Training contractions: symptoms and sensations during “false” contractions during pregnancy

The feeling of "false," or training, contractions is one of the many novel experiences that come with being pregnant. Given that these contractions resemble the early stages of labor, they can be confusing, particularly for first-time mothers. They are, nevertheless, a typical aspect of pregnancy and typically cause no concern.

Your body uses training contractions, which typically begin in the second or third trimester, to prepare for the actual labor. Although the feelings can range from a slight constriction to more intense cramps, labor is usually not precipitated by them.

It can help to reduce anxiety and differentiate these fake contractions from actual labor by being aware of their symptoms. As your pregnancy develops, you’ll feel more ready and assured if you know what to anticipate.

"False" or "training" contractions are a common aspect of pregnancy that aid in getting your body ready for labor. These contractions, which typically come and go without regularity, can feel like a tightening or mild cramping in the abdomen. They do not become more intense or result in childbirth, in contrast to actual labor contractions. Recognizing these feelings can allay fears and make it easier to distinguish between practice contractions and the real deal.

A bit of theory – what is it?

Generally speaking, contractions are the uterine smooth muscles contracting against their will. A child could not be born during childbirth if there were no contractions. When the time comes, the fetus appears to be forced out of the womb by muscular contractions.

Training contractions never result in the cervix opening and the start of labor; they are not linked to labor. They are known as "training contractions" because, for a very long time, it was thought that the expectant mother’s body was preparing for the actual strain of childbirth during these brief spasms of uterine muscle tension.

The reason behind the emergence of false (or training) contractions is still up for debate. The theory of training activities raises questions about how women give birth when they haven’t experienced a single training contraction during the whole childbearing process. These women do give birth normally, just like the women who experienced false contractions during their entire pregnancy. Trust me, there are a lot of them.

It turns out that there isn’t much of an impact on subsequent births from uterine muscle training.

Medicine knows another theory of the occurrence of training contractions (synonym – Braxton-Hicks contractions). It is believed that these sensations are "phantom", not real and they are associated with increased excitability of the uterus itself, because with the onset of pregnancy and the growth of this reproductive organ, the nerve endings begin to perceive certain neurosignals differently. As a result, the brain is "deceived" and leads to the readiness of the uterine muscles (a feeling of tone occurs). If this is not labor, then the brain quite quickly “puts two plus two together” and cancels the “order” for increased readiness. Thus, according to this theory, contractions are “tricks” of the nervous system of a pregnant woman.

Women frequently enquire about the identities of Braxton and Hicks, the authors of the first account of odd contractions that do not result in labor. Actually, there is only one person who did this—the 19th-century English physician John Braxton-Hicks, who noted pregnant ladies and wrote about an enigmatic phenomenon. Since then, neither he nor his associates have made any headway in determining the truth; the cause of false contractions’ prevalence is still largely unknown.

Speaking about training contractions, a woman should clearly distinguish between several of their types. Those that appear long before labor are called false, training. And those that start a couple of weeks before labor are preliminary contractions. They are also known as precursor. They, like early false ones, do not lead to the opening of the cervix and the beginning of the expulsion of the fetus from the womb, but occur more often. It is the preliminary contractions that can rightfully be called training contractions, since it is before childbirth that the muscles and ligaments begin to relax under the influence of a special hormone – relaxin. It is its action that becomes the beginning of the preparatory period of all organs involved in childbirth.

Is it wise to fear contractions during training? The definition of the phenomenon itself contains the answer to this query. They do not cause the cervix to open, they do not advance or stimulate the day of delivery, and they have no effect on the fetus’s condition. It is therefore unnecessary to worry; what matters is understanding how to react to activities that resemble fake contractions and how to differentiate them from actual contractions. We will delve deeper into this topic.

When they begin?

Another difficult and contentious topic is when false contractions start to show up. According to official medical sources, a woman may experience Braxton Hicks contractions beginning after the 20th week of pregnancy. In reality, these times may differ from theory; for some, they start before week 20, for others, they don’t show up until week 30, and for still others, the only thing that happens is precursor contractions, which start a few weeks before the baby "gets ready" to enter the world. It is also quite normal for some women to experience no training tension at all in the uterine muscles.

Expert gynecologists and obstetricians have long recognized a pattern in the occurrence of Braxton Hicks contractions based on the quantity of prior deliveries. For this reason, these feelings may manifest much earlier in primiparous women. Additionally, these contractions typically start right before the anticipated delivery date for women who are giving birth again. This can be explained by the fact that women who have given birth and women who have not before given birth have different states of the smooth muscles. Smooth muscles are more elastic and stretched in women who have already given birth, and the uterus grows and fills with blood more "softly" as is typical.

