Braxton hicks contractions are basically practise contractions that don't result in…

Braxton hicks contractions are basically practise contractions that don't result in the birth of a baby. It's basically a process of the uterus tightening and relaxing several times per day. . They occur throughout pregnancy but most women don't feel them until around 20 weeks and some don't notice them at all! Some women including me will feel them much earlier than 20 weeks, especially if they have had children before. . Braxton hicks contractions aren't usually painful but they can feel strange, uncomfortable and change the shape of your abdomen momentarily. . Braxton hicks contractions tend to increase in intensity toward the end of pregnancy and some women report that occasionally they have taken their breath away! If you are full term and have these tightenings that gradually become more painful and frequent over time like a worsening period cramp, it could be that the braxton hicks are transitioning into real labour contractions. It doesn't always mean that though, you can have prolonged periods of frequent braxton hicks contractions and then they just disappear. . As a general rule, if you are pre 37 weeks and are experiencing 5 or more of these tightenings per hour, call your care provider. We want to avoid then turning into real labour contractions if you are preterm. Sometimes dehydration can cause lots of braxton hicks so it's important to remain hydrated throughout pregnancy. . You may also find that you experience really intense braxton hicks contractions after intercourse or orgasm! . . . . . . #pregnancy #birth #contractions #midwife #prgennat #birth #birthsupport #birthwithoutfear #laboranddelivery #labor #birthprep