A woman’s body signals her of the upcoming birth in the weeks before labor begins. The signs may be subtle or obvious. The contractions the soon-to-be mom has felt throughout her pregnancy move the fetus into position in the birth canal. Short, irregular contractions, called false labor or Braxton Hicks contractions, are not true labor contractions, but they are signs that labor will begin soon. Additional pre-labor clues are lightening, nesting, and the "bloody show."

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