Having contractions? You may or may not be in labor. There are two types of contractions: practice contractions, known as Braxton Hicks, and real labor contractions, which mean it's time to have your baby. There are telltale differences between the two, including the fact that when you're in labor your contractions will intensify and become more frequent.
From what contractions feel like to how to tell whether you’re actually in labor, here's what you need to know before delivery.
What do labor contractions feel like?
Early labor contractions can feel like gastrointestinal discomfort, strong menstrual cramps, or lower abdominal pressure. As labor progresses, contractions become stronger and more frequent.
Contractions are your body's uncomfortable but essential means of pushing your baby down the birth canal and into the world.
"Felt like period cramps initially, but over time became increasingly intense," says What to Expect Community mom ajbelle.
What are the different types of contractions?
There are two kinds of contractions you may experience during pregnancy:
- Braxton Hicks contractions (aka practice or false contractions): These can occur any time after the middle of your pregnancy — or not at all. Practice contractions help prime your body for delivery, but they don't actually cause the cervical dilation and effacement that define labor. They also tend to subside when you change positions. False labor contractions are irregular, don't increase in severity or frequency, and resolve with rest and hydration.
- Labor contractions: In the weeks before birth, you may notice several common signs of real labor leading up to real labor contractions.
You can track symptoms such as Braxton Hicks contractions using the My Journal tool on the What to Expect app to identify patterns, but always check with your health care practitioner if you're not sure whether you're actually in labor.
How can I tell real contractions from Braxton Hicks?
You’ll know you’re experiencing real labor contractions rather than Braxton Hicks contractions if they:
- Intensify with activity instead of easing up and aren’t relieved by a change in position.
- Become progressively more frequent, intense, and generally (but not always) more regular. The contractions usually last about 30 to 70 seconds each. While each contraction may not be longer or more painful than the last, the overall intensity builds as labor progresses. Likewise, the frequency doesn’t always increase in perfectly even intervals, but contractions do become more frequent.
- May produce a brownish, pinkish, or blood-streaked "bloody show."
- May be accompanied by an upset stomach, cramps, or diarrhea.
- May be accompanied by a rupture of your membranes (commonly referred to as your "water breaking"). However, this only happens in about 15% of labors. More often, the membranes rupture spontaneously during labor or are artificially broken by a practitioner.
"Mine started out with squeezing and tightening in my lower abdomen/uterus and slowly grew more painful," says Community mom mrodgers7. "Walking and/or changing activity, drinking water, and bouncing on the labor ball did not make them stop, but rather they slowly got more intense."
Where do you feel labor contractions?
You may feel contraction pain only in the lower abdomen or in both the lower back and abdomen. The pain can also radiate down the legs, especially the upper thighs.
"For me it's like excruciating gas pain in my stomach and lower back, and then between contractions there's instant relief," says Community mom may24bb.
The location of contraction pain often depends on the baby's position. For example, when a baby is head down but facing forward (known as occiput posterior), a mom may experience intense back labor with each contraction. As active labor progresses, the contraction pain may change as the baby rotates within the birth canal.
That said, the location of pain isn't the most reliable indicator of true labor, since false labor contractions can occur in the same areas. More accurate signs include the frequency, intensity, and regularity of your contractions.
How long is the average labor contraction?
The average contraction can vary in length, intensity, and frequency depending on your stage of labor:
- Early labor: Each contraction usually lasts about 30 to 45 seconds. They may start as far as 20 minutes apart, then gradually become closer together as labor progresses.
- Active labor: Contractions become increasingly stronger, more frequent, and longer, lasting around 40 to 60 seconds each. Many practitioners recommend following the 5-1-1 rule during this stage: If your contractions are about five minutes apart, lasting about one minute each, for at least one hour, then that's a good indication it's time to call your practitioner and head to the hospital or birthing center.
- Transitional labor: Contractions suddenly pick up in intensity and frequency, with each lasting about 60 to 90 seconds and coming about two to three minutes apart.
- Pushing and delivery: Contractions in this second stage of labor still last 60 to 90 seconds but may be spaced further apart — about two to five minutes — and can sometimes feel less painful.
"For me contractions feel like a wave of a cramp," says Community mom Hennakc. "Usually the start is subtle but there will be a peak where my belly gets super hard and I naturally feel like I need to do deep breaths in and out."
When should I call my practitioner about contractions?
Your practitioner has likely given you guidance on when to call if you think you're in labor. A common rule of thumb is when contractions are five to seven minutes apart.
If you're unsure whether you're in real labor but the contractions are coming pretty regularly, pick up the phone anyway. Don't wait for perfectly even intervals — they may never happen.
Concerned it’s the middle of the night? Don’t be. Obstetricians and midwives are used to late-night labor calls.
And don’t be embarrassed if it turns out to be a false alarm — you won't be the first or last expecting mom to misjudge labor signs. It's always best to err on the side of caution.
Your practitioner may ask you several questions, not only to gather information but also to hear how you sound while talking through contractions. Often, they can tell from your voice whether labor is progressing.
If you experience contractions before 37 weeks that are becoming stronger and more frequent, contact your practitioner right away or head to the hospital if you can't reach your practitioner. This may be a sign of preterm labor.
When should I head to the hospital?
Call your practitioner right away — and head to the hospital if you can't get through — if:
- Your contractions are becoming increasingly strong but you haven't yet reached 37 weeks, which may signal preterm labor.
- Your water breaks, with or without other signs of labor. Tell your practitioner if the fluid is greenish brown.
- You feel the umbilical cord slip into your cervix or vaginal canal, which could indicate cord prolapse.
What causes labor contractions?
No one knows for sure what triggers true labor contractions. Experts believe labor likely begins through a complex cascade of signals involving the baby, placenta, and mother. These signals help stimulate the release of prostaglandins and oxytocin, hormones that help initiate contractions.
Is it normal to have contractions after sex?
You may notice your uterus contracting after orgasm. Try not to worry — orgasm itself causes the uterus to contract. Many moms experience contractions after sex that can be powerful and last as long as half an hour.
Unless your practitioner has advised that you avoid orgasm during pregnancy (often because you’re at risk for preterm labor or miscarriage), sex is safe during pregnancy and there’s no reason to be concerned about these types of contractions.
Is there any way to start labor contractions?
If you've passed the 40-week mark and are officially overdue, you might be wondering how you can start contractions and get this show on the road. There are a few techniques that may induce labor naturally, including acupuncture and walking.
While none of these methods are guaranteed to work, you might want to consider giving them a shot — but only with the okay of your practitioner.
Yes 
No 
