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False contractions how many weeks before delivery. False contractions during pregnancy: symptoms, sensations. What are they needed for

The last few weeks of pregnancy are the most exciting and at the same time the most unsettling. A woman listens to the slightest sensations in the body and expects that childbirth can begin at any moment. To prepare for childbirth, you need to remember that contractions do not always end in childbirth. They may also be called false or training. How to distinguish them and can you figure it out on your own?

First, let's find out what contractions are. These are rhythmic uterine contractions that appear sporadically. The main difference between false and real ones is that training ones tend to pass quickly. The real harbingers of childbirth only intensify, overshadowing all other sensations. They are often accompanied by severe back pain.

body training

Preparatory contractions are training for the uterus and abdominal muscles. They appear mainly in the second half of pregnancy, starting from the 20th week. Although the term for each woman can be different. Someone encounters this category of contractions shortly before childbirth, while someone does not feel training contractions at all.

False contractions are contractions of the smooth muscles of the uterus that do not cause discomfort. In some cases, they are so insignificant that a woman will not even feel them. This is a kind of gymnastics for the uterus. She is preparing for the upcoming event - childbirth. From its ability to stretch depends on how quickly the process of childbirth will end. At the same time, these cuts allow the expectant mother to work out before the main event. It is necessary to learn how to breathe correctly, distributing the forces of the body.

Typical signs of false contractions:

  1. Painlessness.
  2. Inconsistency, up to once in 5-7 hours. May be seen less frequently. With an increase in the duration, the frequency of training fights increases.
  3. At night they do not cause discomfort. Many women sleep without feeling that the body is doing preparatory work.
  4. In the daytime, they often go unnoticed, especially if the expectant mother continues to work and actively spends her day.
  5. Often tension can be relieved by taking a warm bath or changing positions.
  6. The cervix does not open.
  7. There is no bleeding, discharge of water, girdle pain.
  8. The muscles of the uterus are in tension for no more than one minute.

Reasons for the appearance of training contractions

Preliminary contractions appear for a reason. There are reasons that can trigger a false alarm:

  • increased activity of the expectant mother;
  • the activity of the baby in the womb throughout the day;
  • excitement and stressful situations of the mother, experiences;
  • full bladder;
  • body dehydration:
  • sexual tension. Having sex helps the uterus to contract, training the walls of the organ. Sperm contains the hormone prostaglandin, which softens the cervix and makes it more elastic.

There is no consensus on the benefits of false contractions, but they allow a woman to repeat the exercises that she goes through in a childbirth school. You can practice proper breathing. This is a great opportunity to pull yourself together and eliminate panic. At the same time, the intensity and frequency of contractions may increase.

Breathe right

It is not always possible for a woman to independently distinguish whether it is a false alarm or childbirth has begun. How to distinguish false contractions from real ones? You need to listen to your body. If rhythmic contractions are gaining momentum, then it's time to remember breathing exercises:

  1. "Slow breathing". At the contraction, exhale slowly, making room for the next breath. After that, take a deep breath. Alternate.
  2. "Like a dog". It is advisable to perform in the process of reductions. Rapid breathing, shallow. Be careful not to get dizzy. This indicates a lack of oxygen in the body.
  3. "Candle". Deep breath in through the nose - sharp and quick exhalation through the mouth.

Already giving birth?

In the last stages of pregnancy, especially when there are a couple of weeks left before the birth itself, a pregnant woman listens very carefully to her body. Somewhere it pulls, somewhere it whines ...

In order not to worry about this, it is enough to remember that:

  • The real harbingers of childbirth tend to intensify. Their frequency is increasing.
  • Painful sensations become stronger and brighter.
  • The pain is girdle in nature, switching from the lower abdomen to the lumbar region. Bleeding appears.
  • Amniotic fluid may break. In this case, the birth of a child must occur within 10-12 hours to prevent infection from entering the mother's womb.
  • The intensity of the contractions increases in the same way as the depth.
  • There is strong pressure in the perineum.

When the above signals appear, you should immediately contact the doctor who led your pregnancy. If it is not possible to get to the hospital on your own, then it is better to call an ambulance.

Toward the end of pregnancy, the muscles of the uterus sometimes increase the preparation and in some cases of pregnancy there is a whole series of training contractions. Let's call this phenomenon "false childbirth". False childbirth is not just training contractions. These are many hours of “songs and dances”, which very authentically imitate the beginning of real childbirth. Regular, steady contractions. Regularly up to 5 min.

They don't stop whether you lie down or get up or drink water. It is really difficult to distinguish them from the real ones, and in most cases, women manage to get to the maternity hospital. Where all "birth activity" comes to naught, and the woman is sent back home or placed in a pathology to wait for real contractions. For information on how to distinguish false births from real ones, read the article “False births”.

False labor - intense false contractions

False labor is a series of false contractions, not just brief Braxton Hicks training contractions. False labor does not end after 20 minutes. They last two or three hours. All this time you feel a steady and extremely uncomfortable activity of the uterus. As a rule, you pick up your husband, doula and move to the hospital. And at some stage of these training camps, the fights gradually end.

Everyone states the fact that it just seemed to you, and you are at a loss to guess what it was after all.