Contrary to popular belief, the early onset of practice contractions does not increase the risk of an early birth. That being said, these sensations only appear dangerous at first glance. Upon closer examination, however, you will see that the date of birth is unaffected by the uterine muscles’ level of training activity. Individuals who start experiencing false contractions at 20 weeks of pregnancy tend to carry their pregnancy past term and give birth at 42 weeks, while those who do not experience such contractions visit the maternity hospital well in advance of their due date.

Symptoms and sensations

It is a well-established medical fact that contractions—whether real or fake—don’t hurt at all. In reality, a lot relies on each person’s level of sensitivity, as women’s reviews amply demonstrate. While one expectant mother might not experience any unsettling feelings, another might.

Tension in the uterine muscles is the sign of the contraction. Pregnant women frequently report that "the stomach hardens," or gets harder. Because of tension in the ligamentous apparatus holding the uterus in place, there may be a pulling sensation at the base of the abdomen. The lumbar area may feel as though something is pulling on it (for the same reason). Women frequently report that the feelings are strikingly similar to those of menstruation.

The uterine tension may last for a few seconds or for several minutes. Following that, it vanishes and either doesn’t appear at all or does appear, but not during specific cyclical time intervals. The very irregularity of training contractions is precisely what makes it possible for us to comprehend what is actually taking place. Frequent contractions indicate that labor has begun. False contractions are episodes of increased tone that happen on their own.

The contraction won’t become more obvious even if it happens multiple times in an hour. Only during actual labor contractions do painful sensations become more intense; during fake labor contractions, they always become weaker and lessen.

Such tension can appear out of the blue at any time, even in situations where it is wholly inappropriate, like at work, on a bus, or during a crucial meeting.

There are other situations that either directly or indirectly raise the number of these false episodes.

• Active intimate life. During sexual arousal, during orgasm, small contractions of the smooth muscles of the uterus occur, therefore, after sexual intercourse, within an hour or two, Braxton-Hicks contractions cannot be ruled out. This is not a reason to refuse intimate relations if the woman has no other contraindications.
• High physical activity of the expectant mother. Bending over, lifting weights, walking up the stairs, rare rest, constantly being on your feet – all this can provoke the appearance of false contraction-like muscle activity.
• Activity of the child. Overly active babies, who often and painfully "kick" the expectant mother from the inside, can also indirectly cause increased nervous excitability of the uterus.
• Stress. At the moment of strong emotional experiences, a woman often feels tension in the uterus, but most often false contractions "visit" expectant mothers after stress, as soon as the woman relaxes a little.
• Overflowing bladder. If the expectant mother does not have the opportunity to go to the toilet (she is in a public place where there is no toilet, she is traveling in transport), then the bladder filled with urine is strongly compressed by the uterus. But there is also counter pressure – on the uterus. This effect causes short-term tension in the muscles of the reproductive organ.

Additionally, each pregnant woman has a unique pattern for how her contractions appear and behave. For instance, in certain cases, false uterine tension doesn’t show up until a woman stretches in the morning, while in other cases, it doesn’t show up until a woman gets out of a seated position. Others should wait to take a shower. Therefore, in order to minimize such situations or be psychologically ready for them, you need to pay close attention to what circumstances cause Braxton-Hicks contractions to occur in you the most often.

Training contractions most frequently happen in the mornings and evenings, according to observations doctors have made over the years of observing pregnant women. Tension in the uterus is more likely to occur after a substantial meal than it is after a light dinner or breakfast. The duration of false hypertonicity varies, ranging from 15 minutes to 2-3 hours on average. However, there are instances of solitary contractions and longer periods – each case is unique and does not present with two identical symptoms.

Differences from true

Many women, particularly those who are primiparous, wonder how to differentiate between actual labor contractions and training episodes of contractile activity. If a woman has never given birth before, she may be afraid that she won’t know what to do, that she won’t recognize contractions, or that she won’t get to the maternity hospital in time. The question becomes especially relevant as the expected date of birth approaches-at 38-39 weeks, as well as a little earlier and a little later. It won’t be that hard to tell one from the other, I promise. Real fights won’t appear fake at all when they occur. These are the principal variations.

