hello ladies! I know we are all getting to the end of our pregnancies and days and weeks are getting harder. our anticipation is growing stronger and we just want to hold our sweet babies! I though I would make a quick post with some advice from a l&d; nurse and 3rd time momma to help out some. and also I'll answer any questions I can too!

1st- I know we all want to get this show on the road, but I cannot stress enough that my biggest advice is instead of over analyzing ever ache and pain, taking all the evening primrose oil, walking, having sex, ect. that people recommend to bring on labor- REST. Our bodies are about to go through something immense. all of those tricks may or may not bring on contractions but most likely will not bring on active labor. Active labor will come when your body is ready and worrying and/or walking yourself to death is only going to take energy away from when it does come. you will know when you're having active labor contractions, I promise.

2nd- I know a lot of stories float around about women being in labor and not knowing it and such, but that is extremely rare, especially for a first time mom. what likely happened in those cases is the mother was full term already and contracting some so the doctor chose to keep her anyways and help her along in a different way. Labor is painful- VERY. You will feel the contractions. if you aren't contracting to the point where you can't walk, talk, breath during them every 5 or less minutes lasting about a minute for an hour then it's probably not time to go to the hospital yet. (unless otherwise specified by your doctor, of course).

3rd- your mucous plug is not an indicator that labor is coming. I know this is all over the internet, but it's really just not true. you can lose it and it regenerate 10 times. you can never lose it and go into labor. you can lose it and go into labor the next hour. it's just not a predictor. I just hate crushing moms at work because they come in thinking labor is imminent because they lost their mucous plug.

I hope this was helpful. we will have our babies in our arms soon, momma's! i promise. good luck everyone and if there are any questions I can answer, ask away! I'm bored on maternity leave haha.