Calm down, everything is fine with you and you are far from alone in your feelings. The nature of this phenomenon has not been unequivocally determined: some experts claim that this is a “dress rehearsal”, while others say that it is a “concert disruption”. But everyone agrees on one thing - the real birth will definitely take place.

But how to distinguish false contractions from real ones?

Sometimes it's really difficult. Only those women who have experienced them are able to understand how and why it is possible to end up in the hospital because of a false alarm. Here are a few indicators that will help you understand that you are experiencing false contractions:

  1. Your contractions come irregularly, or are not consistent in intensity or length.One contraction twists you, but the next one is more gentle, and then the next one is quite long, but somewhere between the first two on the scale of pain. It's probably not a birth.
  2. You have not noticed any progress in time or increase in the strength of your contractions.The contractions come at regular intervals, like 5 minutes, and they don't become more painful or intense as time goes by. In actual labor, contractions steadily increase in frequency and contractions become more painful as the cervix dilates. Contractions without change usually mean nothing is happening to your cervix, so just stay home and wait it out.
    If it takes 30 minutes to get to the hospital, then there is no point in going there until the break between contractions is 4 minutes for at least an hour.
  3. Contractions stop and start again, or change depending on what you're doing. The first thing to do during Braxton Hicks contractions is to drink water, lie down and place your legs higher. As a rule, such actions lead to the termination of contractions. In the case of false births, this also works, but worse. Over time, the contractions may stop or weaken, and then start again. You can try to walk. From the admissions department of a Moscow maternity hospital, located near a park, women with dubious contractions are sent simply to the “forest” for a walk. You know, sometimes it helps.
  4. You have not noticed a mucus plug or any other bloody discharge. At some point, usually just before labor begins, you will notice a fairly significant amount of pink or blood-streaked mucus, often after taking a bath. It's hard to miss. Usually, most of the mucous plug leaves before the onset of labor, and during contractions, its smaller parts continue to leave.
  5. No sharp pain. False contractions are pulling sensations in the lower abdomen, which are not accompanied by pain in the back or pelvis.
  6. Frequency Not progresses. False ones do not seize more than 6 times per hour, real ones can more often;
  7. Water Not departed. This is probably the least useful indicator because only 10% of women break their water before labor begins. As a rule, this happens before attempts, if doctors do not puncture the fetal bladder earlier in order to stimulate labor. So while the amniotic waters protect your baby, you can stay at home and calmly observe the dynamics of developments.

For women who have already given birth, it will not be difficult to distinguish false births from real ones. And for those who experience such sensations for the first time, it can be advised to remain calm and psychologically prepared for childbirth. Perinatal psychologists say that pregnant women who experience fear of childbirth experience even false contractions more difficult than those who are prepared.

False contractions. Need to go to the hospital?

A third of women do not feel false contractions, another third feel them, but do not worry, because they know that this is the norm of pregnancy. And another third of pregnant women with false contractions are forced to see a doctor, as they are accompanied by symptoms of pregnancy pathology:

  • Contractions appear too often

At 36-42 weeks of pregnancy, contractions may disturb the expectant mother 3-4 times a day. If you feel them more often, you need to determine the cause.

  • It hurts too much

If false contractions cannot be endured, then this may indicate placental abruption.

  • Accompanied by secretions

When clearly false contractions come with discharge, this is an alarming sign:
discharge with blood is a symptom of placental abruption, you need hospitalization;

abundant watery discharge, the volume of which increases if you cough - a sign of amniotic fluid discharge;
mucous discharge with streaks of blood indicates that the cork has come off, and false contractions will soon turn into real ones;

By the time the baby is born, most expectant mothers are fully prepared.

The necessary medicines were prepared, their belongings and tiny clothes of the baby were packed, documents and medical records were checked. Some have tried to create a cozy and beautiful children's room, to buy the best toys.

The climax of pregnancy is inevitably approaching and everything is ready for the appearance of crumbs. And the closer this moment, the more anxious mommy. Of course, in the first place is the excitement about the safety of delivery.

But there is also a fear of contractions during pregnancy and the experience of missing the start of the process of labor.

Physiology of contractions during pregnancy

Panic moods in pregnant women are associated with a lack of reliable information and, of course, experience. For some reason, it is the fights, despite the naturalness of this phenomenon, that are covered with fables and myths. And the negative stories of experienced acquaintances only exacerbate the situation. Every woman has her own pain threshold. And knowing the physiology of each stage, accompanied by contractions, and learning how to respond to them correctly, you can significantly reduce pain and alleviate your condition.

What happens in the body?

Nature provided and calculated everything to the smallest detail. The whole process of pregnancy proceeds according to a universal algorithm, and the change in states occurs under the influence of hormones leading at a certain moment. The pregnancy hormone progesterone, which successfully maintained all 9 months and the tone of the uterus, and the development of the baby before childbirth, is losing ground to estrogen and oxytocin.

The cervix, tightly closed during pregnancy, prevents the opening of the cervix and the penetration of infections inside. Before childbirth, it should open up, clearing the way for the baby. To do this, its tissues must become more elastic and pliable. Estrogen does a great job of this. It also makes the uterus sensitive to oxytocin and prostaglandins. Under their influence, contractions of the walls of the uterus begin, allowing the baby to take the correct position and move along the birth canal.

