YSC
what pocketpig shared on 26th Dec 2012
From baby center
http://www.babycenter.com/0_signs-of-labor_181.bc I guess I already have the first 4 signs below ... still hoping baby can come out after 2013.
(1) Your baby "drops."
If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel what's known as "lightening" a few weeks before labor starts. You might sense a heaviness in your pelvis as this happens and notice less pressure just below your ribcage, making it easier to catch your breath.
(2) You note more Braxton Hicks contractions.
More frequent and intense Braxton Hicks contractions can signal pre-labor, during which your cervix ripens (see below) and the stage is set for true labor. Some women experience a crampy, menstrual-like feeling during this time.
(3) Your cervix starts to change.
In the days and weeks before delivery, changes in the connective tissue of your cervix cause it to soften. What's more, Braxton Hicks contractions may do some of the preliminary work of thinning and perhaps opening your cervix a bit. (If you've given birth before, your cervix is more likely to dilate a centimeter or two before labor starts, but keep in mind that even being 40 weeks pregnant with your first baby and 1 centimeter dilated is no guarantee that labor is imminent.)
When you're at or near your due date, your practitioner may do a vaginal exam during your prenatal visit to see whether your cervix has started to change.
(4) You pass your mucus plug or notice "bloody show."
You may pass your mucus plug — the small amount of thickened mucus that has sealed your cervical canal during the last nine months — if your cervix begins to efface significantly or dilate as you get close to labor.
The plug may come out in a lump or as increased vaginal discharge over the course of several days. The mucus may be tinged with brown, pink, or red blood, which is why it's referred to as "bloody show." Having sex or a vaginal exam can also disturb your mucus plug and cause you to see some blood-tinged discharge, even when labor isn't going to start in the next few days.
(5) Your water breaks.
When the fluid-filled amniotic sac surrounding your baby ruptures, fluid leaks from your vagina. And whether it comes out in a large gush or a small trickle, you should call your doctor or midwife.