Contractions

signs of labour

As the birth approaches it’s common to think ‘am I in labour?’ at every sign. You may have been experiencing Braxton Hicks, or ‘practice’ contractions for a while, but the contractions of labour should feel quite different. Here’s what you need to know.

What are contractions?

Contractions happen when the muscles of the uterus start to tighten and relax. The upper part of the uterus tightens and thickens, while the cervix softens, becoming thinner and flatter and gradually opening to allow the baby into the birth canal ready for delivery.

For many women contractions are one of the first recognisable signs of labour. They may begin as a pain or ache in the lower back or abdomen, and are sometimes described as similar to period pain.

How are they different from Braxton Hicks?

Unlike Braxton Hicks, labour contractions can be felt in other areas of your body, including your back, lower and upper abdomen and pelvis – and they won’t stop when your change position or relax.

Contractions come in ‘waves’, each one getting more intense until it peaks, and then slowly eases off, giving you and your baby a little rest before the next one. You should feel your abdomen become hard to the touch as the contraction reaches its peak, then become soft again as the uterus relaxes and the contraction subsides. To begin with they will be fairly spaced out – perhaps every 10 minutes or so, but will then become more regular, frequent and intense, lasting for longer each time.

Timing your contractions

Timing your contractions can be helpful to your midwife as it enables you to describe what’s happening in detail. Start counting from the beginning of one contraction to the start of the next. You can either write down the time each contraction starts and note how long it lasts, or count the number of seconds each contraction lasts.

In this early or latent phase of labour you should be able to distract yourself by taking a bath, going for a walk and carrying on as normal for as long as possible.

Active labour

Once the cervix has dilated to around 3 or 4cm you enter what is known as established labour. This is when contractions become much more regular and may occur 3 or 4 minutes apart.

After 6 or 7cm contractions become more intense and painful and it may feel as though there is no rest between contractions at all. Breathing and relaxation techniques can help you cope with contractions at this stage, but you may also now start to consider your options for pain relief.

When the cervix is fully dilated to 10cm you enter the transitional phase which is when you begin to feel the urge to push the baby out. The Contractions now become a little less frequent, but much stronger, and last for longer.

Second stage of labour

As you enter the second stage of labour, you will feel the need to push with each contraction. With each push, your baby will move a little further down the birth canal, each time slipping back again as the contraction subsides. This pattern will repeat until your baby’s head becomes visible and you begin to take shorter, panting breaths as they are born.

Once your baby is born the contractions will start again to allow you to push the placenta out. This is known as the third stage of labour.
 

 

Comments

hi does anyone know what it means if u have a sweep done and midwife puts in ur notes 2cms long
Hello. Im 39+2 and i feel like my contractions have become closer. But it only really painfull when im out with my husband. Its painfull generally. But cannot tell sometimes. I get pains in my legs and in my uterus. Please help.
Hello. Im 39+2 and i feel like my contractions have become closer. But it only really painfull when im out with my husband. Its painfull generally. But cannot tell sometimes. I get pains in my legs and in my uterus. Please help.
Hello. Im 39+2 and i feel like my contractions have become closer. But it only really painfull when im out with my husband. Its painfull generally. But cannot tell sometimes. I get pains in my legs and in my uterus. Please help.
hi..yes this can be normal i have 2 children.and am pregnant again only 3weeks gone..my first was my daughter i had a straight forward delivery in birthing pool,her contractions was in my stomach as are most women,but my second was my son and that was also a straight forward delivery in a birthing pool but his contractions was in my lower back and top of my bum then went into my legs also..this delivery im afraid to say was far more painful..so yes contractions in your back can be normal,,have your waters started to go yet?x
Hi, I'm 33 weeks on Friday as a first time mum I'm finding it hard to tell what is going on, the hospital told me I was having contractions, I could feel it getting tight but didn't know that it was contractions. The last couple of days I have had a really bad pain in my top left hand side of my back even to the point where it is hurting me to breath deep and is keeping me up durning the night which is making me really tired and drained, is this normal to have?? Thanks
I am 30+5 and since week i have contractions every day. Sometimes they are even every 10 min 30 sec - 2 min each and there is 4 within hour but after that they slowing down to 1 every hour or every 2 hours. Some of them painful some only pressure. Should I call midwife unit??
Can anyone tell me if I'm experiencing Braxton hicks. I'm 33 weeks and all of a sudden I just started feeling dull cramps in my lower abdomen then it felt like my stomach went really tight for a few seconds and then realeased. The dull cramp doesn't go away but the tightening comes and go's. This is my first baby and just not sure so if someone could reply it would really help me.
I have been getting tons of braxton hicks but I am also getting little one resting on my sciatic nerve at the inside of my leg up near my vagin* soz for tmi .. well it is extremely paifil and at times I have to immediately sit down or I callapse - I am 36 + 5 - I am 37 on monday EDD 14 november 2011 - Is this the starting of her preparing to commence labour ready for birth - anyone any advice?
waters broke just over 5 hours ago, got checked out at hospital, and back at home waiting for things to kick in....few irregular contractions....been booked in for sunday am to be induced if not already in full labour....im 38 + 2 days.....wish me luck!!!
 

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