Contractions and hormonal balance

Muscular contractions of the uterus are called contractions during pregnancy, which, depending on the period, have different intensity. With each contraction, the muscles of the uterus pull on the cervix, due to which it opens. By the time of delivery, the cervix opens up to 12 cm, and the uterus becomes practically a continuation of the vagina. The whole process is accompanied by a change in the level of hormones, which are intensively produced by the placenta, pituitary gland and fetus.

Oddly enough, but it is fear that can affect labor activity. He is able to increase both the duration of preparatory contractions, which take strength from mommy, and pain. The hormones cortisol and adrenaline, released into the blood during stress, fear and anxiety, block the production of the main birth hormones.

False contractions during pregnancy

Changes in hormonal balance occur throughout pregnancy. Therefore, uterine contractions can appear long before childbirth. In this way, both the uterus and the cervix are prepared for future childbirth. These contractions during pregnancy are called false, training or Braxton Hicks.

What does it feel like during false contractions during pregnancy?

Of course, women who have given birth can easily distinguish false contractions from real ones. These unforgettable sensations cannot be confused with any other pain. But how should women behave during their first pregnancy? It makes no sense to go to the hospital for every incomprehensible symptom. You need to focus on your feelings:

1. These contractions during pregnancy practically do not cause pain, but, most likely, discomfort in the form of pulling or aching sensations. The uterus seems to be shrinking, which is already familiar to some from when she was in good shape. Contractions are felt at the top or bottom of the abdomen, may radiate to the groin.

2. Pain is concentrated in one area and does not spread to the lower back and other places.

3. Arise unexpectedly and gradually fade. More often they occur in the evening or at night, when the body is relaxed and mommy listens to her feelings. Some, on the contrary, experience discomfort after physical exertion or stress.

4. Differ in irregularity and short duration. The duration of false contractions during pregnancy does not exceed a minute. And they repeat at irregular intervals. They can occur several times (up to six) per hour, or even per day.

The surest way to determine the falsity of a contraction during pregnancy is to fix its duration and frequency. Unlike real contractions, sensations with false contractions will not increase, but they will be repeated randomly.

What can cause false contractions during pregnancy?

Natural contractions of the uterus occur throughout almost the entire pregnancy. But future mothers begin to feel them after 20 weeks. With the approach of childbirth, the likelihood of their occurrence increases. Some women are lucky enough not to experience false contractions during pregnancy at all, and this is not a pathology. This does not mean that there are no preparatory abbreviations. It's just that they may not be so intense, or the future mother did not notice them, did not attach any importance. Also, the perception of false contractions during pregnancy depends on individual sensitivity.

However, there are also provoking factors that increase the likelihood of unpleasant cramping pains. False contractions can occur under the influence of:

physical activity;

Violent fetal activity;

Stress and nervous shocks;

Dehydration of the body;

Overcrowded bladder;

sexual activity.

What to do with false contractions?

For most pregnant women, false contractions do not cause frightening discomfort. But for some women with a high pain threshold, training uterine contractions becomes a real torment. In this case it is recommended:

1. Use a warm bath or shower if there are no contraindications. Warm water will ease muscle tension. Aromatic oils added to the water will calm the nervous system.

2. Go for a walk. Fresh air and slow walking will reduce discomfort.

3. Change your posture. An uncomfortable position can provoke tension in the uterus.

4. Lie down and relax. Pleasant music and soothing aromas of oils will help eliminate discomfort.

False contractions during pregnancy are a good reason to use knowledge about proper breathing during contractions.

If training contractions bother you closer to childbirth, you need to watch for other signs. Since such a training can easily turn from a dress rehearsal into real contractions during pregnancy and signal the onset of labor.

How do real contractions begin during pregnancy?

Real contractions during pregnancy begin suddenly. Do not worry, it is simply impossible to miss this moment. Even a fight that has begun during a night's rest will wake up the expectant mother. At this moment, it will obviously not be up to sleep. Women describe the onset of labor in different ways. But no matter what a woman experiences, they cannot be confused with training contractions.

True contractions are expressed:

regularity;

Increased pain sensations.

Gradual decrease in the intervals between contractions;

Increasing the duration of the fight.

What will tell you about the approach of childbirth?

Even before the onset of contractions during pregnancy, a woman can predict the approach of the climax by the changes that occur to her. Under the influence of a changing hormonal balance, immediately before childbirth begins:

1. Slightly reduce weight to three kg or stop weight gain. 2. Lose your appetite.

2. Excessive emotionality manifests itself. Inadequate reactions to events, words are due to increased levels of estrogen.

3. Observe variability in mood, capriciousness.

4. Appear nesting instinct. Pregnant women have a desire to urgently start repairing or cleaning, rearranging furniture.

5. Lower the belly, which gives mommy the opportunity to ease breathing immediately before childbirth.

6. Reduce swelling of the face, hands. However, edema may appear on the legs due to fetal pressure on the lower abdomen and squeezing of blood vessels.

7. Feel pain in the lower back, which is explained by a change in the position of the fetus and the expansion of the pelvic bones.

Frequent urination, changes in stool, and even vomiting may occur. All these signs are very individual: each pregnant woman manifests itself in different ways and at different times.

