Contractions in pregnancy are usually the clearest symptom that labor is about to happen and our baby will finally be born. However, if this type of movement in the future mother occurs when there is still too much time to enter the final stretch of pregnancy, we could be experiencing another type of contractions. The premature cramps that a woman notices long before childbirth are called Braxton Hicks contractions, the body produces them as a kind of preparation for childbirth.
In the following article of we will explain how to know if I have premature contractions or Braxton Hicks, or on the contrary we are experiencing the pains that warn us that we are about to give birth. Read on and find out.
What are Braxton Hicks contractions and why do they appear
Braxton Hicks contractions occur between the second and third trimesters and it could be said that the body produces them as a kind of preparation for what will happen in a few months: childbirth. Thanks to these movements, the muscle of the uterus is toned since these contractions can appear every so often in pregnancy and last approximately between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
Not all pregnant women feel Braxton Hicks contractions during their pregnancy. Although it is not known what the exact causes of this series of movements are, some factors that influence its appearance have been identified:
- Sex: due to the physiological changes that a woman undergoes during pregnancy, it is very common that after having had sexual intercourse this type of contractions appear since muscle spasms originate because of her excitement.
- Full bladder: the pregnant woman has a larger abdomen throughout pregnancy. This widening is increasingly squeezing and pushing the bladder more and therefore, by pressing on the nerve endings of this organ, Braxton movements occur.
- Physical activity: If the mother has an active life during pregnancy, she is more likely to experience this type of movement.
Signs to know if you have premature contractions
It is normal that if during pregnancy you experience some kind of contraction, you may worry that you think it could be contractions of a premature birth. Therefore, here are some signs for you to distinguish braxton Hick’s contractions and those that are warning you of premature birth.
Signs identifying Braxton Hicks contractions:
- These types of contractions are distinguished by being annoying and somewhat intense, but they do not become painful.
- The intensity of the pain is irregular and each contraction has a different duration (they can last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes). In addition, both the intensity and duration of these movements never increase.
- Braxton Hicks are unpredictable and can originate at any time from the sixth month of pregnancy.
- When a pregnant woman has this contraction, it subsequently disappears completely.
- They usually appear in isolation, that is, it is not usual for them to appear periodically.
Characteristics of labor contractions:
- They have a regular frequency: those that occur during childbirth usually appear every 15 minutes and last between 20 seconds and 90 seconds.
- They are painful: the sensation is very similar to those of menstrual cramps. In addition, this pain becomes more and more intense between one contraction and another.
- The contractions do not disappear and in fact, they appear from time to time.
- Finally, labor contractions do not appear in the abdomen area (as in the previous case) but the pain appears in the lumbar area.
Signs to know if you have premature contractions
It is normal that if during pregnancy you experience some kind of contraction, you may worry that you think it could be contractions of a premature birth. Therefore, here are some signs for you to distinguish braxton Hick’s contractions and those that are warning you of premature birth.
Signs identifying Braxton Hicks contractions:
- These types of contractions are distinguished by being annoying and somewhat intense, but they do not become painful.
- The intensity of the pain is irregular and each contraction has a different duration (they can last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes). In addition, both the intensity and duration of these movements never increase.
- Braxton Hicks are unpredictable and can originate at any time from the sixth month of pregnancy.
- When a pregnant woman has this contraction, it subsequently disappears completely.
- They usually appear in isolation, that is, it is not usual for them to appear periodically.
Characteristics of labor contraction
- They have a regular frequency: those that occur during childbirth usually appear every 15 minutes and last between 20 seconds and 90 seconds.
- They are painful: the sensation is very similar to those of menstrual cramps. In addition, this pain becomes more and more intense between one contraction and another.
- The contractions do not disappear and in fact, they appear from time to time.
- Finally, labor contractions do not appear in the abdomen area (as in the previous case) but the pain appears in the lumbar area.
