Labour Ready Planner: Signs Labour Is Starting

Learn how to know when labour is starting with our expert guide to the early signs, from contractions to your waters breaking, and feel ready for birth.

As the end of your pregnancy approaches, it’s natural for your thoughts to turn towards labour and birth. You might be feeling a mix of excitement, anticipation, and perhaps a little nervousness. One of the most common questions I hear from expectant parents is, “How will I know when it’s really happening?” It’s a great question, because the start of labour isn’t always the dramatic, sudden event we see in movies.

For many, labour begins slowly and subtly, with signs that can be easy to miss or mistake for normal late-pregnancy discomforts. Understanding these early signals is the key to feeling prepared and calm as you transition from pregnancy to parenthood. Knowing what to look for helps you work with your body, communicate effectively with your birth team, and make timely decisions about when to head to your birthing centre or hospital.

This is precisely why we created the Labour Ready Planner. It’s designed to be your trusted companion in these final weeks, helping you recognise the signs of labour, track your symptoms, and know exactly when it’s time to make that important call to your midwife or doctor. It brings all the key information into one place, so you can focus on the incredible journey ahead.

Why this matters

Knowing how to identify the start of labour is about more than just satisfying your curiosity. It’s a practical skill that empowers you to have a more positive and confident birth experience. When you can distinguish between pre-labour (the warm-up) and active labour (the main event), you can make better decisions for your comfort and wellbeing.

Recognising early labour allows you to conserve your energy. The first stage can be long, and rushing to the hospital at the first twinge can sometimes lead to a longer, more tiring experience, or even unnecessary interventions. By understanding the signs, you can spend the early phase in the comfort of your own home, resting, eating, and using comfort measures that work for you. It also gives you and your support person time to get into the right headspace, review your Birth Plan Builder preferences, and mentally prepare for the work ahead.

Most importantly, being informed helps you know when a sign is normal and when it requires medical attention. This knowledge reduces anxiety and ensures you seek help promptly if there are any concerns about your health or your baby’s. It puts you in the driver's seat, allowing you to communicate clearly and confidently with your care providers every step of the way.

How the Labour Ready Planner works

Think of the Labour Ready Planner as your personal, step-by-step checklist for the end of pregnancy. It’s not just a list of symptoms; it’s an interactive guide that helps you interpret what your body is telling you. The planner is designed to take the guesswork out of those final days and weeks, moving you from a place of uncertainty to one of readiness and confidence.

The planner organises the process into clear, manageable steps. It prompts you to look for and record the physical and emotional signs that labour might be approaching, from changes in your energy levels to the very first contractions. It helps you differentiate between Braxton Hicks contractions and the real thing by focusing on patterns of frequency, duration, and intensity.

By walking you through the signs, the planner also helps you prepare for the next steps. It reminds you to check on things like your Hospital Bag Checklist and to know who to call and when. Essentially, it helps you gather all the information your midwife or hospital will ask for when you call them, making that conversation smooth and effective. It’s about being prepared, not panicked, as you get ready to meet your baby.

Step-by-step guide

Our Labour Ready Planner, which you can start for free in the Pregnancy Hub, breaks down the process of identifying labour into a few simple steps. Here’s how you can use it to feel prepared.

Tune Into Early Physical Signs: The planner will first prompt you to notice the subtle shifts that often happen days or even weeks before labour starts. This can include a persistent lower backache, a feeling of pressure in your pelvis as the baby ‘drops’ (lightening), loose bowel motions, or a sudden burst of energy known as the ‘nesting instinct’. You might also notice the 'show' — the release of the mucous plug that has sealed your cervix. It can look like a small amount of thick, pink, or brownish mucus. These are all positive signs that your body is getting ready.
Learn to Time Contractions: This is a crucial step. The planner guides you on how to distinguish between Braxton Hicks and true labour contractions. True contractions develop a regular pattern, gradually becoming stronger, longer, and closer together. They don’t ease up when you change position. Our online Contraction Timer is the perfect companion for this step, helping you log each one and see the pattern emerge. Your care provider will likely give you guidance on when to call, often referencing a pattern like contractions that are 5 minutes apart, lasting for 1 minute, over a 1-hour period (the 5-1-1 rule).
Check if Your Waters Have Broken: The planner includes a section on what to do if your membranes rupture (your waters break). This doesn’t happen for everyone at the start of labour. It can be a big gush or a slow, steady trickle of fluid. The planner prompts you to note the time it happened, the colour of the fluid (it should be clear or pale straw-coloured), and the amount. This is vital information your midwife or doctor will need when you call them.
Continue to Monitor Your Baby’s Movements: Your baby should continue to move right up to and during labour. A change or reduction in your baby's typical pattern of movement is always something to act on. The planner reminds you of this and encourages you to use a tool like our Baby Movements Counter throughout your third trimester. If you ever have any concerns about your baby’s movements, you should call your maternity unit or midwife immediately.
Know Who to Call and What to Say: Being prepared means having the right phone numbers handy. The planner gives you a spot to save the number for your midwife, birth centre, or the hospital’s maternity assessment unit. It also summarises the key information you’ll need to share: how far along you are, if this is your first baby, the pattern of your contractions, whether your waters have broken (and the colour), and if you have any other symptoms or concerns.
Review Your Birth Preferences: Labour starting is a great time to have a quick final review of your birth preferences with your support person. The planner prompts you to do this, ensuring you’re both on the same page. Having your plan clear helps your support person advocate for you and reminds you of the comfort measures you wanted to try.