A sure symptom of the approach of childbirth is the discharge of the cork, manifested by secretions. They can be both transparent and in the form of a bloody brown liquid. The cork can move away both a few weeks before childbirth, and during contractions.

The kid is also preparing for the upcoming process and stops violent movements.

If the fetal bladder bursts and the water begins to break, even without preliminary contractions during pregnancy, you should not doubt the advisability of visiting the maternity hospital. This is a sure sign of the birth process that has begun.

As soon as the water breaks, contractions begin. But even if there is some kind of pathology and contractions do not start, you need to urgently go to the hospital.

What sensations accompany the onset of contractions during pregnancy?

Most women recognize the first cuts intuitively. They cause tension in the abdomen and pulling aching pains that spread to the lower back, groin and are of a girdle character. Some compare the sensations to menstrual cramps, only several times stronger. The uterus seems to be seized and squeezed by an invisible hand from the inside. Starting at the top of the abdomen with tension as the contractions increase during pregnancy, the pain intensifies, covers the entire abdomen. The lower back and pelvic bones are under intense pressure. Some women note precisely severe lumbar pain and the spread of sensations in the legs to the very toes. Gradually, the pains are released, and a pause appears, allowing you to rest.

The first contractions can last up to 15 seconds, and the break between them can be 20-30 minutes. The duration of contractions during pregnancy gradually increases, and the rest period decreases. At the same time, pain increases.

What should a nulliparous woman know about contractions during pregnancy?

Nulliparous women go into labor minor pain that are more like discomfort. But even they cause panic. In these moments, you need to calm down and rest as much as possible. Do not fuss, try to finish some business. There is still hard work ahead that requires strength. Prenatal contractions in nulliparous last up to 8-10 hours.

This time should be devoted to relaxation and rest as much as possible. Pregnant women are advised to record the time and duration of contractions. And it's not easy to keep track of time, but to record data. This will help determine the period when you should go to the hospital, and doctors to track the dynamics of the process and detect possible deviations in time.

The duration of contractions, accompanied by pain, tension, gradually increases. And when between contractions intervals will be less than 15 minutes, do not delay visiting the clinic. If during pregnancy any pathologies were noted or water broke, bleeding began, you need to urgently call an ambulance, and not wait for more frequent contractions during pregnancy.

It is common for women to panic and be afraid before their first birth. Therefore, at the first contractions, one of the relatives should be nearby. If this is not possible, if you feel pain, immediately inform your relatives, friends or even neighbors that you are giving birth.

Primiparas may experience weak tribal independent activity. Because of what, after a certain period of contractions during pregnancy, expressed by periodicity and severe pain, the intensity may subside, and the pain will completely disappear. This does not mean that the contractions were false. In this case, urgent help is required from doctors who can deal with the cause of the pathology and stimulate labor activity. Inaction in this situation threatens the life of the baby and the woman in labor.

Features of prenatal contractions in multiparous women

Women who give birth in advance feel the approach of childbirth. According to the main features, they can predict the beginning of the process. However, if no more than five years have passed since the previous birth, all processes can be accelerated. The body, having muscle memory, easily adapts to changes and reacts to them more quickly.

In addition, the tissues of the cervix have not yet had time to come into prenatal form. They stretch faster, and the neck opens. Unlike primiparous women, shortening of the neck occurs simultaneously with the opening.

Pain during contractions in multiparous women begins immediately more tangible. More common is rupture of the amniotic sac and discharge of water. The period of prenatal contractions does not last more than six hours, and sometimes rapid labor is observed. Therefore, it is not advisable for such women in labor to postpone visiting the clinic until the last. If there is no desire to give birth at home or in an ambulance, you need to go to the hospital immediately after the appearance of contractions or take care of this in advance and wait for labor in the hospital under supervision.

Unlike the first birth, the process is not stimulated, but they are trying to slow down. During rapid labor, there is a high probability of injury to the baby and ruptures in the woman in labor. Therefore, a woman needs to listen to the recommendations of doctors during labor and childbirth.

How to behave during pregnancy during contractions?

Contractions during pregnancy will definitely increase, become longer, and the pain will intensify. Painful sensations cover almost the entire body, do not give the opportunity to rest, but practically merge into a series of attacks. The woman feels like it will never end. With a high pain threshold for a woman in labor, doctors can offer painkillers. But it is worth remembering that you can independently influence your condition.

Nature provided natural pain relief for contractions. The hormone endorphin, produced by the pituitary gland, is able to reduce pain. But this process is rather fragile. Screams, tears, fear, strong feelings, panic can break this mechanism and only aggravate the situation. It is impossible to relax physically while having psychological tension. Therefore, women during contractions during pregnancy are recommended:

1. Use the relaxation techniques that you have learned in the course.

2. Try to take positions in which the pain is not felt so acute. You can just walk. Someone helps a squatting position, on all fours.

3. The time between contractions during pregnancy should be used for rest.

4. During the fight, especially at the peak of pain, use breathing techniques. Frequent irregular breathing will relieve the condition.

5. Apply pain relief massage. Helps massage in the lumbar region, sacrum or neck.

6. Do not refuse the help of relatives and listen to the recommendations of doctors.

Remember, each new contraction during pregnancy brings the wonderful moment of the appearance of the baby closer.

