Braxton Hicks Contractions

Braxton Hicks labor contractions were named by Dr. John Braxton Hicks to help obstetricians differentiate between "false" and "true" labor. Obstetricians have just as much difficulty diagnosing false labor signs as pregnant women do. (Although it goes without saying the obstetricians have a greater probability of being statistically correct.) When obstetricians are diagnosing real from false labor over the phone during the pregnant mum's ninth month, chances are that if the contractions are occurring at specific and identifiable intervals "true" labor is on the way.

In your later pregnancy, If you haven't come on to your 37th week yet and are experiencing Braxton-hicks contractions or what you think to be Braxton-hicks four or more times in a given hour you should call your doctor or midwife as soon as possible.

One of the main causes of those early contractions is due to dehydration. The immediate remedy for this is to cut out some romaine lettuce as if you were going to make a salad, and in a big glass, pour in drinking water and soak the cut out lettuce in the water for 30-40 minutes and drink the water. This is refreshment that you can make ahead of time and store it in the fridge as your main drinking water.

The contractions feel like a gradual tightening of your uterus. You will notice it starts at the top and continues down near your pubic bone. Your uterus will become a hard ball, sometimes feeling like it takes your breath away. Typically they last between 15-45 seconds, and are not regular. Although they typically are painless, some women will be quite uncomfortable while the contraction is taking place.

Sometimes, such contractions could be really painful and strong; however, at any other time a pregnant woman could even hardly sense this Braxton Hicks Contraction. The fact about such contractions is that they are generally only last for less than 24 to 36 hours. As a matter of fact, such contractions do help pregnant women to prepare for their amazing day of labor and delivery.

But why do we have them? Trust me; they're not just an annoying pain. This tightening in your uterus is there to help you. These types of contractions usually last between 1 to 2 minutes, which may seem like an eternity to most of us! Frequent Braxton hicks contractions are actually preparing your body for when actual labor does occur. They are helping your uterus prepare for the actual contractions you will experience when it's time for the baby to come.

Usually at the end of the 2nd to the beginning of the third women will start feeling these contractions. The uterus hardens and some woman experience a little pain and then think they are in labor, normally it's not labor, you're just having a Braxton-Hicks contraction. Your body is getting ready or practicing for the special day.

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