Although it's termed the 'bloody show,' this telltale sign that labor is near occurs when the thick plug of mucus that seals off your cervix and prevents bacteria from entering the uterus during pregnancy gives way.

It's not as gross as it sounds, nor as bloody. Your health practitioner will probably check for dilation and fill you in on your progress during your prenatal visits in the later stages of your pregnancy. Typically, if you're 4 cm dilated, you're in the active stage of labor if you're fully dilated, you're ready to start pushing. Dilation is checked during a pelvic exam and measured in centimeters (cm), from 0 cm (no dilation) to 10 cm (fully dilated). Dilation: Your Cervix OpensĪs your baby's birthday approaches, your cervix begins to dilate, or open up. Effacement is measured in percentages: Zero percent means no effacement 100 percent means you're fully effaced. Your doctor or midwife may start checking for gradual effacement during your last two months of pregnancy with internal exams during your prenatal visits. By the time the big day rolls around, your cervix will have stretched from around 1 inch in width to paper thinness.

This process, known as 'ripening' or effacement, usually begins during the last month of your pregnancy. Your cervix - the lower, narrow end of the uterus that protrudes into the vagina - softens as it's preparing for labor. Some mothers feel more pressure on their pubic bones or can even see in the mirror that their belly has lowered after lightening others may be unaware of any difference. The bad news is that it puts more pressure on your bladder, so you may be visiting the bathroom more than you ever thought possible. The good news here is that you may get some relief from the shortness of breath you've been experiencing, since this shift takes pressure off your diaphragm. You may feel the baby drop, or you might notice that there is now space between your breasts and abdomen. For first-time moms, lightening can occur a few weeks before your baby's birth for second-timers it may take place only a few hours before labor begins. 'Lightening' is the technical term for the point when your baby drops lower in your belly and settles deep in your pelvis. Still, there are at least six signs that labor is near and that your baby is preparing to make his or her grand entrance into the world. In fact, no one even knows for sure what triggers the big event, although hormones are thought to play a part. The simple truth is, there's no way to predict exactly when you'll go into labor. Others have telltale signs for weeks, maybe even a false start or two, before the real thing begins. Some women get no clues that labor is around the corner, and then - wham! - here it comes. Just as every pregnancy is different, every delivery is unique.

Does amniotic fluid smell