Contractions before childbirth – symptoms, types, diagnosis

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Pregnancy cramps can resemble menstrual discomfort. There are, inter alia, that the cervix is ​​dilated. Find out what the pre-labor contractions portend, what causes them, what types of contractions are, and how to identify labor contractions. Find out how predictive contractions differ from labor contractions.

What are contractions before birth?

Pregnancy contractions are the involuntary movements of the uterine muscle fibers. Thanks to them, the uterus stretches and prepares for childbirth. Contractions before childbirth are a healthy phenomenon and appear at the beginning of pregnancy, although they are not felt at this stage – usually they are recorded around the 20th week of pregnancy. They are usually painless and will become more and more noticeable as the baby grows.

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What factors trigger pre-birth contractions?

The frequency of cramps is an individual matter. Some women feel it more strongly than others. Premature contractions before childbirth are most noticeable in pregnant women with multiple pregnancies whose previous births were premature. In vitro fertilized and pregnant women who gave birth about six months after becoming pregnant again experience contractions more strongly.

Pre-labor contractions also depend on lifestyle. Stimulants are also non-medical causes of cramps – they are much more common in women who smoke and drink alcohol during pregnancy. Cramps are also caused by physical exhaustion (e.g. manual work for many hours) and mental fatigue, e.g. intense stress.

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Types of contractions before childbirth – Alvarez contractions

Alvarez contractions are physiological contractions that appear after the 20th week of pregnancy. They are a normal symptom of a properly running pregnancy, although not all pregnant women experience them. They prepare the uterus for labor contractions, but do not alert you that labor is about to begin. Alvarez contractions do not dilate the cervix because they are not that strong.

A symptom of Alvarez contractions is the hardening of the uterine muscle. The woman does not feel any pain then, although the contractions may cause discomfort. When they do appear, breathe calmly and wait for them to pass. Alvarez’s contractions are irregular and of equal intensity. They are most felt in the evening and disappear after changing position – the whole process does not cause pain.

Types of contractions before childbirth – Braxton Hicks contractions

Braxton-Hicks contractions are named after the British physician and obstetrician John Braxton-Hicks, who described them in 1872. They are predictive contractions, as they usually do not mean the onset of labor. Recognizing them can be problematic for many pregnant women, because their symptoms are similar to those caused by contractions that herald labor. Braxton-Hicks contractions may be involved in the shortening of the cervix.

In many cases, Braxton-Hicks contractions occur on their own. Nevertheless, there are several factors that cause them – for example, exercise, fatigue, sexual intercourse, dehydration. They also appear when the bladder is full or when the baby is extremely active. Braxton-Hicks contractions can be relieved by repositioning, a warm bath, and lower back massage.

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Labor contractions – how to recognize them?

Labor contractions should appear after 38 weeks of pregnancy – then the baby is strong enough to live outside the mother’s body. Initially, their goal is to dilate the cervix, later for the baby to be born. Pregnant women experience contractions every 10 minutes – each lasting about 40 seconds. Pre-labor contractions begin to intensify and occur every 2 minutes.

Pre-labor contractions aren’t the only sign of labor. In addition, the woman has hot flashes, has little or no appetite, and experiences pain in the lower back. She may feel anxious at times, although sometimes her labor contractions may be accompanied by emotional excitement.

Also read: How to speed up labor – movement, sex, home methods

Dislocating contractions – how to recognize them?

Dilation contractions shorten and open the cervix. They are felt in the first phase of labor and look like waves as they come and go. They appear regularly and become more and more intense – initially they appear every 10 minutes, and at the end of the labor phase, every 3-4 minutes and usually last more than a minute. Contractions occurring more than 5 minutes mean that the baby wants to be born and is about to start labor.

The pain caused by dilating contractions is similar to menstrual pain – a choking may appear in the lower abdomen. Each woman experiences them a bit differently – some women experience this pain in the lumbar region. Nevertheless, they are usually felt at the top of the uterus and end up in any part of the uterus. Dilation contractions last from 8 to 18 hours – in the case of giving birth to the first child; in women in subsequent pregnancies, they last from 6 to 12 hours.

Learn how to breathe properly to help you cope with your contractions. The closer you are to the contraction, take in more air more slowly, then accelerate a little, then slow it down again. It is also advisable to slowly draw air in between contractions. So that the pain does not worsen, it is worth giving up the lying position – you can walk, bend or lean on someone else.

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Predictive Contractions and Labor Contractions – How to Distinguish Them?

Premature uterine contractions and Braxton-Hicks contractions are difficult to distinguish. How to tell them apart? It’s good to know that your labor contractions do not get worse or increase in frequency, and they go away within an hour. Predictive contractions have no additional symptoms. A woman who has contractions more than hourly before 36 weeks of pregnancy and is associated with symptoms such as low back pain and malaise should consult a doctor.

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Dangerous types of contractions before childbirth

When contractions are accompanied by pain in the back, groin, abdomen, and there is bleeding or spotting, you should see a doctor immediately. Pregnant women with more than five contractions per hour should also contact their doctor. Other types of contractions are harmless and will occur in any normal pregnancy.

How to recognize that labor is about to begin?

The first symptoms of labor may appear even a few weeks before delivery. However, these symptoms are not always clear cut. Moreover, in some pregnant women they may appear, and in others they do not – for this reason it is difficult to indicate a universal list of standard symptoms before childbirth, which always appear in all pregnant women. However, it’s worth getting to know them all.

One of the symptoms of labor is a change in the position of the abdomen, which may lower before birth. This symptom is easy to spot and clearly felt by a woman. The first uterine contractions (Braxton-Hicks contractions) may also appear before birth, but these are not labor contractions.

Before delivery, many pregnant women experience mucus plug sagging – this can happen either hours or weeks before birth. This is easy to see because the mucus looks like jelly-like mucus and contains a small amount of blood. You may also have diarrhea or looser stools before birth.

In addition to contractions before delivery, a pregnant woman may have a greater appetite, even just before delivery – this way the body prepares for energy effort. Sometimes weight loss is also noticeable before childbirth, but it is not always large – many women usually do not notice it.

The last symptoms of labor are painful contractions, appearing with increasing frequency, radiating to the lower abdomen pain in the lumbar region. An important symptom is the loss of amniotic fluid – sometimes it oozes slowly, sometimes it disappears quickly and is accompanied by the loss of a large amount of water. When the fluid is bloodless and not brown but clear, then there is no need to worry.

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