Prodromal Labor_ Definition, Causes, How To Cope-Up (3)

Prodromal Labor: Definition,
Causes, How To Cope-Up
P​rodromal labor​ originated from a Greek word means “Precursor”
and is considered as false labor. Prodromal labor is a kind of labor
that starts and stops before actual active labor begins.
What Is Prodromal Labor?
You’re big? You’re tired? Feeling a lot of pain carrying yourself?
Having difficulties while you are sleeping? AND a lot more.
But, you must be happy, as you are going to welcome your
sweet little baby into this world, who have been staying in your
tummy for so long!
With every pain, you feel, Is that a contraction? Well, let’s find
out.

Prodromal Labor,​ also known as pre-labor, latent labor, also
considered as false labor which makes pregnant women
bewildered, restless and in a confused state but it is a
misnomer.
It is a type of labor that happens before the full active labor but
many women have described it as real contractions. The
contractions caused by this labor may come and go in a short
span.
It is a common occurrence mentioned by pregnant ladies in the
last few weeks of their pregnancy. This pain comes at the same
time, each day or at regular intervals and can be an irritating
experience for some.
We have seen that many new mommies or even the experienced
moms, end up calling their doctor thinking that their actual
labor begins but in most cases find out as false labor, as
prodromal labor can start a few weeks or even months before
the actual delivery.

But, the good news is that it is now quite common and there is
no such issue, and you don’t need to take stress about it, as it
usually passes in a few minutes.
Prodromal Labor vs. Real Labor
According to Dr. Ruiz, prodromal labor is not as intense or
painful as real labor can be. For mom blogger Leah Outten who
experienced prodromal labor with four out of six of her
pregnancies, prodromal labor contractions were indeed
different.
Outten found that her active, real labor contractions tended to
get closer together and grow in intensity, while the prodromal
contractions pretty much stayed the same, even if they
happened over a long period of time.
Wondering how on earth you’ll know if it’s go-time when you
start contracting? Here are a few signs to look for:

● Your water broke. ​If it’s real labor, your body might
be giving you clues in other ways. For example, if your
water is leaking or you’re having a bloody show, it’s
probably the real deal.
● Drinking water does not end your labor
symptoms.​ Dr. Ruiz explains that if your contractions
are actually prodromal labor, guzzling a lot of water or
taking a warm shower will stop them completely. That’s
because water can relax smooth muscles in the body,
such as — you guessed it — the muscles of the uterus. If
your contractions are the real deal, however, no
amount of chugging water or bathing is going to stop
them.
● Your contractions are 5/10 minutes apart.​ Dr.
Ruiz advises women pregnant with their first baby to
wait to go to the hospital until they experience a
pattern of contractions that are painful enough to take
your breath away, last 45 seconds to one minute, and
occur every five minutes for two hours. “You’re looking
for a very regular pattern of painful contractions. You
should really feel uncomfortable,” he explains.

Prodromal labor can be a frustrating experience for
moms-to-be who go through it, but if you do encounter it, just
keep in mind that it’s a natural process your body is going
through to get ready for the main event. Your body is doing
what it needs to do to prepare and just like with motherhood,
we all do things a little differently, even when it comes to labor
and contractions.
Trust your body and when in doubt, head to the hospital to get
checked if you think you might be in labor.
What Causes Prodromal Labor?
There seem to be several potential causes of prodromal labor,
but no official cause or consensus in the medical community.
Most sources agree that prodromal labor is the body’s way of
preparing for real labor, and some things that may contribute
are:
● The baby’s position in the womb ​— Many sources
think that prodromal labor may be the body’s way of

trying to move the baby into the correct position for
labor. Basically, the uterus tries to move the baby with
contractions for several hours and eventually stops if it
doesn’t work, only to start again after resting. This
theory may make sense as moms with a baby in breech
position are more likely to experience these early
contractions (this was true in my case).
● Pelvic or uterine abnormality ​— It seems that
some women are more prone to prodromal labor than
others, leading some sources to think that it may relate
to an uneven pelvis or uterine abnormality.
● Emotions or anxiety ​— Another theory is that
prodromal labor is more likely in women who are
anxious or concerned about their birth or who are
experiencing a lot of stress.
● More than three pregnancies ​— There are
definitely exceptions, but prodromal labor seems to be
more common in moms who have had at least three
children. Perhaps there is an element of the way the
uterus changes or relaxes after several pregnancies.

