From First Signs to Getting In — Early Labour and Timing
Labour doesn’t usually start with a dramatic moment. It builds. And how you spend those early hours matters more than most people realise — not because you need to do anything complicated, but because saving your energy now pays off later.
How to know it’s starting
Early signs can appear hours or even days before established labour: a mucus plug coming away (sometimes streaked with blood), persistent low backache, period-like cramps that come and go, loose bowels, a burst of nesting energy, and irregular contractions — tightenings that start and stop without a pattern.
Established labour is different. Contractions become regular, get longer, get stronger, and get closer together. Each one builds to a peak and then fades. Unlike Braxton Hicks, they don’t stop when you change activity, move around, or have a bath.
If your waters break, note the time and the colour. Clear or slightly pink is normal. Green, brown, or heavily blood-stained — call your midwife immediately, as this may indicate meconium or another concern.
Not every labour follows the textbook. Some women have a long latent phase with irregular contractions for a day or more. Others go from nothing to strong, regular contractions quickly. The key question isn’t “has labour started?” — it’s “is this getting stronger and more regular over time?”
What to do in early labour
Stay home, stay calm, and save energy. Early labour can last hours — sometimes a full day for first-time mothers. The worst thing to do is get excited, start timing every contraction, and exhaust yourself before active labour even begins.
If it’s nighttime, try to sleep between contractions. If it’s daytime, lie down or sit comfortably. Eat light meals — toast, soup, pasta, fruit. Stay hydrated. Once active labour establishes, most women lose interest in food, so eating early matters.
Distraction helps. Watch a film, potter around the house, go for a walk. Whatever keeps your mind occupied without draining energy. The contractions will demand your attention when they’re ready to.
A warm bath or shower can help in early labour — it’s comfort and relaxation. Practise the slow breathing from your antenatal classes: long inhale through the nose, long exhale through the mouth. This becomes the foundation for the whole labour.
Find out about renting a birth pool for your home water birth
When to fill the pool
Don’t fill at the first sign of labour. If you fill too early and labour stalls, you have a pool of cooling water.
Start filling when contractions are clearly established — regular, strong, and requiring your concentration. For a first baby, this is often when contractions are about 5 minutes apart and lasting 45–60 seconds. For a second baby, start earlier — things can move quickly. Filling takes 30–75 minutes depending on pool size and water pressure, so factor in the lead time.
Your birth partner handles the filling. You don’t need to be involved.
When to get in
Most midwives recommend waiting until active labour — typically around 5cm dilation, though not every midwife does an examination to confirm this. The practical marker is when contractions are strong enough that you’re no longer coping easily with other strategies and you want the water.
Getting in too early can slow things down. Warm water is deeply relaxing, and in early labour that relaxation can reduce contraction intensity. If contractions space out after you get in, get out, walk around, and try again later.
Getting in at the right time often produces a noticeable shift. Pain drops, your body relaxes, and labour may accelerate. Many midwives describe a “whoosh” of progress when a woman enters the pool at the right moment. Your body will tell you when it’s time. When you want the water, you want it.