Can you start dilating at 28 weeks

In the final days or weeks before your due date , you may notice one or more signs that labor is near. Not all women experience all of these signs — again, this is very individual — but if you do feel like your baby has dropped lower, for example, or you have some mucousy discharge or more Braxton Hicks contractions than usual, you may be close to labor day!

Before you get excited about labor starting, remember that many of these signs and symptoms can precede labor by weeks. Rather than predicting that labor is imminent, these can just be symptoms of being pregnant near your due date. If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel what's known as lightening a few weeks before labor starts.

Lightening means your baby has "dropped" and now rests lower in your pelvis. When your baby drops, you might feel less pressure just below your ribcage, making it easier to catch your breath.

If you experienced heartburn during pregnancy, it might now improve. On the downside, you may need to pee more often because your baby's pressing on your bladder.

If your cervix begins to efface or dilate significantly as you get close to labor, you may pass your mucus plug — the small amount of thickened mucus that has collected within your cervical canal during your pregnancy. If you see mucus, it's likely a sign that you're dilating — but it can still be some time before labor begins. The mucus plug may come out in a lump all at once or as an increased amount of vaginal discharge over the course of several days — or even weeks.

Without the other signs of labor noted below, you don't need to call your doctor or midwife if you pass your mucus plug. You may have noticed more vaginal discharge during pregnancy, thanks to your body's increased estrogen. Normal, healthy discharge is usually creamy white or clear, but it may also be tinged brown, pink, or red.

Other colors — such as yellow, green, or gray — may signal an infection or other problem. When your cervix starts to soften, you may notice pink discharge or bright red blood. This is called "bloody show. Having sex or a vaginal exam can also disturb your mucus plug and result in some blood-tinged discharge or bleeding, even when labor isn't necessarily starting any time soon. Call your provider if you have bleeding heavier than a period, consistent red bleeding that's not slowing or turning brown, or bleeding in combination with abdominal pain.

In the days and weeks before delivery, changes in the connective tissue of your cervix make it soften and lead to dilation and effacement when your cervix thins and opens.

If you've given birth before, your cervix is more likely to dilate a centimeter or more before labor starts. Still, that's no guarantee that labor is imminent.

When you're at or near your due date, your doctor or midwife may do a vaginal exam during a prenatal visit to see whether your cervix has started the process of effacement and dilation. Whether you have this exam is up to you.

Cervical exams can be uncomfortable, and they can't predict future labor timing. But exams can be helpful for planning an upcoming induction or for estimating how much time you'll have to get to the hospital if you have a history of fast labors.

You may have experienced Braxton Hicks contractions throughout your pregnancy. If you're having a Braxton Hicks contraction, you'll feel a tightening or squeezing of your uterus, lower abdominal area, or groin. Then it will relax. Unlike true labor contractions, Braxton Hicks contractions are irregular and usually not painful.

More frequent and intense Braxton Hicks contractions can signal that real contractions are coming soon — but not always. Labor usually occurs sometime between 38 and 41 weeks. While early signs that labor may be approaching aren't at all clear or dependable, these are reliable signs that you're in real labor:.

When your uterus contracts, your abdomen feels tight or hard, and you have a sensation of cramping. When the uterus relaxes between contractions, the sensation dissipates. Labor contractions will grow stronger, longer, and more frequent as they cause your cervix to dilate.

True labor contractions are too painful to talk through, and they may bring tears to your eyes. Find out more about what contractions feel like according to moms. You'll want to start timing your contractions — how far apart they are and how long they last.

Time contractions starting from the beginning of one until the beginning of the next. At this point, it's halfway to becoming short and thin enough to allow your baby to pass through the uterus and into the vagina. Most effacement usually happens during the first stage of labor, when your cervix is dilating to 6 cm. This process can take several hour or days, and will likely be accompanied by early signs of labor such as Braxton Hicks contractions and losing your mucus plug.

When your cervix is 60 percent effaced, it's 60 percent of the way toward becoming short and thin enough to allow your baby to pass through the uterus. Most of the effacement process happens during the early stage of labor when your cervix is dilating to 6 cm, and may take several hours or even days.

A cervix that's 70 percent effaced is 70 percent of the way toward becoming short and thin enough to allow your baby to pass through the uterus. This process typically happens during the early stage of labor when your cervix is dilating to 6 cm, and may take several hours or even days. Once your cervix reaches 80 percent effacement, it's almost short enough to allow your baby through the uterus, assuming it is accompanied by dilation.

You may reach 80 percent effacement or higher during the early stage of labor, or this may happen once you reach active labor. The same is true for 90 percent and percent effacement.

Either way, effacement and dilation must both happen completely before you can begin pushing. In other words, you must be percent effaced and 10 cm dilated for your baby to pass through the birth canal. Video: Labor and birth. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.

When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. How to Tell When Labor Begins.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Allina Health. Stages of labor. American Pregnancy Association. First Stage of Labor. Cleveland Clinic. Mayo Clinic. Stages of labor and birth: Baby, it's time! Signs of labor: Know what to expect. This might be especially true if you have a history of preterm labor or premature birth.

Consult your health care provider about healthy ways to relax and stay calm. If you develop any signs or symptoms of preterm labor, contact your health care provider right away. Depending on the circumstances, you might need immediate medical care. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, as well as what to expect from your health care provider. Below are some basic questions to ask your health care provider about preterm labor.

If any additional questions occur to you during your visit, don't hesitate to ask. Preterm labor poses serious risks for your baby. Work with your health care provider to understand your diagnosis and improve your chance of a healthy outcome. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis Your health care provider will review your medical history and risk factors for preterm labor and evaluate your signs and symptoms.

More Information Pelvic exam Ultrasound. More Information Cervical cerclage. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Lockwood CJ. Corticosteroids speed maturation of fetal organs, reducing infant deaths by about 30 percent and cutting the incidence of the two most serious complications of preterm birth : respiratory distress syndrome and bleeding in the brain.

They are given by injection and are most effective when administered at least 24 hours before delivery. Other medication options include magnesium sulfate which might reduce the risk of cerebral palsy and tocolytics which temporarily slow contractions. It's important to note, though, that preterm labor medications aren't completely harmless. Putterman says. Your contractions are unlikely to stop on their own if your cervix is dilating. As long as you're between 34 and 37 weeks and the baby already is at least 5 pounds, 8 ounces, the doctor may decide not to delay labor.

These babies are very likely to do well even if they're born early. If you have concerns about preterm contractions, speak with your doctor who can recommend strategies to help you safely get to 40 weeks.

By Richard Schwarz, M. Updated July 20, Save Pin FB More. You feel a tightening in your belly at regular intervals. History of preterm labor or premature birth Pregnancy with multiples Smoking, drinking alcohol, or using drugs Being underweight or overweight Maternal health problems like diabetes, preeclampsia , or high blood pressure Problems with the placenta, cervix, or uterus Certain maternal infections, including sexually transmitted diseases Birth defects in the baby Short interval between pregnancies less than 12 months A shortened cervix.

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