This is it. Nine months of pregnancy have all led up to this one event. The birthing classes and breathing techniques sit at the back of your mind ready to be brought into action. The midwife waits in the wings for the final moments of bringing your baby into the world. Ah, the wonderful and oh-so-necessary part of childbirth – labor.

But wait! How can you tell if labor has begun? Many women experience similar symptoms, while some others have no idea until they feel the urge to push.

When it comes down to it, labor is a very individual process. No one knows that fact better than Crystal Irwin, a mother of three from Pasadena, Calif. Although her body was exhibiting the classic symptoms of labor, her lack of pain during the process led her to believe it couldn't possibly be labor. She and her husband couldn't even make it out of the garage before she gave birth to her son, Michael, in a matter of minutes.

Sheri Menelli, author of Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth (White Heart, 2005), has compiled many such birthing stories in her book and knows just how individual labor can be. Recounting an experience of her own, Menelli says, "...[A] few hours before labor started I was famished! I could not get enough to eat. I guess my body was storing up energy for what was about to happen." The body certainly knows best. The key to preparing for and managing labor effectively is knowing just what sorts of bodily signals indicate labor is near. And while labor and delivery are personal processes, the signs are typically universal, but listening to what your body has to say is the real key.

So what will your body do to indicate labor isn't far off? These signs and signals are some of the most commonly experienced by laboring women:

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