Recognize the characteristics of false contractions (braxton hicks) leading up to labor

Some pregnant women may have felt cheated about wanting to go to the hospital immediately because they thought it was time to give birth. One of the causes of this is due to false contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions that come on suddenly.

False contractions can sometimes mislead the real signs of childbirth. Actually, what are false contractions (Braxton Hicks) and how do you deal with them?

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What are false contractions?

False contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions are contractions with an irregular pattern that often come and go.

Braxton Hicks contractions are usually felt early in the second trimester of pregnancy.

However, according to the American Pregnancy Association, the condition usually appears more frequently in the third trimester, especially before delivery.

Like real labor contractions, Braxton Hicks are contractions that also make the stomach feel tight.

The difference is, the duration of false or Braxton-Hicks contractions tends to be shorter, that is 30-60 seconds or at most 2 minutes.

False contractions are arguably the body's way of preparing for and welcoming the birth process, whether it's a type of delivery with a normal delivery method or a cesarean section.

In fact, even if the mother is going to give birth to twins, these Braxton Hicks contractions might happen.

Here, you can actually practice little by little to apply proper breathing techniques during childbirth before the actual contractions come.

Regulating breathing can also help relax the mother's body if later you have to apply the method of pushing during childbirth.

Even so, not all women who are about to give birth will experience these Braxton Hicks contractions.

In some cases, you may immediately feel real contractions which can last for about 5-10 minutes.

In fact, you may not have had false contractions before.

Apart from recognizing these Braxton Hacks contractions, don't forget to prepare childbirth supplies and other labor preparations.

What are the characteristics of false contractions?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, false contractions or Braxton Hicks are described as feeling tight in the irregular parts of the abdomen.

The discomfort usually comes and goes at certain times.

These false contractions are usually described as mild abdominal cramps, which may resemble menstrual cramps.

It feels like these uncomfortable false contractions are centered around the lower abdomen.

However, it does not feel like the false contractions are triggering the opening of the delivery (cervix), which indicates labor is about to begin.

If you experience signs or signs of false contractions, you may not need to panic and still be able to relax a little at home.

Unlike contractions that will give birth, when carried on activities, walking, or changing positions during sleep, Braxton Hicks contractions can disappear immediately.

Other signs or features that indicate that you are experiencing false or Braxton Hicks contractions include the following:

• The frequency and pattern of random contractions, such as the distance between contractions are 10 minutes, 6 minutes, 2 minutes, then 8 minutes.
• The contractions don't last long, they don't get worse, they don't get more frequent.
• The contractions usually cause pain or discomfort in the lower part of the stomach.
• The contractions may or may not be painful at all.
• The contractions can stop as soon as you change positions or switch to other activities.
• Contractions do not indicate blood spots.
• The contractions don't make the amniotic fluid break.

Signs or signs of false contractions may appear during the third trimester, or even start in the second trimester.

But again, keep in mind that not all women experience these Braxton Hicks contractions.

When in doubt about your contractions, whether real or fake, always contact your obstetrician or midwife as soon as possible.

The reason is, the only way to know for sure about the correctness of contractions is by undergoing a vaginal examination.

The doctor or midwife will check whether your cervix has grown dilated and is preparing for labor or not.

How is it different from the original signs of labor contractions?

The experience of the original contractions of labor and Braxton Hicks before delivery can be different for each woman, and may also vary from pregnancy to pregnancy.

In order not to get confused, here's how to distinguish between false contractions and which ones that indicate you need to go to the hospital immediately:

Length of time and probability of predicting contractions

It is not easy to predict Braxton Hicks labor contractions.

However, these false or Braxton-Hicks contractions usually come in irregular patterns of varying intensity and length of time.

Fake or Braxton Hicks contractions usually last only a short time. Meanwhile, in the original labor contractions, different from Braxton Hicks contractions.

The pattern and length of time that the original contraction lasts also tend to be irregular at first.

It's just that over time, the original labor contractions begin to show a steady and regular pattern, frequency and distance.

Even longer, the discomfort from the original contractions will be more pronounced and may last longer.

As an illustration, the original contractions can come on periodically, unlike Braxton Hicks contractions.

The original contractions often appear every five or seven minutes and last about 30-70 seconds each.

Check your contractions using a watch or stopwatch. Then record when and how long each contraction lasts.

The location of the pain on the contractions

Abdominal pain may or may not appear with Braxton Hicks contractions.

If the pain occurs, it is usually felt in the lower abdomen accompanied by mild cramps.

While in the original contraction, the pain is felt in the lower back and as if it is all over the abdomen.

You may also experience back pain, accompanied by pressure on your pelvis, waist, and thighs.

The pain from these original contractions is described as cramping during menstruation but to a much stronger degree.

Complaints of pain due to contractions during activity

If the mother's contractions are fake, they usually disappear soon after walking, sleeping, changing positions, or doing other activities.

On the other hand, the pain of the original contraction will persist even if the mother does various activities.

Even unlike Braxton Hicks contractions, the discomfort with the original contractions can get more intense over time.

The original contractions are accompanied by various other signs of labor

The appearance of false contractions usually comes alone without any signs that you are about to give birth.

