by Lisa Curcio

Created on: June 16, 2009

How to Tell the Difference Between Real and False Labor.

You have gotten to the stage in your pregnancy where you are starting to experience signs of labor, but you are not sure if they point to Real or False Labor. Every woman, and every pregnancy is different, but every pregnancy has very definite signs of Labor that you will need to pay attention to in order to figure out if you are actually in Labor, or if you body is just practicing and preparing for the big day.

If you are not close to full term and feel like you are in labor now, it is best to give your Midwife or Obstetrician a call and ask to be seen immediately. It is always better to be safe than sorry when the life of your child depends on you. No one will think you are overreacting or laugh at you for worrying about the safety of your baby.

Braxton Hicks Contractions:

Braxton Hicks Contractions are not real contractions, they are practice contractions for your uterus that help your body to prepare for the real thing and usually start to become noticeable sometime after the 20th week of pregnancy. If you have had several pregnancies, you may start to feel them from the very beginning of your pregnancy. They will happen infrequently at first, with no pattern and no pain. You will notice a slight tightening of your belly with little discomfort. They may start at the top of your belly and slowly move down, or you may only feel them on the bottom or just in front. Braxton Hicks Contractions will not cover your uterus completely, the front may feel very hard, while the sides of your belly are still soft. Braxton Hick Contractions will most likely stop if you get up and move around or change your position. These contractions will only last between 15-30 seconds earlier in pregnancy, increasing to between 30-60 seconds later in pregnancy and even as long as 2 minutes as you near the end of your pregnancy. While the length of the Braxton Hicks Contractions will increase, they will still have the same characteristics I have described through out your entire pregnancy.

Real Contractions:

Real Labor Contractions will most likely start out with little pain or discomfort and you might not even notice them when they first start. They will gradually increase in intensity, pain and discomfort over time. It might take an hour or less to become noticeably uncomfortable, it could take several hours, a day or even several days. Everyone experiences labor differently and a woman can experience labor differently from pregnancy

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