MGA SENYALES NA MALAPIT NANG MANGANAK

Nais mo bang malaman kung anong iyong mga mararanasan kapag malapit ka nang manganak? Basahin
ang artikulong ito at tuklasin ang mga ‘signs of labor’ o senyales na malapit nang manganak.
ISA HANGGANG APAT NA LINGGO BAGO MANGANAK

Una, mas bababa ang lagay ng baby sa iyong balakang, at parang naka-ungos ang kanyang ulo sa kwelyo
ng matris. Kaya pwedeng iba ang lakad mo – parang alimango o gumegewang-gewang – dahil dito. Dahil
iniipit nito ang iyong pantog, para kang binabalisawsaw at ihi ng ihi. Pwede ring lumala ang mga senyales
ng pagbubuntis gaya ng pananakit sa likod, pagtitibi (maaari ring pagtatae ang maranasan sa punting
ito), at pagod.
Kung ineksamin ng doktor ang iyong cervix o kwelyo ng matris, maaari nyang mapuna na bumubuka na
ito. Ang paglabas ng ‘mucus plug’ na parang mens o buo-buo sa puerta ay isang ring senyales na ilang
araw na lamang at manganganak ka na.
ILANG ARAW O ORAS NA LAMANG BAGO MANGANAK

Kapag malapit na malapit na talaga ang pangangak, tuloy-tuloy at palakas ng palakas ang regular na
paghilab ng tiyan. Kapag pumutok na ang tinatawag na ‘bag of waters’ o tubig na nasa bahay-bata, ibig-
sabihin nito na malapit na malapit na talaga ang panganganak – at magpunta ka na sa ospital o lying-in
clinic!

Mga Palatandaan na Malapit na ang Panganganak

 Ilang araw bago magsimula ang panganganak, bumababa ang sanggol sa bahay-bata. Makahihinga
nang mas maluwag ang ina, pero magiging mas madalas ang kanyang pag-ihi dahil sa bigat ng bata
sa pantog. (Sa mga panganay ang mga palatandaang ito ay maaaring lumitaw 2 linggo bago
manganak.)
 Ilang oras bago magsimula ang panganganak, may lalabas na munting patak ng mucus sa lagusan ng
bata. O kaya, maaaring may lumabas na mucus 2 or 3 araw bago magsimula ang panganganak. Kung
minsan, may kasamang dugo. Ito ay normal.
 Ang paghilab (biglang paghigpit ng bahay-bata) ay maaaring magsimula ilan araw bago manganak;
sa simula, mahabang oras ang lumilipas sa pagitan ng mga paghilab―ilang minuto o kaya'y oras.
Kapag lalong lumalkas, nagiging regular, at dumadalas ang paghilab, nagsisimula na ang
panganganak.
 May mga babaing nagkakaroon ng mga paghilab ilang linggo bago manganak. Normal ito. Sa ilang
pagkakataon, maaaring magkaroon ng "false labor" ang babae. Nangyayari ito kapag malakas ang
paghilab o maiigsi nag pagitan nito. Humihinto rin ito ilang oras o araw bago talaga magsimula ang
panganganak. Kung minsan, nakatutulong ang paglalakad o ang labatiba para mapayapa ang mga
paghilab kung ang mga ito ay di-tunay, o kaya'y matuloy ang panganganak kung ang mga ito ay
tunay.

Ang mga kirot sa panganganak ay sanhi ng mga paghilab o paghigpit ng bahay-bata.

Sa pagitan ng mga paghilab, ang bahay-bata ay naka-relaks.
Kapag humihilab, sumisikip ang bahay-bata at tumataas nang tulad nito:

Sa bawat paghilab ay unti-unting bumubukas ang "cervix" o pintuan ng bahay-bata."

 Ang panubigang kinalalagyan ng sanggol sa bahay-bata ay pumuputok at lumalabas ang tubig ilang
sandali matapos magsimula ang panganganak. Kapag pumutok ang panubigan bago magsimula ang
mga paghilab, ito ay malamang na simla ng panganganak. Matapos pumutok ang panubigan, dapat
maging malinis ang ina. Ang paglalakad-lakad ay maaaring makatulong sa pagpapadali ng
panganganak.

PRE-LABOR: ONE TO FOUR WEEKS BEFORE LABOR

1. Your baby “drops”

A few weeks before labor begins, your baby will start to descend into your pelvis (for first-time moms;
in future births, this “lightening” doesn't usually happen until you’re truly in labor). Your baby is
getting into position to make his exit: head down and low. Yes, you might feel you’re waddling even
more than you have been up until this point — and you may be back to taking very frequent
bathroom breaks like you did way back in your first trimester, because baby’s head is pushing down
on your bladder too. But the good news is you have a little more breathing room, since baby is
moving away from your lungs.

2. Your cervix dilates

Your cervix, too, is starting to prepare for birth: It starts to dilate (open) and to efface (thin out) in the
days or weeks before you deliver. At your weekly check-ups, your provider may measure and
track dilation and effacement via an internal exam. But everyone progresses differently, so don’t be
discouraged if you’re dilating slowly (or not at all yet).

