As you near the end of your pregnancy you can become anxious and eager to see the baby. You may have been experiencing signs and symptoms that may seem like labor, such as Braxton Hicks contractions, what I call “warm-up” contractions. These can begin days or weeks before you actual go into labor. So, what at what point does that warm-up turn into the real thing? Remember labor has three stages and for some mothers the shift from warm-up to active labor happens so gradually you’re well into active labor before you realize it. For others you may have a prolonged period