He is also scared at these moments: for some reason, the affectionate uterus has become hostile. All pain will be quickly forgotten. And this day will be the most wonderful day in the life of your crumbs.

Excitement and slight suspiciousness, impatient expectation and every minute readiness to go to the hospital before childbirth are quite natural feelings that overwhelm every pregnant woman. That is why any pulling pain, discomfort, impulse in the lower abdomen, extra movement of the baby in the womb are perceived as a signal that it all started and it's time to go to the hospital.

In fact, in the last periods, false contractions, which are also called training, or Braxton Hicks, or “Brextons”, may occur from time to time. They need to be able to distinguish from real ones, so as not to panic in vain and not to call an ambulance every time.

Despite the fact that false contractions are recognized as the norm and do not indicate abnormalities during pregnancy, they rarely occur on their own. Most often, their appearance is provoked by some external or internal factors.

The reasons may be:

  • too intense physical activity (a woman continues to actively engage in sports during pregnancy, her work is associated with physical labor, she does too much around the house, she was forced to stand on her feet for a long time, etc.);
  • hot shower or bath;
  • intrauterine hyperactivity of the child;
  • drinking coffee;
  • severe stress, nervous experiences;
  • orgasm;
  • fatigue;
  • bad habits;
  • overfilled bladder;
  • insomnia;
  • diets;
  • dehydration, when a woman consumes too little pure drinking water.

There is no need to be afraid of false contractions, they do not bring any harm to health with them either to the mother or to the baby. However, the sensations that they deliver are not the most pleasant and definitely will not brighten up the situation of a pregnant woman.

If you avoid the above factors that provoke too frequent uterine contractions, even training ones, nothing can overshadow the joyful expectation of the baby.

Mechanism

In fact, scientists are still only studying what false contractions during pregnancy actually are, which are quite similar to real ones, but are not yet harbingers of the onset of labor. Here's what they've been able to find out so far.

  1. These are rhythmic contractions of uterine smooth muscles that do not lead to cervical dilatation and childbirth.
  2. They start from the 20th week. But at this time, few people feel them, since they are invisible. But at 38 or even at 37 weeks of pregnancy, the uterus begins to train more actively, so about 70% of expectant mothers feel a pulling heaviness in the lower abdomen. This is fine.
  3. Some do not feel them at all, someone regularly complains of aching heaviness in the lower abdomen, which is characterized by frightening intensity.
  4. Neither the absence nor the presence of false contractions is evidence of any pathologies of pregnancy.
  5. They saturate the placenta with oxygen and various nutrients, because at the time of uterine contraction, blood rushes to the fetus more actively than usual.
  6. Their appearance is associated with the excitability of the uterus, which at certain times may increase.
  7. Their main task is to soften and shorten the cervix, thus preparing it for childbirth. It is not for nothing that false contractions are also called training.

So there is no need to be afraid of false contractions at the end of pregnancy: this is a completely natural preparation of the body for the upcoming birth. However, future mothers should know their main symptoms in order to be able to distinguish them from real ones. Otherwise, in the last stages, you will have to call an ambulance every now and then and rush at full speed to the hospital, and then return home, having learned that the alarm was in vain.

through the pages of history. False contractions are named after the English physician John Braxton Hicks, who was the first to describe this phenomenon in the 19th century (1872).

Signs and symptoms

You need to understand that everyone's body is very different. And due to these individual characteristics, signs of false contractions may not manifest themselves in pregnant women in the same way. For some, they will be more intense, more regular, more painful. And someone right up to the very birth will not even feel them. However, it is useful for everyone to know about them in order to catch on in time.

Doctors call the following symptoms characteristic of false contractions:

  • Irregularity: many are interested in how many days false contractions go - they can be repeated every 5-6 hours, or maybe once every 2-3 days, they have no definite cycle;
  • short duration: no more than a minute - that's how long false contractions last in the norm, usually - a few seconds;
  • the muscles of the uterus are in tension;
  • it should be noted that the terms from which week false contractions begin are very individual: it is considered equally normal if a woman felt them both at 20 weeks and at 38, for example;
  • most often they wake up a woman in the middle of the night, because during the day, for business and worries, they are invisible.

By these symptoms and signs, false contractions can be identified, which indicate work and an upcoming event. You should not be afraid: everything is going according to schedule. If about 2-3 weeks are left before the appointed date, such harbingers warn the woman that it is time to prepare for the birth of the baby. At the same time, not the most pleasant sensations can await her.

Disagreements. Most doctors consider false contractions to be a necessary phenomenon, as they train and prepare the uterus for the upcoming birth. However, there are those who express a slightly different opinion: if they occur very often, the walls of the uterus run the risk of softening too much, which will prevent it from coming into tone and opening up during the birth process.

Feel

It is the physical sensations that are characteristic of false contractions at the end of pregnancy that will not allow a woman to confuse them with real ones. You just need to listen sensitively to your own body and understand what is happening to it at one time or another.

