When Labour Starts

As you near the end of your third trimester, you might wonder what labour feels like and how to tell if it’s actually started. This module will help you recognize the signs of early labour and the differences between early and active labour. Key areas include understanding contractions, what they feel like and how to time them if you wish, what to do when your water breaks, tips for comfort during your early labour pain, and when to consider seeking care from your pregnancy care team.

Signs of going into labour and when labour is starting
The difference between early and active labour
What contractions are and how to time them
What happens when your water breaks
Coping with early labour pain
When it's time to go to the hospital or seek care

We respectfully acknowledge this Provincial Prenatal Education was developed at Perinatal Services BC on the unceded, traditional and ancestral territories of the Coast Salish People, specifically the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-waututh) Nations who have cared for and nurtured the lands and waters around us for all time. We give thanks for the opportunity to live, work and support care here.

We wish to acknowledge with gratitude that we also collaborated with many partners who live on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of many B.C. First Nations. We also acknowledge that there are other Indigenous people that live on these lands that originate from their own respective territories outside of these lands, the Chartered Communities of the Métis Nation B.C. and Inuit.

Terms of Use

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Welcome to the Pregnancy & Parenting Learning Centre

The Pregnancy & Parenting Learning Centre (the “Learning Centre”), provided by Perinatal Services BC (PSBC), offers evidence-informed information and education on pregnancy, labour and birth, newborn care, and postpartum care. This platform is designed for pregnant individuals, their partners or supports, and perinatal health care professionals in British Columbia.

Our resources are aligned with trusted materials like the Perinatal and Newborn Health HUB, Baby’s Best Chance, and HealthLink BC, and are developed using the best available knowledge at the time of publication. Content is created and reviewed by subject matter experts, an interdisciplinary health care team, and PSBC’s Community Advisory Committee, including parent partners, to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Important Notice:

The Learning Centre’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for personalized medical advice, clinical judgment, or professional health care. Users are encouraged to consult a health care professional regarding specific concerns or questions. PSBC assumes no liability for damages, claims, or obligations arising from the use of this platform, nor for unauthorized changes to its content.

Collection Notice:

Perinatal Services BC, a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). We are authorized to collect personal information for the purpose of account creation and progress tracking for the curriculum under s.26(c) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), and for program evaluation and quality improvement purposes under s. 26(e).

If you have any questions about the collection of this personal information, please contact Perinatal Services BC at pplc@phsa.ca.

Before accessing or using the Learning Centre, you are required to review and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice. By using this platform, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to be bound by these terms.

Terms of Use

Please read the agreement below carefully.
Once you have reviewed the terms, click "Agree and Continue" to proceed to sign in.

Welcome to the Pregnancy & Parenting Learning Centre

The Pregnancy & Parenting Learning Centre (the “Learning Centre”), provided by Perinatal Services BC (PSBC), offers evidence-informed information and education on pregnancy, labour and birth, newborn care, and postpartum care. This platform is designed for pregnant individuals, their partners or supports, and perinatal health care professionals in British Columbia.

Our resources are aligned with trusted materials like the Perinatal and Newborn Health HUB, Baby’s Best Chance, and HealthLink BC, and are developed using the best available knowledge at the time of publication. Content is created and reviewed by subject matter experts, an interdisciplinary health care team, and PSBC’s Community Advisory Committee, including parent partners, to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Important Notice:

The Learning Centre’s content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for personalized medical advice, clinical judgment, or professional health care. Users are encouraged to consult a health care professional regarding specific concerns or questions. PSBC assumes no liability for damages, claims, or obligations arising from the use of this platform, nor for unauthorized changes to its content.

Collection Notice:

Perinatal Services BC, a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). We are authorized to collect personal information for the purpose of account creation and progress tracking for the curriculum under s.26(c) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), and for program evaluation and quality improvement purposes under s. 26(e).

If you have any questions about the collection of this personal information, please contact Perinatal Services BC at pplc@phsa.ca.

Before accessing or using the Learning Centre, you are required to review and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice. By using this platform, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to be bound by these terms.

When Labour Starts

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Territory Acknowledgment