|

How do I know if the baby has dropped?

It’s impossible to say precisely when your baby will drop or descend into your pelvis, because every pregnancy is unique. This process is called lightening, is likely to occur several weeks before labour begins, though it may happen later.

While lightening isn’t a predictor of when labour will start, it is a sign that the baby is moving into position and getting ready for birth.

Signs that lightening has happened are:

• Breathing becomes easier:At the end of pregnancy, the baby has grown so much and is pressing against the rib cage, making it difficult to breathe. When the baby has dropped from under the rib cage this gives relief from the pressure on the rib cage and allows for deeper breathing and for easier expansion of the rib cage.
• Frequent urination: Some woman have claimed to urinate more after the baby has dropped due to more pressure on the bladder.
• The space of the baby in the uterus: The positioning of your baby changes when it drops into the pelvis. The baby is positioning itself in a face down position and is getting ready. There will be a space between the breasts and the abdomen once the baby has dropped into the pelvis.
• Pressure on the bowels: When a baby has dropped into the pelvis and away from the rib cage, its head is now resting against the pelvic floor, adding extra pressure on the bowels.