Contractions

• According to the Mayo Clinic, contractions, which are often the most noticeable sign of labor, are muscle contractions of the uterus that will get stronger, longer and consistently closer together. Earlier in the pregnancy, women experience practice contractions, called Braxton Hicks contractions, but these are milder, shorter and may stop with a change in your activity level.
  
  

Water Breaks

• Some women will experience ruptured membranes---their water breaking---before any other labor signs, or they will experience ruptured membranes in conjunction with other labor signs, while it is also possible that the membranes will have to be ruptured by the doctor. However, the American Pregnancy Association states that only 1 out of 10 women will experience an extreme and sudden gush of fluid that is often seen in movies and on television shows.
  
  

Breathing Easier

• As the baby descends into the birth canal, which is called lightening, breathing will become easier; however, you will also need to urinate more often. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, this can occur a few weeks to a few hours before labor begins and signals labor when it is noticed in conjunction with one or more of the other signs of labor.
  
  

Cervical Changes

• According to the Cleveland Clinic, the cervix will thin out and get shorter, which is called effacement, during labor. It will also stretch and open, which is called dilation.
  
  

Bloody Discharge

• When your cervix starts to efface and dilate, the mucous plug, which has sealed your cervix since your pregnancy began, will dislodge. This results in a blood tinged discharge---sometimes the blood is a dark brown and other times the mucous is pink streaked.