When the harbingers begin, a pregnant woman may feel the following:

  • relative painlessness, although this symptom of false contractions in each woman manifests itself differently, since the pain threshold is not the same for everyone;
  • discomfort;
  • if we compare what false contractions look like, then they feel like a pulling pain in the lower abdomen during the menstrual cycle;
  • the uterus seems to harden, and this can be felt or even felt if you put your hand on the lower abdomen;
  • there is no clear rhythm of contractions;
  • Quite unexpectedly, there is a feeling of constriction in some particular area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe abdomen or groin.

These sensations will allow the pregnant woman to distinguish between false contractions and generic ones, to get together, not to panic and just continue to patiently wait for the baby to be born soon. If, nevertheless, there is fear and doubt whether these are real harbingers, a few useful recommendations will help you dispel them.

One more opinion. There is a point of view that false contractions have nothing to do with the training of the uterus, but are only a response of the body to the hormonal explosion that occurs during pregnancy.

Differences from real

Not only the pregnant woman herself, but also all her relatives, who are looking forward to the birth of the baby, should know how to distinguish false contractions from real ones, so that at the most crucial moment either pack your things and go to the hospital already, or calmly wait out the uterine contractions and stay Houses. You can distinguish them in several ways.

  • "Brextons" do not give to the pelvis or back, unlike real contractions;
  • even the most intense false contractions do not repeat more than 6 times in an hour, while this is quite typical for real ones;
  • the duration of false contractions is constant - no more than a minute, while the real ones grow: the first painful sensations fetter for a few seconds, but each subsequent one increases in time and can be up to several minutes;
  • did you feel the contraction? Change your position: if this is a false alarm, the discomfort will disappear;
  • real contractions are rhythmic, you can calculate how long they last and what is the interval between them, and “brextons” are chaotic;
  • false contractions are not as painful as real ones;
  • according to statistics, false contractions in multiparous women are practically not felt: this is due to the fact that the mother’s consciousness and body “remember” the stress from previous labor pains and training uterine contractions are no longer perceived as an alarm signal; but no one misses real contractions during the second and subsequent pregnancies, and almost everyone goes to the maternity hospital in a timely manner;
  • real contractions are accompanied by diarrhea, pulling pains in the lower spine and other generic harbingers.

Any difference between false contractions and real ones, given above, is quite obvious. All you have to do is listen carefully and carefully to your own body. It is especially difficult for those who are expecting their first child and do not yet know what true uterine contractions are, when the pain literally turns outward. Moms who have already experienced this rarely go to the hospital with false contractions. How to alleviate your condition in such moments?

Curious fact. Psychologists who work with pregnant women note that those who are afraid of the upcoming birth have more painful false contractions than others.

What to do?

Despite the fact that training uterine contractions are rarely very painful, you want to get rid of discomfort and pulling heaviness in the lower abdomen faster. Therefore, it will be useful for future mothers to learn what to do with false contractions, so as not to harm the baby and help themselves. You can take a number of relaxing measures that will help the body and the uterus to return to normal.

  • Take a walk for at least half an hour in the fresh air;
  • take a short warm bath or shower;
  • if you are already 36-37 weeks old, you need not to miss the discharge of the mucous plug, notice the prolapse of the abdomen in time and, in accordance with all these precursors, wait for childbirth, which can begin in 2-3 weeks;
  • drink a glass of clean water at room temperature;
  • change your posture to a more comfortable one;
  • listen to your favorite music;
  • relax;
  • nothing bad will happen if you come to the maternity hospital with false contractions: you will be examined and released home, having previously consulted on this issue;
  • do some breathing exercises.

The most important thing here is not to confuse false contractions with real ones and not to go for a walk instead of already being on the way to the hospital. So be careful, do not miss a single harbinger. Analyze the situation: has your plug already gone, has your stomach dropped, has your urination become more frequent?

If all these signs of an approaching birth are present, and the contractions become regular and painful, then, without hesitation, go to the hospital. It also happens that in this situation certain problems arise that require a quick and correct solution.

One more piece of advice. If you realize that you are only having false contractions, but they bring discomfort from which you cannot distract yourself, start ... singing. As practice shows, favorite motives relieve tension and help restore peace of mind.

Complications

According to statistics, 1/3 of all pregnant women do not even feel the presence of false contractions, they are so invisible and do not cause any trouble. Another 1/3 of women feel them, but everything goes more or less calmly, especially if the expectant mother is aware of them and knows how to distinguish false from real ones. Problems arise with the last 1/3, in which training uterine contractions do not occur in the same way as in everyone else, which may indicate some pathologies of pregnancy. Our task is to deal with emerging complications in order to be on the alert and seek medical help in time.

  • Pain

In rare cases, painful false contractions occur, which can feel like real ones. Labor has not yet begun, and uterine contractions are so intense that the pregnant woman simply bends over in pain. What could be the reason? Either the pain threshold is too low, or placental abruption: if false contractions cause unbearable pain, this must be reported to the doctor.

  • Too often

It also happens that frequent false contractions do not give the pregnant woman peace. On the one hand, this indicator is very individual. But normally, even immediately before the birth itself, they should not be repeated more than 3-4 times a day. If this happens more often, you need to undergo an additional examination to identify pathologies of the uterus. Only after that, the doctor can determine why the woman was tortured by false contractions, repeated 5-6 times a day.

