Is this Labor?
Initally it can be hard to tell. You might have pre-labor that starts and stops. A few things you can expect and why you shouldnt worry.
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Firstly, woman have been giving birth for years. Trust your body. It starts to do its own thing.
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The mucous plug starts to breakup. I am often truely amazed at what gunk comes out of us. As the plug starts to break away, it has to come out.
Your doctor may suggest a "Stretch and Sweep" the idea here is to put their fingers up and touch your cervix and slowly start moving it apart, and then run their fingers along the cervix to encourage your body to start to open. I would love to tell you that this is what it is like on TV. On TV people check for dialation all the time, and the woman seems quite comfortable. Does it hurt? a bit. Ok for me, yes it hurt. Should you worry about it? no.
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Lightening Vagina
The what now? I remember describing this to my doctor. It felt like lightening attacking my vagina. He said it was common. Given that men dont have vaginas I am curious about how a male doctor could know? Basically your bundle of joy is head butting your cervix. Good Sign. Doesnt hurt hurt. Just feels odd.
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If you get a contraction and think you may have done a wee, you may have. Or your water broke. Again not like on TV. You wont be standing in a puddle, or you might. wear a pad.
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Be prepared to get the urge to clean. If you want to waddle and clean, I cannot stop you. I would suggest that you try and rest as much as you can. I know you wont though.
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If you feel a squeeze in your lower back, that could be a contraction. Or it could be lower back pain.
Once something hurts to the point where you cannot talk, bingo. It might go away though. It is unlikely you will give birth in the car, or a hospital hallway. Not impossible, but unlikely.
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Be prepared to check your dignity at the door of the hospital. That might seem crazy right now. Trust me, you wont care. People are going to touch your boobs, your cervix, smell the pad you have on. You honestly wont care. If you do care, you will forget about it.