour will start within 24 hours.

The amniotic fluid should be clear. If it is tinged yellow, green or brown, it has your baby’s first bowel movement, meconium, in it. This could indicate that your baby is in distress, or could cause respiratory problems for baby after birth. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if there is meconium present in the amniotic fluid.

Bathroom breaks

As the baby prepares for the journey down the birth canal, you may feel pressure on your bowel or bladder which can result in a desperate need to visit the bathroom. This is normal, and is your body’s way of clearing your digestive system and ensuring baby has as much space as possible. Some women experience diarrhea during early labour, this is caused by labour hormones, and is another way of ensuring the baby’s route is free for the birth.

Contractions

The best way to find out whether labour has started, is to keep track of your contractions. If your contractions vary in length, are irregular and felt in the lower abdomen, it is probably false labour. While the name is disheartening, these contractions are actually very important. False labour contractions are thought to stretch the lower uterus in preparation for birth, and begin the process of dilating the cervix. Your cervix will be 4cm dilated before you are considered to be in labour, so there is a lot of preparation work to be done.

The contractions of real labour occur at regular intervals, and will grow stronger, longer and more frequent over time. They are more intense than false labour contractions, and are usually felt in the lower back. Ask your birth partner to keep track of your contraction times so that you can determine when labour has started. When the contractions last at least 45 seconds, and occur every 5 minutes, it’s time to head to hospital – it’s almost time to meet your baby.

Do you enjoy this App? Good news! You can now also download our new Baby App for iPhone / iPad or Android. Click Baby+ iOS or Baby+ Android to install the App, and prepare for the arrival of your little one(s).

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

During those long nine months of pregnancy, as well as imagining what your baby might look like, you’ll probably spend a lot of time focusing on the birth. You may be worried about how you’ll cope during labour, or be looking forward to experiencing childbirth; but either way, you are probably curious about what it will feel like.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer to ease your worries. Every labour – and every woman – is different. Everyone experiences labour differently, and each labour is unique, so there isn’t a catch-all answer to explain how labour feels. There are a few words, however, that seem to crop up in most birth stories:

Cramping or tightening
Some women describe labour pains as intense period pains. Other women describe the contractions as feeling more like a tightening, rather than a cramp. This sensation is caused by the uterine wall tightening during contractions. Some women find the cramping or tightening to be painful, whereas others describe it as a mild discomfort. You may find that the feeling becomes more intense as the labour progresses and your contractions become stronger and more frequent.

Pressure
Some women recall a feeling of pressure bearing down inside them. For some, this pressure appeared only at the pushing stage, but for others it was present earlier in the labour. This pressure is often described as feeling like you need to have a very big poop.

Pain
All women experience labour differently, and not everybody discusses pain when describing childbirth. Some women describe a pounding or stabbing pain accompanying each contraction. Try to breathe through the contractions to help you stay calm and focused. Research pain relief options in advance so you know what is available to you during labour.

Waves
Some women describe the contractions as coming in waves. From feeling fine between contractions, they then feel the contraction build, peak and ease. You may find that breathing exercises can help you to stay calm during the contractions building.

Lower back pain
Many women experience labour pains in their lower back, just as some women experience menstrual cramping there. Applying gentle pressure to the lower back can help to soothe this discomfort. Ask your partner for a massage, run the shower against the area, or use massage balls to apply pressure.

Burning
The sensation of crowning, when the baby’s head is just about to be born, is often described as feeling like a slight burning sensation. Some women find this painful, whereas others have noted a sense of relief at this point during labour.

As you can tell from the above descriptions, labour is a mixed bag and not everybody experiences the same sensations. What your friend may describe as painful, you may experience as little more than a slight discomfort. Labour truly is one of those things that you have to experience to understand.

Are you worried about labour, or are you feeling confident about the experience?

Do you enjoy this App? Good news! You can now also download our new Baby App for iPhone / iPad or Android. Click Baby+ iOS or Baby+ Android to install the App, and prepare for the arrival of your little one(s).

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.