Common mistakes

In my work as a Maternal Health Nurse, I see parents-to-be navigate a lot of information. It’s easy to make a few common missteps when you’re trying to figure out if labour is starting. Here are some of them, and how to course-correct.

Mistake: Going to the hospital too soon

The Fix: It’s incredibly common to feel anxious and want reassurance, but arriving at the hospital in very early labour can sometimes lead to you being sent home again, which can be disheartening. The best approach is to call first. Use a Contraction Timer to establish a clear pattern. Speak to your midwife or the maternity unit over the phone. They are experts at assessing labour over the phone and will tell you when it’s the right time to come in. Spending early labour at home, where you are comfortable and relaxed, is often the best thing for you and for labour progression.

Mistake: Confusing Braxton Hicks with true labour

The Fix: Braxton Hicks contractions are like a practice run for your uterus. They are typically irregular, don’t get progressively stronger or closer together, and often ease up if you drink water, have a warm bath, or change positions. True labour contractions, on the other hand, will intensify and develop a regular rhythm that persists and strengthens no matter what you do. Get to know the difference by paying attention to the pattern, not just the presence of a contraction.

Mistake: Believing your waters have to break for labour to start

The Fix: In movies, labour almost always begins with a dramatic gush of water. In reality, only a small percentage of people experience their waters breaking as the very first sign of labour. For most, it happens later on, once labour is well established. And for some, a midwife or doctor may need to break their waters during labour. Focus on contractions as the most reliable sign that things are getting underway.

Mistake: Forgetting to eat and drink

The Fix: Labour is a marathon, not a sprint. You need fuel! It’s a common mistake to get so focused on timing contractions that you forget to eat or drink. In early labour, your body needs energy. Opt for light, easily digestible carbohydrate-rich snacks and stay hydrated with water, coconut water, or weak tea. Your care team will advise you on what’s best once you’re in the hospital, but fuelling up at home is a great way to prepare for the work ahead.

Mistake: Not trusting your instincts

The Fix: You know your body better than anyone. While guides and trackers are incredibly helpful, they are meant to support, not replace, your own intuition. If something feels ‘off’, or you just have a strong feeling that you need to be checked, it is always okay to call your care provider. Never dismiss your own instincts. It’s always better to call and be told everything is fine than to wait at home feeling worried.

When to seek professional advice

While the Labour Ready Planner helps you navigate the normal signs of labour, it’s just as important to know when a symptom is a red flag that requires immediate medical attention. Do not wait. Please contact your midwife, doctor, or maternity unit immediately if you experience any of the following:

Bright red vaginal bleeding that is more than a small amount of spotting or the brownish/pink 'show'.
Your waters break and the fluid is green, brown, or has a bad smell. This can indicate that your baby has passed meconium (their first poo), which requires assessment.
A noticeable change or reduction in your baby's movements. You should feel your baby move right up until and during labour. Use our Baby Movements Counter to track movements, and call if you notice any deviation from your baby's normal pattern.
Severe or constant abdominal pain that doesn't come and go like a contraction.
A severe headache, visual disturbances (like flashing lights or blurry vision), sudden swelling in your hands, feet, or face, or pain just under your ribs. These can be signs of pre-eclampsia.
You are less than 37 weeks pregnant and are experiencing signs of labour, such as regular, painful contractions or your waters breaking. This is considered preterm labour and needs urgent assessment.
You feel unwell, have a high temperature, or just have a general sense that something is wrong.

In an emergency, or if you cannot reach your care provider, call for an ambulance by dialling Triple Zero (000) or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

Try the free tracker

Feeling more prepared? You can start using the Labour Ready Planner right now. It’s part of our free Pregnancy Hub and is designed to walk you through these final weeks with confidence. Get started today and turn your questions into a plan.

Start the Labour Ready Planner

Related Parenting Hub resources

As you prepare for your baby's arrival, here are some other tools and guides you might find helpful. They are all designed to work together to support you through pregnancy and birth.

Related reading: preparing your birth plan