Topic Overview. At the end of the third trimester, the baby settles, or drops lower, into the mother's pelvis. This is known as dropping or lightening. Dropping is not a good predictor of when labour will begin. In first-time mothers, dropping usually occurs 2 to 4 weeks before delivery, but it can happen earlier.
Some women may notice that their abdomen feels lighter after the baby has dropped. This might be because the baby is positioned lower in the pelvis, leaving more room in her middle. This feeling of increased space in the abdomen is why baby dropping is also called lightening.
Once your baby drops down and settles into your pelvis, their position is called "engaged." The process is also called "lightening," because it creates space between your breasts and your pelvis – you may actually feel lighter.
Lightening is the term used to describe when the baby's head settles deep into your pelvis. This might cause a change in the shape of your abdomen. This change can happen anywhere from a few weeks to a few hours before labor begins.
In first-time mothers, dropping usually occurs 2 to 4 weeks before delivery, but it can happen earlier. In women who have already had children, the baby may not drop until labor begins. You may or may not notice a change in the shape of your abdomen after dropping.
Lightning crotch pain is quick, sharp, and irregular, typically felt at the upper vagina/near the cervix — versus labor contractions, which are also painful, but more regularly spaced.
Research from 2017 found that babies' skin changed significantly as they aged. Researchers noted that babies' skin became lighter and less red between 2–20 months old. Additionally, babies' skin was found to increase in yellow pigment until they reached 20 months old.
Even though lightning crotch pain happens late in the third trimester, it's not a sign of impending labor. However, some people might confuse intense lightning pain for contractions—especially if they're a first-time parent.
You may start to feel pressure in your vagina or pelvis. “This may be due to 'lightening,' which is when the baby drops down from the abdomen. Some women feel lightening as pelvic pressure or even low back pain,” says Dr. Emery.
Your baby drops or moves lower into your pelvis.
This is called lightening. It means that your baby is getting ready to move into position for birth. It can happen a few weeks or even just a few hours before your labor begins.
The side-lying position
“Side-lying and using a peanut-shaped birthing ball between the legs are wonderful tools for getting baby to descend and rotate,” Bliss says. “I encourage my clients to flip from side to side during the process to help baby come down and out.”
For most women, labor begins sometime between week 37 and week 42 of pregnancy. Labor that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered premature, or preterm.
Insert your index and middle finger and push your fingers deep inside as far as you can to reach your cervix. Be as gentle as possible to prevent bruising or complications. Assess dilation. You're considered 1 centimeter dilated if one fingertip fits through your cervix, or 2 centimeters if you can fit two fingers.
While there is no way to know when labor is 24 to 48 hours away, labor signs include a bloody show, Braxton Hicks contractions, labor contractions, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lower back pain, rupture of the amniotic sac (“water breaking”), and nesting instinct.
In the last weeks, some time before birth, the baby's head should move down into your pelvis. When your baby's head moves down like this, it's said to be "engaged". When this happens, you may notice your bump seems to move down a little. Sometimes the head does not engage until labour starts.
Where do you feel the pain? Contractions are usually only felt in the front of the abdomen or pelvic region. Contractions usually start in the lower back and move to the front of the abdomen.
Topic Overview. At the end of the third trimester, the baby settles, or drops lower, into the mother's pelvis. This is known as dropping or lightening. Dropping is not a good predictor of when labour will begin.
The cervix generally needs to be dilated to 10 centimeters before it's ready for the baby to pass through. Your cervix can be dilated to a couple of centimeters for a few weeks before delivery. This softening can cause the mucus plug to be dislodged and come out.
As for any pregnancy reduced fetal movements are a sign of the fetus being in poor condition and should not be accepted as “typical for a baby with Down's syndrome.” Mothers need to be reminded that babies should remain active even during late pregnancy and to report any reduction in fetal movements.