False labor or the real thing?

False Labor - Or The Real Thing?

false labor

False labor can be really irritating, you may think 'this is it!' And then to put it bluntly - it isn't!

If you have suffered from Braxton Hicks contractions through your pregnancy, you may find they get more intense and even painful.

False (practise) labor can be just like real labor, apart from it never gets to the birth stage. It can come and go with no warning. It can disrupt your sleep, and make you feel tired and moody.

So how can you be sure that this is false labor and not the real thing?

With false contractions they won't get closer together like normal contractions do. They may be irregular, and they may vary in the length and the intensity.

Contractions won't progress like in true labor, your cervix won't dilate, so there's no way that you will be giving birth with these sort of contractions. Saying that, when true labor starts that may well be a little irregular too, but it will start to progress.

You may feel some pain and be very uncomfortable, but it will more than likely be in your lower abdomen. When you go into true labor, that pain is likely to start in your back and go around to your belly or vice versa.

If your labor is false, the contractions may go away just by you changing your position.

If you're still under 37 weeks pregnant and you feel pain like contractions, you should see your midwife or doctor straight away. If you're over 37 weeks, then wait and see if they start to get closer together. Time them just to be sure. True labor contractions will always progress into a regular pattern.

If you're not sure whether you have having false or true labor, then speak to your midwife. She is used to this sort of thing and can help to put your mind at rest.

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