Diarrhoea is a classic sign of prelabour. The bowel is stimulated during prelabour as the cervix ripens. This is nature's inbuilt mechanism for the body to empty itself prior to active labour beginning. Diarrhoea usually settles once strong established labour is in progress.
Diarrhoea can be made worse by some
natural induction methods such as a strong curry or castor oil. Stimulating the bowel in these ways can also initiate labour, a bit of the chicken or egg idea.
Cervix - ripening, thinning, opening
Cervix ripens
Cervix thins and shortens
Cervix opens
Cervix ripens. The
cervix can start to soften and become more flexible towards the end of pregnancy. This can also happen (or continue) during prelabour and is often described as ripening of the cervix. When the cervix is ripening it is preparing to open and be drawn up into the lower segment of the uterus during the stronger labour.
The increased flexibility of the cervix often contributes to women experiencing short, sharp stabbing internal vaginal pains (that generally subside quickly). This happens as the baby moves and puts momentary pressure on the softer cervix. These pains can be quite sudden but sporadic, and at times may take your breath away. They are not a sign of labour and are not how labour pains feel (whew!)
Cervix thins and shortens. The cervix begins to thin and shorten during prelabour (known as effacement). The cervix is normally 2 to 4cm thick and needs to become paper-thin before it can dilate past 3 centimetres.
The thinning and shortening of the cervix is measured by the caregiver in terms of percentages. A thick, or uneffaced cervix is 0%, indicating the cervix is unripe, feeling long and thick to touch. When the cervix is paper-thin, or fully effaced (100%) it has been mostly pulled up or absorbed into the lower segment of the uterine wall, allowing it then to dilate more than 3 cms.