If you’re in your last month of pregnancy, you might be dying to know…
Has my baby dropped yet??
Some women can tell right away. Others it’s a bit more of a guessing game. Here are some telltale signs your baby has dropped:
1) You have to pee ALL the time
I mean you’ve been having to pee a lot anyway, don’t get me wrong. But when you’re rushing off to the bathroom just half an hour after you last went… and then barely anything comes out? Yep, baby’s sitting on your bladder!
2) You seem to be able to feel your bladder
Different from having to pee all the time, you simply have an odd… awareness of your bladder nowadays. Like, you know it’s there and it seems like you’re always kind of holding it in. Maybe you can feel your baby squishing it as it moves, or you suddenly feel the urge to pee every time you stand up. This is another telltale sign your baby has dropped!
3) Your boobs are no longer resting on your belly
Lots of preggo bellies seem to stick straight out from your rib cage. Maybe your boobs got to rest there, or else you could use it as a handy, built-in shelf. But lately, does it seem like this table has disappeared? If your belly is more of a slope than a shelf, it could be a sign your baby’s dropped.
4) Walking up stairs doesn’t seem so hard anymore…
Did you used to have to stop halfway up the stairs to catch your breath? A baby that hasn’t dropped will push up against your diaphragm, preventing you from breathing deeply. If you suddenly notice that stairs don’t leave you winded anymore, or you can do your favorite workout again without getting light-headed, baby’s on the way!
5) …but walking itself is slower
Everything seems to pinch or ache or spark with each step. You’re a bowling ball moving down the sidewalk. Sometimes your leg goes a little numb, your pelvis feels like it’s gonna fall apart, your vagina hurts, your hips ache, you get lightning crotch, your back feels like it can’t carry any more, and you really just need your belly held up once in a while. If these are happening more than usual, you can be sure baby has descended into your pelvis!
6) Your heartburn has subsided
You used to carry a bottle of Tums everywhere, and you knew which foods to take them with. You always made sure to finish eating and drinking at least half an hour before bed, so it didn’t feel like anything was… coming up again. If you don’t have to worry about heartburn anymore, it could be that your baby isn’t squishing your stomach quite so much.
7) Your bump looks lower
Did a profile of your belly used to look nice and round and symmetrical? Lately it may seem like it’s “slouching down” farther, sticking out more than usual, or bulging out from over your pelvis. This is especially noticeable if you have a picture from a few weeks ago to compare to. 
Your belly looks like it’s “ready to pop”!
8) Your lower back is achier
Maybe it’s how far your belly’s sticking out now, but your lower back seems to be achier than ever. The extra Relaxin that comes right before labor probably doesn’t help either. Your back has more weight to support than ever before, and you can definitely feel it!
If you feel any of these signs, baby’s getting ready to make its debut! But don’t worry if you don’t, lots of moms either never feel their baby drop, or it only happens right before labor begins. Babies normally drop about 2-4 weeks before labor in first-time moms. So if baby’s dropped into your pelvis, you can be sure it’s ready to come soon!
Next, check out:
Adventures of a Preggo 