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Am I in the First Stages of Labor?

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am 38 weeks pregnant and my lower back is killing me. Could this be my first stage of labor? It started at around 5 p.m. on Saturday and is still going, nothing makes it let up. What should I do

ANSWER

I think you have figured it out just right! The baby's head is probably descending. If you have not already delivered (I'm not getting this message until Tuesday), I would suggest spending as much time as possible on your hands and knees, doing pelvic tilts, sitting on a birth ball, and avoiding anything like a bucket seat or recliner that puts your bottom lower than your knees. Climbing stairs with your legs as far apart as possible can help, and doing lunges can, too. Even just letting all your abdominal muscles go so that you stop holding your tummy in can help a little. Good luck, and I hope your baby comes soon, if it hasn't already.

-- Cynthia, CNM

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.