Thursday, 18 September 2008
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The Truth About False Labor (Braxton-Hicks)
by Nurse Jenna
Who are those Hicks that everyone always complains about? You might know them….The Braxtons. You can’t trust them farther than you would throw, say, a pregnant woman who is banging down the door for an epidural. They just might lead you to triage in labor and delivery only to be told you are 1 centimeter dilated and to come back later…when you are really in labor, that is. So what is an exhausted, sick-of-being-pregnant, slipper-wearing woman to do? Sure, you’d gladly come back when you are REALLY in labor, but it sure feels like labor (in fact, it sort has for a couple of weeks now).For fear of becoming a labor and delivery “frequent flyer,” here are few things to help distinguish false labor from the real thing:
False Labor
· Braxton-Hicks contractions are irregular, or only regular temporarily.
oAfter 28 weeks they become stronger and more noticeable, but usually stop with walking or exercise.
oThey do not increase in strength or get longer and do not cause your cervix to dilate.
· Your cervix may be getting softer but it is not significantly dilated (opening) or effacing (thinning out).
· There is no evidence of “bloody show,” a blood-tinged, mucus-like discharge.
· The presenting part (hopefully the head!) is not engaged in the pelvis.
True Labor
· Contractions become stronger, last longer and become closer together.
oThey become more intense with walking.
oUsually felt in the lower back radiating to the lower abdomen.
oDespite changing positions and other attempts to get comfortable the pain continues.
· Your cervix begins to dilate and thin out, causing the above mentioned “bloody show.”
· As the baby becomes engaged in the pelvis, breathing becomes easier and the baby begins to push down on the bladder (even more than before!) increasing the need to urinate.
As always, if you feel your baby is not moving normally, your bag of water has broken, or you are experiencing any bright red bleeding, or you notice severe swelling of your face or hands, make sure you contact your provider or your labor and delivery department immediately!
Did you have any experiences with “false labor,” or did you know for sure it was the real thing?
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Comments (17)
Oh man I had about 2 or 3 bouts of false in the 2 or 3 weeks leading up to my son's birth! The contractions would get closer together and stronger; a LOT stronger on one particular instance! My husband and I decided to go to Target in the midst of one of these bouts because we figured we had a lil bit of time before heading to the hospital (how right we were!) so that we could get some last minute essentials- nursing pads, birth ball, snacks for my hubby. I couldn't walk at one point they hurt so bad. We had to run back to our house to get my bag and install our carseat, and I decided to eat a quick snack. Everything stopped after I started eating. I was soooo bummed!!! Thank God I did not go to the hospital on any of these instances only to be sent home.
I followed all the tips that my birthing class gave me before getting in the car- trying to sleep it out (it was 3:00 am before I couldn't sleep any more), take a shower (helped but didn't stop things), and then the bloody show came right after I got out of the shower. I got to the hospital at 7:00 am, 3 cm dilated (was 1 cm 2 days prior at my apt), and 60% effaced, with contractions 2 minutes apart! 9 hours and 5 pushes later- a very healthy beautiful boy came!!!
I don't recall feeling many BH contractions during my pregnancy until two days after my due date. Two days before my daughter was born I started experiencing Braxton Hicks more often, but they were painless and very irregular and sporadic. At some point they transitioned to true contractions (although still pretty painless) and once my water broke, I was noticing somewhat of a pattern, although the contractions slowed down and didn't want to pick up on their own. They would pick up when I walked around and such but they didn't get painful until later when I transitioned from early to active labor when I got Cervidil inserted about 22 hours after my water broke! Finally, a short, active, intense labor! 3 and a half hours later, my daughter was born!
yea, and let me you tell you I was pissed when they sent me home. I was ready for him to be out.
I never had any Braxton Hicks contractions when I was pregnant with my daughter.
No false labor for me (thank goodness). I didn't have contractions until my water broke. I know people who had Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks. I'm just glad I didn't! :)
I prefer the term "pre-labor" to false labor. At least from what I have read (mine is due in a few weeks), all those Braxton-Hicks contractions are your bodies way of preparing for the birth. So don't view them as a waste, as they strengthen your uterus and begin the process of labor. Many women expect their labor to be like in the movies, where all of a sudden, the baby is coming! speed to the hospital! and a few grunts later there's a baby. In reality many labors last several days or weeks with intermittent breaks.
This is at least what I have read, so we will see how it actually plays out for me.
From about month 7 I had intense 'false labor' contractions all the time. They did NOT go away with a change of position, a shower, a walk... matter of fact that just made them stronger. My doula actually called them 'prodomal labor'. They would just go away on their own ... typically after an hour or so.
That is until one night when I was about 39 weeks and they lasted for 5 hours ... thought for sure it was it. Then suddenly they just stopped. Augh! Baby was born 5 days later, 2 days shy of my due date.
