Probably every woman who tells you about her labor experience, tells you a different story. Your delivery will be just as unique. However, the following information will prepare you for when “Labor Day” is just around the corner.
Six Signs that Labor is Within a Few Weeks or Days:
Lightening: You can breathe again! This is an indication that the baby has dropped, settling deeper into your pelvis and relieving some of the pressure on your diaphragm, so you are not so short of breath. You may feel increased pressure on your bladder, which means more trips to the bathroom. Others may comment on your changed appearance, although you might not be aware of it at all.
Bloody show: Loss of mucus plug. During pregnancy, a thick plug of mucus protects your cervical opening from bacteria entering the uterus. When your cervix begins to thin and relax, this plug is expelled. Some women think the plug will look solid like a cork, but it is actually stringy mucus or discharge. It can be clear, pink or blood tinged and can appear minutes, hours or even days before labor begins. Not all women notice this sign. 
Rupture of membranes: Your water breaks! Only 1 in 10 woman experience a dramatic gush of the amniotic fluid and even then it usually happens at home, often in bed. Sometimes the amniotic sac breaks or leaks before labor begins. Your uterus is sitting directly on top of your bladder, which can cause you to leak urine. Sometimes it can be quite difficult to distinguish urine from amniotic fluid.
If your membranes have ruptured and you are leaking amniotic fluid, it will be an odorless fluid. This can occur with a sudden gush or a constant trickle. If you notice fluid leaking, you need to try to determine if it smells like urine or if it is odorless. If it does not seem to be urine, you would want to contact your health care provider.
Until you see your physician or midwife do not use tampons, have sexual intercourse or do anything that would introduce bacteria to your vagina. Let your health care provider know if the fluid is anything other than clear and odorless, particularly if it's green or foul smelling, because this could be a sign of infection.
Nesting: Spurt of energy. For most of your pregnancy you have probably been fighting the urge to take a nap, so you'll know when you experience this. One day you will wake up feeling full of energy! You'll start making a long list of things to do, things to clean, things to buy and everything you've put off doing will become a high priority. In all your preparations, don't forget that “Labor Day” may be just around the corner so save some energy.
Effacement: Thinning of the cervix. Usually in the last month the cervix begins to stretch and thin. This process means the lower segment of the uterus is getting ready for delivery. A thin cervix will also allow the cervix to dilate more easily. Your health care provider may check for effacement in the final 2 months of pregnancy. Effacement is measured in percentages. You may hear your helath care provider say,“You are 25% effaced, 50% effaced, 75%...” The Braxton Hicks contractions or “practice contractions” you have been experiencing may play a part in the effacement process. You will not be able to determine your effacement process, this can only be done by a health care provider's exam.
Dilation: Opening of the cervix. Dilation is the process of the cervix opening in preparation for childbirth. Dilation is measured in centimeters or, less accurately, in “fingers” during an internal (manual) pelvic exam. “Fully dilated” means you're at 10 centimeters and are ready to give birth. In the same way that your health care provider may be checking for effacement in the last 2 months, your health care provider may also tell you how many centimeters your cervix has dilated.
One SURE Sign Labor is Really Happening:
Consistent Contractions: When you begin to experience regular uterine contractions, this is the strongest indication that you are in labor. This is a good time to get out your notebook to record the exact time each one begins and how long they last. These contractions may feel like menstrual cramps or a lower backache that comes and goes, and during early labor they may be as far apart as 20 to 30 minutes. Over the course of several hours your contractions will typically begin occurring at shorter intervals; and you may notice they start happening every 10-15 minutes or less. When your contractions are consistently 5 minutes apart, it is time to call your health care provider.
Labor Contractions Have the Following Characteristics:
They are regular
They follow a predictable pattern (such as every eight minutes)
They become progressively closer
They last progressively longer
They become progressively stronger
Each contraction is felt first in the lower back and then radiates around to the front or visa versa
A change in activity or position will not slow down or stop contractions
There may be bloody show
Membranes may rupture
Your health care provider will notice cervical changes, such as effacement (thinning), or dilation
What Are The Signs of Labor only for pregnent women
Bleeding During Pregnancy
Vaginal bleeding can occur frequently in the first trimester of pregnancy and may not be a sign of problems. But bleeding that occurs in the second and third trimester of pregnancy can often be a sign of a possible complication. Bleeding can be caused by a number of reasons.
