Signs of labour

Labour is a pattern that builds. A single symptom is a clue, and a few symptoms are urgent on their own.

Practice contractions are irregular and fade when you rest or drink.
A common term threshold is every 5 minutes, about a minute long, for an hour.
Waters can gush or trickle. The colour matters — tell the clinic.
Bleeding, fewer movements, or a severe headache do not wait for the pattern.

Contractions and the rest

True contractions tend to grow longer, stronger, and closer, and they do not stop because you bathed. The mucus plug can leave days early or go unnoticed. A show of blood-streaked mucus is common; bright heavy bleeding is not. Pressure low in the pelvis, a backache that wraps, and a rhythm you can time — these are the pieces. Time them if it helps you speak clearly on the phone.

When the rule of thumb is the wrong tool

The 5-1-1 idea is for term labour in someone whose team uses it. It is a poor tool if you are early, if you live far from care, if the baby is not moving as usual, or if fluid is green, brown, or bloody. Call for those. Call if you are simply unsure. Night is not a reason to wait.

Ask your midwife or doctor before you change medicine, herbs, or a birth plan.

Sizes and dates are averages. Feeding and sleep notes follow widely published public-health guidance, including World Health Organization infant-feeding advice and back-to-sleep recommendations. They are not a protocol for your hospital.