• Pain. If childbirth begins, then each subsequent fight is felt more painful than the previous. This never happens with harbinger or early training episodes of tone. The neck is revealed with true contractions, which is why the pain will become stronger.
• The duration of the fight. If it is in training and preparing for childbirth, then each subsequent fight does not increase by time. You can not worry. If the fights are painful, and each next lasts a long time, no less than the previous one, we are talking about labor activities. You need to arm yourself with a stopwatch or a special counter program on your smartphone and simply measure the duration of two or three consecutive episodes of uterine tension.
• Frequency. Preparatory contractions are not regular. They can repeat at random intervals, while real ones will be very rhythmic (occur at certain intervals). At first – at long intervals, then the contraction will become strong, long, and the episodes will become frequent. If periods of uterine tension become more frequent and occur at equal intervals, it is time to go to the maternity hospital.
• Measures to reduce sensations. If a woman simply changes her body position, takes a shower, or takes a pill during a false contraction, she will feel noticeable relief. True contractions cannot be anesthetized, they will also not respond to a shower or a change in body position. It is impossible to stop labor that has started.

Analyzing additional accompanying signs is necessary to accurately determine the type of contractions. It is better for everyone if the woman ends up in a hospital as soon as possible under the supervision of trained medical personnel. If cyclic tension of the uterine muscles occurs after the mucus plug has come out, after the water has been released, or after the release and release of amniotic fluid has occurred after contractions have appeared, then there is no time to waste – labor has begun.

Obstetricians joke that if a woman is not certain she is giving birth, she is not giving birth yet. Examine it and try to relax. The subject of the variations in uterine contraction types won’t come up when the time comes.

Are Braxton Hicks contractions dangerous?

Every woman who occasionally finds herself in an "interesting position" and experiences similar feelings is asked this question. Pregnant women who face the risk of an early birth or pregnancy-related illnesses are particularly concerned. Let’s all relax at once: the mother or the fetus are not in danger as a result of Braxton Hicks contractions.

One theory (not sure how scientifically sound, but doctors often tell this to anxious patients) holds that a training contraction increases blood flow to the reproductive organ; this means that the child receives more nutrients and oxygen after the muscles relax, making false contractions productive and useful.

You should still see a doctor to determine the cause of uterine hypertonicity if there is still a long way to go before the birth and the training contractions are regular—for instance, occurring every night. See an obstetrician-gynecologist even if the contractions have stopped in the morning. Everyone will feel calmer as a result.

How to behave during false contractions?

It is incumbent upon a woman to endure false contractions. Even though uncomfortable sensations are brought on by the uterine tension, there are numerous ways to treat the condition and manage these training episodes relatively comfortably until the very birth. How should one proceed?

• Change the position of the body in space. If a training contraction has begun, you need to try to change your position. If at this moment the woman was lying down, it is better to get up and walk around, if she was sitting – lie down, and if she was standing – sit down or take a horizontal position. The "cat pose" is very helpful – a knee-elbow position with a bend in the spine in the lower back. In it, you can not waste time and practice proper breathing, this will come in handy when the time comes to give birth.
• Ignore. If the false contraction is quite gentle and does not bother you much, it is best to ignore it – turn on your favorite movie, good music, open an unfinished book or return to needlework that you put off for later. This will help you get distracted.
• Walk. The advice is simple and effective. During a leisurely and sedate walk in a park or square (away from city roads), the pregnant woman and her baby receive positive emotions, oxygen. Regular walks reduce the frequency and duration of false contractions several times.

• Water procedures. A warm shower helps relieve unpleasant symptoms. It is better to refrain from baths. It is a shower for 5-10 minutes that will help you completely relax and get rid of tension in the walls of the uterus. If a woman has frequent contractions and they bother her a lot, it makes sense to buy a subscription to a swimming pool, to a special group for expectant mothers – swimming will help reduce the frequency and duration of Braxton Hicks episodes.
• Medicines. Tablets and other medications should be used only in extreme cases, if the sensations are very disturbing. It would not be superfluous to consult a doctor beforehand. Most often, pregnant women are recommended to take suppositories with papaverine (rectally) or "No-shpa" (orally) to relieve increased uterine tone.
• Eat or drink. Some people are helped. Even a glass of milk, water or a light vegetable salad can work wonders – the uterus quickly relaxes and the condition returns to normal.

Pregnancy naturally causes training contractions, which are your body’s way of getting ready for labor. Although they are not dangerous, they can be uncomfortable and frequently appear and disappear randomly.

It’s critical to keep in mind that these contractions are not the same as true labor contractions. Usually, they are mild, sporadic, and do not get worse with time. When the time comes, being aware of these feelings will enable you to spot the telltale signs of genuine labor.

Please do not hesitate to contact your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns regarding the contractions you are going through. During this thrilling stage of pregnancy, it’s important to remain informed and composed.

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