Braxton Hicks contractions is your uterus beginning to practice for labour. Your uterus is flexing its mussels, warming up for the real contractions that will help push your little bundle of joy out at full term. This usually starts to happen some time after the 20th week of pregnancy. Women who had past pregnancies may feel the contractions earlier.

Normally these practice contraction are painless but can be uncomfortable, again women with past pregnancy may feel them to be more intense. It is described as your uterus tightening at the top and slowly going downward before it finally relaxes. It will normally last for about 30 seconds (the perfect time to practice your breathing) but may last up to 2 minutes or more. They startled me the first time I felt them. They started off with my stomach getting rock hard, and slowly getting a bit harder. After a few moments of the hardness I could feel my uterus tightening at the top and move downward and finally a sense of relief when it started to relax.

As you take the turn into the last part of your third trimester, these contractions may become more frequent, intense and possibly painful. This is when it gets harder to tell braxton hicks from true labour. Even though they are not powerful enough to deliver your baby, they can possibly start the prebirth process of early dilation and effacement. The night of my due date I got a case of the braxton hicks. I thought for sure it was the real thing. My partner and I was timing them. They came every 15 minutes apart and lasting for about 45 seconds to a minute. We started to get the bags brought out and snacks packed when all for a sudden they just stop. We lost about 3 hours of sleep that night. The best tips for telling if you are experiencing false labour or intense braxton hicks and not true labour is if the contractions are not regular and don't increase in frequency or severity, you have pain in the lower abdomen instead of your lower back, the contractions stop when you change your position and fetal movements intensify with contractions.

To relieve some of the discomfort felt during these contractions you can try taking a nice relaxing warm bath, lying down and relaxing or even get up and walk around for a bit. Doing the simple thing of changing your position may also help stop the braxton hicks contractions.

Braxton Hicks contractions are not true labour but they may be difficult for you to tell the difference. Make sure you tell you doctor at your next appointment, describe what they felt like and how long they lasted. Report them immediately if they are very frequent (more than 4 in a hour) and or if you are experiencing pain, back, abdominal, or pelvic, or a different type of vaginal discharge or if you are at risk for a premature labour.

Learn more about this author, Santana Moores.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about What do Braxton Hicks contractions feel like??
We want to hear your view. Write now!