Some basic things to know about bleeding are:
If you are bleeding, you should always wear a pad or panty liner so that you can monitor how much you are bleeding and what type of bleeding you are experiencing.
You should never wear a tampon or introduce anything else into the vaginal area such as douche or sexual intercourse if you are currently experiencing bleeding.
If you are also experiencing any of the other symptoms mentioned below in connection with a possible complication, you should contact your health care provider immediately.
First Half of Pregnancy:
Miscarriage
Bleeding can be a sign of miscarriage but does not mean that miscarriage is imminent. Studies show that anywhere from 20-30% of women experience some degree of bleeding in early pregnancy. Approximately half of pregnant women who bleed do not have miscarriages. Approximately 15-20% of all pregnancies result in a miscarriage, and the majority occur during the first 12 weeks.
Signs of Miscarriage include: 
Bleeding During Pregnancy
Vaginal bleeding
Cramping pain felt low in the stomach (stronger than menstrual cramps)
Tissue passing through the vagina
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Most miscarriages cannot be prevented. They are often the body's way of dealing with an unhealthy pregnancy that was not developing. A miscarriage does not mean that you cannot have a future healthy pregnancy or that you yourself are not healthy.
Ectopic Pregnancies:
Ectopic pregnancies are pregnancies that implant somewhere outside the uterus. The fallopian tube accounts for the majority of ectopic pregnancies. Ectopic pregnancies are less common than miscarriages, occurring in 1 of 60 pregnancies.
Signs of Ectopic Pregnancies:
Cramping pain felt low in the stomach (usually stronger than menstrual cramps)
Sharp pain in the abdominal area
Low levels of hCG
Vaginal bleeding
Women are at a higher risk if they have had:
An infection in the tubes
A previous ectopic pregnancy
Previous pelvic surgery
Laser Hair Removal During at the time of Pregnancy
Laser Hair Removal During Pregnancy
Women who are pregnant may find that not only are they growing hair more abundantly than before, but that hair is growing in new areas – and it is getting hard to shave. Laser hair removal may seem like the perfect solution, but talk it over with your healthcare provider first. While the laser used during the hair removal procedure does not penetrate the skin very deeply, no studies have been performed to determine it is safe to use while pregnant, and many obstetricians advise against it, just to be safe. Other healthcare providers deem its use safe during pregnancy.
Hair growth during pregnancy
An increase in the amount of various hormones is the cause of hair growth changes during pregnancy. Many women who are pregnant experience thicker and faster growth of body hair. Pregnant women also may find hair growing where it did not before, especially on the face. Extra hair may also grow on the breasts, back, stomach and arms.
The Normal Hair Cycle
When you are not pregnant, your hair has a regular cycle. Each hair will:
Spend anywhere from two to six years growing about 1/2 inch a month
Then it will rest for 2-3 months, before falling out when you brush or wash your hair
At any given time, 90% of your hair is in the growing phase, 10% resting.
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Hair Changes during Pregnancy
Women who are pregnant have hairs that stay in the resting phase longer. The portion of your hairs that are resting may reach 60%. This results in a thicker head of hair, because less of it falls out each day. Pregnancy hormones may cause you to develop hair in places that you never had hair before- on your breasts, stomach and back, even if it is just a hair or two. You may find that the hair on other areas of your body seems thicker, such as the hair on your arms, legs and upper lip. This pattern of hair growth is normal, and should go back to normal within 6 months of your delivery.
Laser hair removal
Laser hair removal uses an intense, pulsating beam of light to remove unwanted hair. The procedure does not guarantee permanent hair removal, but it can extend the time that the treated area is hair free, for a time the ranges from several months to several years. If laser hair removal treatments are repeated, the time that the treated area remains hair free can be almost permanent.
