It's quite improbable that you'll go into labor unexpectedly. Your body will alert you when the big day is approaching so that you may prepare your hospital bag and be ready to head to the hospital when the time comes. Most women know exactly when their labor will begin and can expect to give birth within a few hours of arriving at the hospital. However, this doesn't mean that you have to wait until the last minute to schedule an appointment with your doctor. It's recommended to visit your physician before each pregnancy so that he or she can check up on how you're doing and make sure that there are no problems with your pregnancy that need to be addressed before it goes too far. This includes making sure that you don't have high blood pressure, diabetes, or other medical issues that could put you at risk if they're not treated promptly after diagnosis. Even if you think that you know what labor feels like, it's best to get checked out by a doctor just to be safe. Some women who seem to be in full-on labor one moment may find that they aren't able to push for more than a few minutes later when the baby needs to come out. The pain medication that you're given during labor will probably take care of any discomfort that you feel as long as you don't eat anything after midnight the night before your due date or wake up during the night.