Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPurposeSignsWhen to Call Your Healthcare ProviderCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Purpose
Signs
When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
Coping
Braxton Hicks contractions happen when your womb contracts and relaxes intermittently during pregnancy. They’re also sometimes called false labor, pre-labor, or practice contractions since they’re often mistaken for true labor contractions.
While Braxton Hicks contractions can happen throughout pregnancy, you typically don’t feel them until your second or third trimesters.Some people may not notice them at all. Although they can seem scary or concerning if you’ve never felt them before or you suspect you’re going into labor, they’re a perfectly normal part of pregnancy.
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They take their name from John Braxton Hicks, a British gynecologist who first described them in 1872 after noticing his patients were experiencing contractions but weren’t going into labor.
Here, learn about why Braxton Hicks contractions happen, how to tell the difference between false labor and the real thing, when to call your healthcare provider, and how to cope if your contractions are painful or stressing you out.
It’s not known exactly why pregnant people experience Braxton Hicks contractions. However, the most common explanation is that theuterusis preparing for labor, hence the name “practice contractions.”
Even more confusingly, the way your contractions feel might be different compared to a family member or friend, or from one pregnancy to another.
Thankfully, there are many ways to sort out what’s going on. Here’s how to determine whether you’re experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions or true labor.
Why Some People Have More Braxton-Hicks Contractions Than Others
Braxton Hicks Contractions vs. True Labor
Besides pain from true labor and Braxton Hicks contractions, sometimes your growing uterus can trigger sharp, shooting pains down the side of your abdomen and into your groin due to stretchingligaments.
If you believe you may be in labor or suspect something’s wrong, contact your obstetric care professional to figure out the next steps. According to the 5-1-1 rule, you’re in true labor if:
However, if you are more than three weeks before your due date, call your healthcare provider if you have more than four to six pains in an hour.
Call your healthcare provider or go to the hospital immediately if you notice any of the following:
Braxton Hicks contractions can be painful and annoying, especially if they’re giving you a false sense of alarm. The good news is, there are numerous coping tools you can use to ease practice contractions and get some peace of mind.
Drink Up
First, rehydrate. If you call your healthcare professional, this is likely what they’ll tell you to do. The most common trigger for Braxton Hicks isdehydration, which can be even worse if you’ve been sick or vomiting due to a cold,the flu, ormorning sickness. Many times, Braxton Hicks will fade away after you get the fluids your body needs.
Take a Break
Put your feet up, get some rest, and try to schedule breaks as much as you can in the future. If you’re worried about your activity level or whether certain exercises are safe during pregnancy, contact your healthcare provider to talk it out.
Get Moving
A Word From Verywell
Although Braxton Hicks contractions are a normal part of pregnancy, they can be a source of stress if you’re worried about bugging your healthcare professional with false alarms or underreacting when something serious could be going on.
Practice contractions can also be painful or seem similar to true labor contractions, so there’s no need to be embarrassed if it’s hard to tell the difference between the two.
If your gut tells you something’s off, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. With a few questions, your healthcare provider can determine whether it’s necessary to come in or keep an eye on your symptoms. If you are told to continue to observe but are still uncomfortable, ask to get checked. Otherwise, consider Braxton Hicks contractions one of the many ways your body is letting you know that it’s preparing for the big day.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Michigan Medicine.Contractions during pregnancy: what to expect.
UT Southwestern Medical Center.False alarm: Braxton Hicks contractions vs. true labor.
Cleveland Clinic.True vs. false labor.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).How to tell when labor begins.
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