Six Differences Between True and False Labor

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A pregnant woman’s lot is a mixed bag.

On one hand, full of hope, optimism and joy at the impending child you’re about to bring into the world.

On the other, there’s the physical pain and discomfort – coupled with the anxiety and worry about the impending child you’re about to bring into the world!

The last thing an expectant mom needs is another thing to worry about.

Cue Dr. Braxton Hicks…who brought us the knowledge that labor might not actually be labor after all.

Are those contractions true or false?

Do I pack my bag and go to the hospital, or do I run a bath and drink herbal tea?

In this video, we hope to give you a bit of reassurance on that.

A Stuff4Tots writer, who is also a nurse by profession, discusses the six differences between true and false labor.

Welcome to the Stuff4Tots channel, made by moms and dads, for moms and dads!

What exactly is False Labor?

John Braxton Hicks, an English physician, first described false labor contractions way back in 1872.

He noticed that many mothers-to-be experienced contractions without actually going into labor.

These contractions caused confusion about whether labor was really happening or not.

In the days when almost 100% of births happened at home, it wasn’t that big a deal.

However, now, with our most likely hospital-delivered babies, moms need to know whether to high-tail it to the maternity ward or not.

These Braxton Hicks contractions are now commonly referred to as False Labor.

What causes Braxton Hicks False Labor Contractions?

Braxton Hicks contractions are the body’s way of preparing itself for labor.

By contracting for one to two minutes, your uterine muscles are toning themselves up for the exertion to come.

Ain’t nature wonderful!? 😊 So don’t get too down about it.

We know they’re painful and uncomfortable but, without them, your labor would probably be a lot longer and more draining (if you can believe that!).

“False” False Labor

No, not a Vanilla Ice follow-up hit from the 90s but, in fact, another thing to throw a spanner of confusion into the works of the pre-maternal brain…

Yep. There is another kind of false labor; abdominal pain caused by strain on the ligaments supporting your uterus.

It’s generally due to the effort of holding up all that extra pregnancy weight.

Normally, this abdominal strain lasts just for a few seconds to a couple of minutes and is caused by a sudden movement such as standing up or coughing.

Ease the discomfort by taking a short break from the activity you are doing.

If in bed, roll over more slowly supporting the belly as you go.

If they persist, a hot bath may help.

What do False Labor contractions feel like?

False labor pains, or Braxton Hicks contractions, are irregular uterine contractions that can be felt by a pregnant woman as early as the 4th month of pregnancy.

They are characterized by a sudden tightening of the abdomen that lasts for a few seconds and then disappears.

Many women describe these sensations as feeling like mild menstrual cramps.

These contractions do not occur consecutively, and the intensity does not increase over time.

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Moms, when you were pregnant, did you experience Braxton Hicks contractions often?

If so, how did you deal with them?

We’d love to hear from you!

Let us know in the comments below.

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