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Preterm labor is labor that occurs before the 37th week in a normal 40-week pregnancy. The March of Dimes reports that 12 percent of babies born in the United States each year are born premature. These babies usually require longer hospital stays and experience more extensive long-term health problems. Sadly, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), premature babies account for most newborn deaths. Learn the signs of preterm labor in pregnancy so you can be prepared.

Many moms-to-be eagerly anticipate the onset of labor not because they look forward to the requisite discomfort and work that the process entails, but instead because they can’t wait to cast their eyes on their new bundle of joy. As women approach their promised due date, they commonly become eager for any signs of the commencement of labor. While no sign is as clear an indication of the start of labor as the development of contractions, certain signs indicate that labor and, by connection, birth, are but a few days away.

Now that the initial excitement of being pregnant and wanting to welcome your new baby into the world has subsided, you may be experiencing that next common pregnant emotion of fear. Fear of just how the baby is going to come out. This fear happens to new moms and experienced moms, as every labor and delivery experience is different. You can conquer this fear and take steps throughout your pregnancy to increase the chances that your labor will be easy and a positive experience.

Studies have, for a long time, shown that deep breathing, mental imagery, deep massage or acupressure, and the presence of a constant companion or coach during labor can ease labor pains, making the miracle of birth more, well, enjoyable.