I am sure by the time I delivered the Labor and Delivery nurses got tired of seeing me. But mine was not only false labor but I was also having gallbladder attacks that felt like labor. By the time that I had my son I had to be induced. I was so glad that it was over and I delivered a mere 30 minutes before my due date.
I think I had the false labor thing a few days before I gave birth but it was in the middle of the night and if it wasn't getting any worst, I wasn't about to get up, but I knew when the real thing was happening.
I experienced Braxton Hicks starting at around 32 weeks with both girls. I knew what they were because they'd go away. Three weeks before my 2nd daughter was due, I did have steady contractions during church that increased in intensity for a couple of hours--they were like 10 minutes apart. I thought it was go-time but then when I got home and put my feet up, they went away. And, 2 days before my scheduled c-section, I woke up from a nap and went to the restroom, and well, I honestly thought that my water had broken. It was so weird--I couldn't tell. So, I called, they said come on over to the hospital, they hooked me up, took a sample and nope. Water hadn't broken. I felt so stupid but the nurses and doctor were good about it--they said it's better to be safe and check. And while pregnant with 1st daughter, during my 1st non-stress test at 31 weeks, the machine was registering that I was having some intense contractions, even though I wasn't feeling anything. They sent me to the hospital. When they checked me, nothing was happening. I have a HUGE uterine fibroid on the top of my uterus. Well, the nurse at the ob/gyn's put the monitor directly on it and that was the problem. At least, that's what she and I concluded after the contraction fiasco. The bad part was that the husband and I had to abstain for the duration--well, at least until we hit 37 weeks!
I totally agree with @scarlet_muse@xanga - it'd be very healthy and good for medical practitioners to stop labeling this false labour, and instead call it "prelabour". I had a 2 day prodromal labour with my first baby - always irregular contractions through the night that would send me to the hospital. I'd go through the routine 20-30 minute EFM, only to have a nurse check me and say ":oh - you're not dilated at all, I can barely reach your cervix! you're in false labour - here's a sleeping pill - go home now!". ARRGGHH. I felt like my body was failing me. I didn't trust my body after that, and had no idea how to know what was happening. Now, after all the education I've received, I look back on that and think IF only the nurse had said something like " well, those are real contractions, and although you're not dilated yet, it sure is preparing your body for active labour! If you go home and do this and this and this - you'll be able to relax and get some sleep before you come back and have to stay!".
Braxton-hicks contractions/prelabour are all useful things that our body needs to do. Let's stop calling it FALSE and calling it what it actually is ...pre-labour!
Funny story really. With my third one, I woke up with - what I was convinced were - braxton hicks contractions. See, it was the day before his due date and my other two were about a week late, so I didn't think there was any way it could be the 'real' thing. Plus, they didn't feel that bad. After showering and moving around for about an hour, they didn't really change and I started to wonder more...and more as time when on. Finally went to the hospital (after promptin from my mother and my sister - who is an OB nurse) and was like 7 inches dialated when I got there. Had the baby less than 2 hours later. Guess I need to be a bit more carefull destinquishing between the two next time (if there is a next time)!
@scarlet_muse@xanga - @nicolevw@xanga - I agree with both of you! The term false implies nothing is really happening, when you are in fact having actual contractions. Just because they havent gotten strong enough to carry you to delivery does not make them false. I don't even like to add the 'pre', it's the beginning of labor no matter how you look at it. As soon as your body starts preparing for birth; you are in labor. With my last two pregnancies my labor started weeks before I delivered, my doctors don't like or use the term 'braxton hicks' and never refer to anything during pregnancy as 'false'.
With my son I had braxton-hicks for about two days before going into actual labor. i never went to the hospital, b/c I knew they weren't quite strong enough to be real, even though they were really painful.
With my daughter, I had strong braxton hicks on and off around the clock for a full week before actually going into labor. They'd get really strong and consistant for a few hours and then calm down. I was exhausted because I wasn't sleeping so my doctor told me she'd break my water the next time they started up, which is what happened and daughter was born a few hours later!
@nicolevw@xanga - you know... SO true!
There is nothing false about it. SOMETHING is happening, even if it isn't time for baby to appear. Your body is DOING something.
Why is it those 'knowledgeable' medical practicioners who have never been through labor always are so quick to label everything and put us in a box of time contsrtains.
It isn't really labor because they go away.... or your cervix isn't dialated. Instead of just acknowledging the fact our body is doing something, it just isn't time for baby yet.
Yet... when it IS time for baby and we don't go fast enough ... let's slice you open and pull that sucker out!
Seriously, I'm thankful for skilled doctors when they are needed...but sometimes they just make things worse! This nurse obviously graduated from the 'we are the doctors and you are the ignorant stupid women, so just lay down and we'll do the rest.. you have no idea what your'e doing' school of thought.
Ew, I learned way too much about pregnancy to ever really want to go through with that. Yuck..
I had 13 hours of false labor on my due date, contracting every ten minutes or so. I didn't dilate though, so no trip to the hospital. My baby waited a whole week after that.