Labor, otherwise known as childbirth or parturition, is the three-part period of gestation involving the birth of one or multiple infants. You can choose to undergo labor in one of several ways, including a natural birth at home, water birthing or childbirth in a hospitalized environment.

As you near the end of your pregnancy, sick of aching back and swollen feet, you might wake up one morning with the strange desire to repaint the bathroom or clean the attic. No, pregnancy hasn't driven you crazy -- this might be the "nesting urge" many pregnant women experience just before they go into labor.

At some point during pregnancy, your breasts will begin producing colostrum. Colostrum is a thick, yellowish liquid that will serve as the first food your baby will need, before your milk comes in.

Although every woman's experience of pregnancy and birth is different, heavy and sore breasts are not one of the recognized signs that labor is soon to begin. You might experience and notice some of the common signs yourself, such as changes in your baby's position, or changes in your vaginal discharge.

Spotting towards the end of your pregnancy is a sign of labor. This spotting occurs when the mucous plug that protects the opening of your cervix from bacteria dislodges from the cervix. Loss of the mucous plug also is known as the bloody show.

While nothing in life is certain, there’s a good chance that your second labor will differ from your first in a number of ways. Both you and your uterus have been down this road before, so you know -- or think you know -- what to expect when labor starts.

As a pregnant woman’s body prepares for labor, many changes occur internally to ensure that her baby shifts into the proper position. Unborn babies descend into the pelvis in preparation for labor and delivery, which can cause their mothers to experience several new signs and symptoms.