While in the original contractions, the various signs that you are about to give birth will generally appear.

Starting from the thinning and widening of the cervix (effacement), rupture of the amniotic fluid, causing blood stains a day or two before the contraction.

The blood spots appear accompanied by pink or whitish mucus.

These blood spots are actually mucus that collects and clogs the cervix during pregnancy.

Not all women are aware of these patches, and some women can start experiencing contractions after the mucus is released.

Meanwhile, ruptured membranes are usually a sign that you will soon be in labor in the near future.

However, sometimes after experiencing signs of labor, you may not be completely sure if you will actually give birth.

Some women can have painful contractions every day with no cervical changes.

Meanwhile, other pregnant women may feel only a little pressure and pain or pain in the back.

What are the triggers for false contractions?

Actually, fake labor contractions are not always bad. It's just that, this condition often causes confusion with original labor contractions.

False contractions can also be considered good because they play a role in helping to tighten the uterine muscles as well as increase blood flow to the placenta.

Maybe fake contractions really can't help to dilate the cervix (cervix).

However, these Braxton Hicks contractions can affect the cervix so that it becomes softer and thinner as a way to welcome a later birth.

Some of the things that trigger false contractions or Braxton Hicks are as follows:

• The movement of mother and baby in the womb is very active
• There is a touch on the mother's stomach
• When the contents of the bladder are very full
• After having sex during pregnancy
• The mother is dehydrated or has severe lack of fluids

One of the triggers for Braxton Hicks contractions is due to having sex during pregnancy.

These post-sex contractions during pregnancy are caused by increased oxytocin production and large blood flow to the pelvic area.

Orgasm in women is characterized in particular by tightening the muscles in the front third of the vaginal wall, as well as in the muscles of the uterus.

In addition, male semen contains prostaglandins which can also trigger uterine contractions to a lesser extent.

Physical activity and changing positions during sex can also cause muscle contractions. After coming down from climax, the muscles of the body will relax again to their original state.

How to deal with pain due to false contractions?

Although they don't always cause pain like real labor contractions, fake contractions can cause discomfort.

You don't need to worry, because these fake or Braxton-Hicks contractions are normal and nothing to worry about.

This is because false contractions will usually disappear immediately after the mother moves regularly, so you should do more activities.

In order to get better soon, the ways you can try to deal with complaints due to fake contractions or Braxton Hicks are as follows:

• Give your body more room to move, for example by taking a leisurely walk after experiencing false contractions.
• If you feel you have been doing too much, try lying down or taking a nap.
• Change the sitting or lying position from what you originally did.
• Let the body relax and relax by soaking in warm water, watching movies, listening to music, or doing other fun activities.
• Massage the body slowly.
• Drink a glass of milk or a cup of warm tea after experiencing false contractions.

Don't forget to drink lots of fluids to prevent the body from experiencing dehydration or lack of fluids as a way to deal with after experiencing false contractions.

This is because lack of fluids in the body can trigger false contractions to appear at a later time.

When to see a doctor

Before you rush to the hospital for contractions, try to confirm them.

When the contractions are long and strong enough, try to calculate how long your contractions last.

Count from the time it occurred, until the time the contraction had stopped. In addition, also pay attention to the duration of time or distance between one contraction and another.

Original labor contractions usually begin within 60-90 seconds, with a distance between contractions of about 15-20 minutes.

Over time, the contractions can become more regular with the time between contractions being less than 5 minutes.

It is likely that labor will be imminent when marked by strong contractions lasting about 30-70 seconds.

The distance between contractions can be shorter, which is approximately 3-4 minutes.

Sometimes, it may be difficult for you to really tell which are the signs of false contractions and which are genuine labor contractions.

This condition ultimately makes you a dilemma to go to the hospital now or not.

No need to worry about having your current health condition checked because of the fake contractions that strike.

Doctors, midwives, and other medical teams are generally always ready to handle all of your complaints during pregnancy, until the delivery process.

So, don't hesitate to consult any time you feel something is wrong with Braxton Hicks contractions.

The doctor or midwife will then examine the opening of your cervix (cervix).

This aims to ensure the correctness of the contraction that the mother feels is leading to real labor or not.

If you find that it hasn't led to labor, you are usually allowed to return home.

Signs of the mother should immediately see a doctor

Immediately consult a doctor if the contractions that appear are accompanied by various signs that are considered abnormal, such as:

• Heavy bleeding from the vagina
• Your water breaks
• Very strong contraction every 5 minutes and lasts quite a long time
• Contractions that don't go away even though you've been walking and doing activities
• Changes in baby's movements that you are most aware of, or if you feel less than 10 movements per 2 hours
• Signs of labor contractions are obvious if your pregnancy is not yet 37 weeks old

In fact, if these Braxton Hicks labor contractions often appear before entering the third trimester of pregnancy, it is important to get them checked by a doctor immediately.

The reason is, the possibility of the appearance of Braxton Hicks contractions can lead to preterm labor.

The doctor and medical team will later examine your health condition, as well as find out the causes and treatment of the condition you are experiencing.