How will I be able to tell if they are ‘real’ contractions or just Braxton Hicks?
Braxton Hicks contractions felt when the womb muscles are practising, by and large aren’t painful, although they may be a little uncomfortable depending on baby’s position; they are usually a little more erratic in terms of regularity and length of contraction. Labour contractions have several specific characteristics; they are very regular and over time increase in regularity and length of each contraction. They are painful, how painful is dependent on your perception of the pain, but most often starts as a period type pain or backache that again increases in intensity. The other difference that you may or may not be aware of is that the cervix (neck of the womb) dilates (opens up) in response to the true labour contractions but not with Braxton Hicks, one thing that may indicate this is happening is you experience a ‘show’ which is a mucous/jelly like loss, the plug of mucous that was in the cervix that dislodges as it dilates.