  • Long

Long-lasting false contractions may indicate serious problems with the uterus or the baby in the womb. Therefore, if you feel pulling pains in the lower abdomen for 20-30 minutes, immediately go to the hospital or call a doctor at home.

  • Allocations

If false contractions are accompanied by discharge, this may be an alarm:

- spotting - a symptom of placental abruption;

- mucous membranes - the cork may have come off;

- watery - a sign of water discharge.

You need to understand that false contractions cannot be used to determine when labor will begin, because they can be felt as early as the 20th week of pregnancy. Closer to the cherished date, they can simply become more intense and regular, but in general it cannot be said that they are the main harbinger of the imminent birth of a child. Only in combination with other signs (cork discharge, abdominal prolapse, etc.) can they indicate that there are only a few days left before the long-awaited event. Otherwise, you should not panic and collect packages with things to the hospital.

Training contractions are not accompanied by pain and do not cause discomfort, but they can alert a woman to a certain extent. Training contractions are not direct signals of the onset of labor, they prepare, as if training, the birth canal for the birth process. For this, this phenomenon has received its interesting name.

How to recognize contractions

Before giving birth, there are always signs (harbingers) both day and night - the stomach becomes stony, the tone of the uterus, trial, premature, preliminary painful attempts are felt, which means childbirth will begin soon. Such a phenomenon as contractions has different reviews and descriptions. Usually, after the second attempts, the third ones appear, within a week before the birth days. At what time they can often, how to determine what to do, how they appear, distinguish, look, whether true ones differ from false ones, whether they can be confused with real ones, how long they feel, what they look like, how long painful sensations can last and last, with how often, how long it takes (number of contractions per hour) - these questions torment all expectant mothers.

Not all women notice training contractions, as they are painless.

It is not difficult to learn and compare attempts when preparatory contractions occur in both primiparous and multiparous (the whole day in the month of childbirth is possible). Some women are caught off guard, because the time of childbirth has not yet come, and some may not encounter them at all, or not notice them.

Many experts note that training contractions are caused by a number of reasons:

  • High physical activity of a pregnant woman and great physical exertion;
  • Increased activity of the baby;
  • Lack of fluid in the body;
  • Excessive anxiety and unrest of the pregnant woman, as well as stress;
  • Sleep disturbance;
  • Diet or malnutrition;
  • Drinking alcohol or smoking;
  • The use of strong drinks (for example, coffee);
  • Bathing in a hot bath or shower;
  • Full bladder;
  • Having sex.

Training contractions are irregular and intermittent, as well as painless. Their intensity and frequency do not decrease or increase both during movement and at rest, remaining stable. These contractions are designed to soften and shorten the cervix, as well as to train the uterine muscles. Also, thanks to them, the placenta is saturated with oxygen and nutrients, in addition, blood circulation and blood flow to the fetus increase.

Feelings during training bouts

Basically, training contractions manifest themselves in a situation of overexcitation of the mother's body (smoking, stress, strong tea, orgasm, alcohol), as well as in multiple or large pregnancies. A woman can understand quite easily that training or false contractions have begun, since they are accompanied by sensations.

Namely:

  • Tension and cramps in the lower abdomen;
  • No severe pain
  • The uterus is easily palpable, and even its contours are visible;
  • There may be a slight aching pain or tension in the lower back.

Feelings during false contractions can sometimes resemble pain during menstruation, which gradually stop. In general, with false contractions, a pregnant woman has a feeling of compression and tension in the lower abdomen, which causes discomfort, but passes without severe pain and malaise. In some cases, a pregnant woman may notice that the stomach has become harder and “petrified”, which is quite normal during contractions.

The mechanism of contractions is quite simple: initially there is a contraction of the muscle wall, which gradually increases and increases to its maximum, and then also gradually decreases.

At the end of the contraction, the uterus again goes into a state of rest, relaxing. Thus, we can say that contractions resemble the movement of a sea wave. There are 2 options for the outcome of false (training) contractions: firstly, the contractions gradually subside and end, and secondly, if the chaotic contractions of the muscles of the uterus become more frequent and ordered, then they gradually turn into generic ones.

Symptoms of false contractions during pregnancy

It is likely that no pregnant woman will confuse simple pain in the lower back or abdomen with contractions. Since any contractions are accompanied by muscle contractions that come unexpectedly.

False contractions are accompanied by a number of features:

  • Periodic tension of the uterus, namely its smooth muscles;
  • A feeling of constriction in a certain place (in the groin area, in the lower abdomen, or in the upper part of the uterus);
  • Painless discomfort;
  • Short-term spasms, quickly weaken and stop;
  • Irregular and chaotic (non-rhythmic) muscle contractions.

Sometimes training contractions can be caused by touching someone else's hand on the stomach, or if the pregnant woman herself often touches the stomach. Also, muscle contractions can be associated with hormonal changes in the body.

When do training contractions start in a pregnant woman

As already noted, training bouts are chaotic and not regular. They can appear every 5 hours, and can occur once every 2 days. The frequency of their appearance is influenced by the individual physiological characteristics of the female body.

The specifics of their appearance is as follows:

  • They usually appear in the morning or evening;
  • Their duration is up to 1 min;
  • The total number of contractions is no more than 4 times per hour;
  • Adynamic - contractions do not increase, do not lengthen, the intervals between them are not uniform (30-10-15-40 minutes, etc.).