P​rodromal labor originated from a Greek word means “Precursor”
and is considered as false labor. Prodromal labor is a kind of labor
that starts and stops before actual active labor begins.
What Is Prodromal Labor?
You’re big? You’re tired? Feeling a lot of pain carrying yourself?
Having difficulties while you are sleeping? AND a lot more.
But, you must be happy, as you are going to welcome your
sweet little baby into this world, who have been staying in your
tummy for so long!
With every pain, you feel, Is that a contraction? Well, let’s find
out.
Prodromal Labor,​ also known as pre-labor, latent labor, also
considered as false labor which makes pregnant women
bewildered, restless and in a confused state but it is a
misnomer.

It is a type of labor that happens before the full active labor but
many women have described it as real contractions. The
contractions caused by this labor may come and go in a short
span.
It is a common occurrence mentioned by pregnant ladies in the
last few weeks of their pregnancy. This pain comes at the same
time, each day or at regular intervals and can be an irritating
experience for some.
We have seen that many new mommies or even the experienced
moms, end up calling their doctor thinking that their actual
labor begins but in most cases find out as false labor, as
prodromal labor can start a few weeks or even months before
the actual delivery.
But, the good news is that it is now quite common and there is
no such issue, and you don’t need to take stress about it, as it
usually passes in a few minutes.
Prodromal Labor vs. Real Labor

According to Dr. Ruiz, prodromal labor is not as intense or
painful as real labor can be. For mom blogger Leah Outten who
experienced prodromal labor with four out of six of her
pregnancies, prodromal labor contractions were indeed
different.
Outten found that her active, real labor contractions tended to
get closer together and grow in intensity, while the prodromal
contractions pretty much stayed the same, even if they
happened over a long period of time.
Wondering how on earth you’ll know if it’s go-time when you
start contracting? Here are a few signs to look for:
● Your water broke. ​If it’s real labor, your body might
be giving you clues in other ways. For example, if your
water is leaking or you’re having a bloody show, it’s
probably the real deal.
● Drinking water does not end your labor
symptoms.​ Dr. Ruiz explains that if your contractions
are actually prodromal labor, guzzling a lot of water or
taking a warm shower will stop them completely. That’s

because water can relax smooth muscles in the body,
such as — you guessed it — the muscles of the uterus. If
your contractions are the real deal, however, no
amount of chugging water or bathing is going to stop
them.
● Your contractions are 5/10 minutes apart.​ Dr.
Ruiz advises women pregnant with their first baby to
wait to go to the hospital until they experience a
pattern of contractions that are painful enough to take
your breath away, last 45 seconds to one minute, and
occur every five minutes for two hours. “You’re looking
for a very regular pattern of painful contractions. You
should really feel uncomfortable,” he explains.
Prodromal labor can be a frustrating experience for
moms-to-be who go through it, but if you do encounter it, just
keep in mind that it’s a natural process your body is going
through to get ready for the main event. Your body is doing
what it needs to do to prepare and just like with motherhood,
we all do things a little differently, even when it comes to labor
and contractions.

Trust your body and when in doubt, head to the hospital to get
checked if you think you might be in labor.
What Causes Prodromal Labor?
There seem to be several potential causes of prodromal labor,
but no official cause or consensus in the medical community.
Most sources agree that prodromal labor is the body’s way of
preparing for real labor, and some things that may contribute
are:
● The baby’s position in the womb ​— Many sources
think that prodromal labor may be the body’s way of
trying to move the baby into the correct position for
labor. Basically, the uterus tries to move the baby with
contractions for several hours and eventually stops if it
doesn’t work, only to start again after resting. This
theory may make sense as moms with a baby in breech
position are more likely to experience these early
contractions (this was true in my case).

● Pelvic or uterine abnormality ​— It seems that
some women are more prone to prodromal labor than
others, leading some sources to think that it may relate
to an uneven pelvis or uterine abnormality.
● Emotions or anxiety ​— Another theory is that
prodromal labor is more likely in women who are
anxious or concerned about their birth or who are
experiencing a lot of stress.
● More than three pregnancies ​— There are
definitely exceptions, but prodromal labor seems to be
more common in moms who have had at least three
children. Perhaps there is an element of the way the
uterus changes or relaxes after several pregnancies.