What makes baby descend

This is because their body has been through labor before, so their pelvis may need less time to adjust to the process. Women who are pregnant for the first time may find that baby dropping occurs some days or weeks before labor. This may be because their pelvic muscles need to adjust to the birthing position before labor can begin. If a woman thinks her baby has dropped, she should speak to a doctor. The doctor can check the position of the baby, which helps them estimate when labor may begin.

Some women may feel baby dropping as a sudden, noticeable movement. Others may not notice it happening at all. Some women may notice that their abdomen feels lighter after the baby has dropped. This might be because the baby is positioned lower in the pelvis, leaving more room in her middle. Lightening may seem an inappropriate term for some. Baby dropping sometimes makes women feel like they are carrying a bowling ball between their legs.

When the baby drops, some women may experience flashes of pelvic pain. There is less pressure on the diaphragm once the baby has dropped. This may make breathing easier. After the baby drops, its head may put pressure on the nerves in the pelvis and rectum.

This pressure may cause hemorrhoids. Baby dropping increases pressure on the cervix. This causes it to lose the mucus plug that sits at the top of the cervix until the end of pregnancy. It is there to stop bacteria from entering the uterus. When the baby sits lower in the pelvis, its head may put pressure on the bladder. This may make a woman need to urinate often. This is measured in "stations. Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.

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Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Lightning crotch: Jolts to the pelvis during pregnancy. Braxton Hicks contractions. Losing your mucus plug. Cervical dilation and effacement. Is it normal for my baby to have hiccups in the womb? New to BabyCenter? Join now. Password Forgot your password? Keep me logged in. Log in. Get the BabyCenter app. One of the undeniable signs that labor is near is your warm-up contractions go from feeling uncomfortable to being rather painful like menstrual cramps.

Even though these pre-labor contractions are not as strong as labor contractions, they are strong enough to be starting the work of thinning out, or effacing, your cervix from a thick-walled cone to a thin-walled cup. While these contractions will get even stronger just prior to labor, they can continue this way, on and off, for a week or two before labor starts.

They become less intense when you change position or start walking. Birth hormones will give you signs that labor is nearby acting on your intestines. Those same hormones can also make you feel nauseated.