In this episode of The POPPED Podcast, Dr. Emily Muery unpacks one of the most misunderstood phases of birth: prodromal labor. Often labeled “false labor” and brushed off as insignificant, this early phase is anything but false. It’s real work — quiet, essential, and deeply physiological.

Dr. Emily explores:

• The difference between pre-labor, prodromal labor, and early labor
• What’s really happening when labor starts and stops
• The role of cervical ripening (and why dilation isn’t the only thing that matters)
• The emotional and hormonal shifts that prepare the body for birth
• What you can do to support this phase — and what you don’t have to
• Her go-to tool for clarity: the Tub Hydration Test

If you’ve ever felt stuck, sent home, or unsure if your body is “doing enough,” this episode will help you see pre-labor through a new lens — one of trust, timing, and transformation.

This episode is sponsored by The Final Punctuation

Visit thefinalpunctuation.com