Basically, training contractions appear in the evening, after an active and eventful day for a pregnant woman. At night and during sleep, contractions are absent, and in the morning they may appear again. In any case, contractions do not adversely affect either the body of the mother or the child.

It is very important to remain calm at the time of contractions and be able to quickly calm down and relax.

Some experts note that the strength of pain during contractions depends on the psychological mood of the pregnant woman - if a woman is constantly worried and afraid of the upcoming contractions and childbirth, respectively, then their muscle contractions are accompanied by more painful.

How many days before birth do training contractions start?

The appearance of contractions at an early date may be due to the overexcitation of the expectant mother, dehydration, or stress. In the later stages, these contractions completely prepare the body for future childbirth, so they become more intense, but still just as irregular.

In addition to the fact that the occurrence, course and intensity of false contractions is a purely individual feature, it is quite difficult to predict their appearance:

  1. In some pregnant women, the first false contractions may appear very early - at the 20th week.
  2. In most pregnant women, false contractions appear at 32-34 weeks of gestation.
  3. Such contractions will be harbingers of labor pains, after about 38 weeks.

The closer the date of birth, the stronger and more often false contractions may appear, warning and preparing for imminent changes in the body. In addition, as already noted, training contractions are not observed in all pregnant women.

In some, they are absent, while in others they go unnoticed, most often this situation occurs in the second and subsequent pregnancies.

In late pregnancies, false contractions may be stronger and more frequent, which is associated with insufficient production of certain hormones by the endocrine system. If false contractions are accompanied by significant pain and discomfort, it is better to consult a doctor who can prescribe CTG, workouts, a drug such as No-shpa, safe pain medications or suppositories.

Many pregnant women, when training contractions appear, believe that the process of childbirth has begun and you can already go into labor. However, it is not. Labor pains in comparison with false ones have a number of distinguishing features.

Namely:

  • Pain that gradually increases;
  • Increase in the duration and intensity of contractions;
  • Identical intervals between attacks;
  • The cervix gradually opens;
  • Feeling of pressure in the pelvic area or in the vaginal area;
  • The abdomen drops;
  • Drainage of amniotic fluid and mucous plug.

Probably, the last indicated sign is the most important difference between labor pains. If the waters have broken, you can be sure that the process of childbirth begins. Labor pains are repeated after the same time period and last until the birth of the child. They are accompanied by pain, usually pulling, in the lumbar or lower abdomen. During labor pains, the cervix opens, which allows the fetus to exit it and move through the birth canal. Then the child is born, after which the placenta separates with the fetal bladder, and the umbilical cord (in the people this process is called the birth of the placenta). One of the techniques for determining labor pains is counting - count the number of contractions for a certain time period, and note the duration of the intervals between them.

If contractions appear rarely and at irregular intervals, you can be sure that this is training.

On average, during labor, the interval between contractions is 10 minutes. There are situations when contractions do not look like either training or labor and are accompanied by alarming symptoms - bleeding or spotting, mucous or watery discharge, severe pain in the abdomen (namely in the lower part) or lower back pain, nausea, convulsive contractions, diarrhea, decreased fetal activity.

For any of these symptoms, you should immediately call an ambulance or go to an appointment with a doctor who has a pregnant woman. These symptoms can cause pathologies or complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

False contractions: what to do

Sometimes training contractions are accompanied by pain and discomfort, but in general, they cause the expectant mother minimal discomfort. You can relieve discomfort during false contractions in simple ways.

Namely:

  1. Try to change the position of your own body, because due to an uncomfortable posture, the uterus can be tense.
  2. Soak in a warm bath or shower - warm water helps relieve muscle spasms.
  3. Drink more fluids (non-carbonated drinks, water, juices, fruit drinks, etc.), as the appearance of false contractions may be associated with a dehydration situation in the female body.
  4. Go to the toilet - when the bladder is full, pressure is exerted on the uterus, as a result of which contractions begin.
  5. Take care of household chores or something interesting - dedication to business will allow you to ignore contractions.
  6. Take a walk in the fresh air - physical activity helps to relax smooth uterine muscles.

Many experts note the high benefit of false contractions, during which pregnant women can practice breathing exercises. “Candle” - inhale deeply and slowly through the nose, and then exhale briefly and sharply as if blowing out a candle. For more success, you can train on a real lighted candle. Breathing "like a dog" - superficial and frequent inhalations-exhalations. This exercise is not recommended for more than 30 seconds, because due to lack of oxygen, dizziness may begin. Breathing technique "Economical breathing" - a deep and slow exhalation during a fight, and then the same slow and deep breath. The exercise is repeated during each contraction.

Such breathing exercises allow the pregnant woman to relax and calm down, as well as mentally and psychologically prepare for the immediate process of childbirth.

How to recognize training contractions (video)

To relieve anxiety, a pregnant woman can drink herbal decoction, for example, from chamomile or motherwort, weak tasty tea, or a glass of warm milk with honey. Training fights are not heralds of pathologies, complications of childbirth, they do not cause premature birth and are not a threat of abortion. False contractions are the next changes in the body of the expectant mother, who is actively getting used to the new position and preparing for further restructuring.