Bloody show vs mucus plug

Could that weird cramp in your belly be the start of labor—or is it just another bout of indigestion? Maybe it's the real deal, or maybe it's just Braxton Hicks.

Can you even have contractions before your water breaks? When you get to those final weeks of pregnancy, inching closer to your calculated due date, every little ache and cramp might make you think labor is finally here.

So, how can you tell if this is real labor, especially if this is your first pregnancy?

Experts say it can be tough to tell.

How long after bloody show did labor start

"Labor is difficult to describe," says Siobhan Kubesh, CNM, MSN, APRN, a midwife in Austin, Texas. "It's like describing falling in love—until you're there, you don't really understand the feeling."

Most experts suggest erring on the safe side and calling the doctor whenever you feel something new during pregnancy.

"We don't expect you to know the difference between false labor and the real McCoy," says Bart Putterman, MD, an OB-GYN in Houston, Texas. "If you aren't sure what's going on, call—even if it

bloody show with irregular contractions

bloody show with no contractions