3. You feel more cramps and increased back pain

Especially if this is not your first pregnancy, you may feel some crampiness and pain in your groin and
lower back as labor nears. Your muscles and joints are stretching and shifting in preparation for birth.

4. Your joints feel looser

Throughout your pregnancy, the hormone relaxin has made all of your ligaments soften and loosen
(it’s also responsible for your bouts of clumsiness this past trimester). Before you go into labor, you
may notice your joints all over your body feel a bit looser. Relax — it’s just nature’s way of opening up
your pelvis for your little passenger to make his or her way into the world.

5. You have diarrhea

Just as the muscles in your uterus are relaxing in preparation for birth, so are other muscles in your
body — including those in our rectum. That can lead to loose bowel movements. Though annoying,
this is normal; stay hydrated and remember it’s a good sign!

6. You stop gaining weight (or lose pounds)

Weight gain tends to level off at the very end of pregnancy. Some moms-to-be even lose a couple of
pounds! This is normal and won’t affect your baby’s birthweight. He’s still gaining, but you’re losing
due to lower levels of amniotic fluid, more potty breaks (see #1 and #8 on this list), and even
increased activity (see #7).

7. You feel extra-tired...or you have an urge to nest

Wait a minute, is this the third trimester or the first? Between the active bladder and the exhaustion,
sometimes you can feel like you’ve traveled backwards in time. That super-size belly, along with the
smooshed bladder, can make it hard (even impossible) to get a good night’s sleep during the last days
and weeks of pregnancy. Pile on those pillows and take naps during the day if you possibly can! That
is, unless you’re feeling the opposite of fatigued: Some moms get a burst of energy as birth-day nears,
and can’t resist the compelling urge to clean and organize everything in sight. That’s okay, as long as
you don’t overdo it!

EARLY LABOR: THE HOURS BEFORE LABOR STARTS

8. Your vaginal discharge changes color and consistency

In the last days before labor you’ll notice an increased and/or thickened vaginal discharge. You may
also notice the loss of your mucous plug — the cork sealing off your uterus from the outside world. It
can come out in one large piece (it looks similar to the mucous you have in your nose, but with faint
streaks of blood) or lots of little ones (though you may not notice it at all if you’re the flush-and-run
type). This thickened, pinkish discharge is also called the bloody show and is a good indication that
labor is imminent (though without labor contractions or dilation of three to four centimeters, labor
could still be a few days away!).

9. You feel stronger, more frequent contractions

Contractions are an early sign of active labor — except when they aren’t. You can experience Braxton-
Hicks contractions for weeks and even months before delivery. You’ll feel their pinch as the muscles in
your uterus tighten in preparation for their big moment (pushing that baby out!). How can you tell the
difference between real and false labor contractions? Look for these signs of real labor:

 If you’re active, contractions get stronger instead of easing up

 If you change position, contractions don’t go away
 The contraction pain starts in your lower back and moves to your lower abdomen, and possibly
your legs
 Contractions progress: They get more frequent and more painful, and sometimes fall into a
regular pattern
10. Your water breaks

While movies would have you think you’ll learn you’re in labor only when your water breaks (of
course in the middle of a romantic dinner date at a busy restaurant), that’s a very unlikely scenario.
It’s actually one of the final signs of labor most women notice — and it happens in less than 15% of
births. So don’t count on it as your only labor sign!

Still feel like you won’t know when to announce “It’s time!” and get ready to meet your baby? Try not
to stress about it. You’ll be seeing your doctor or midwife frequently now, and she’ll help you spot all
the important signs.

AM I GOING INTO LABOR? SHOULD I CALL THE DOCTOR?

If you think you're going into labor, your practitioner should have advised you on what to do when
your contractions become regular: “Call me when they’re coming about five minutes apart for at least
an hour,” for example. Contractions won’t all be exactly spaced, but if they are becoming pretty
consistent, it’s time to check in with your doc. If you think you might be in labor but aren't sure, get
on the phone; your provider can advise you on what’s going on. Don’t feel embarrassed or worry
about calling outside of office hours (your doctor or midwife knew this would happen when she got
into the baby-catching business!).

You should always call if:

 You experience any bleeding or bright-red discharge (not brown or pinkish).

 Your water breaks — especially if the fluid looks green or brown; this could be a sign that
meconium is present (which is your newborn’s first stool; it can be dangerous if your baby
inhales or ingests it during birth).
 You experience vision changes, a headache, or sudden or severe swelling. These can be
symptoms of preeclampsia, or pregnancy-induced hypertension.
HOW TO GO INTO LABOR
Not in labor just yet...but full-term and itching to get things moving along? There are a few natural
tricks that may help induce labor that you can try at home yourself, including walking, sex, spicy food
and acupuncture. That said, there's not a lot of research to back any of these methods up, and you
should talk to your doctor first before trying anything intended to prompt baby's birthday.