Excitement and slight suspiciousness, impatient anticipation and every minute readiness to go to the hospital before giving birth are completely natural feelings that overwhelm every pregnant woman. That is why any nagging pain, discomfort, impulse in the lower abdomen, or extra movement of the baby in the womb are perceived as a signal that everything has begun and it’s time to go to the maternity hospital.
In fact, on latest dates From time to time, false contractions may occur, which are also called training contractions, or Braxton-Hicks contractions, or “Brextons.” You need to be able to distinguish them from the real ones, so as not to panic in vain and not call an ambulance every time.
Despite the fact that false contractions are recognized as normal 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 involves physical labor, she does too much around the house, she was forced long time stand on your feet, etc.);
- hot shower or bath;
- intrauterine hyperactivity of the child;
- drinking coffee;
- severe stress, nervous feelings;
- orgasm;
- fatigue;
- bad habits;
- full bladder;
- insomnia;
- diets;
- dehydration of the body when a woman consumes too little clean drinking water.
There is no need to be afraid of false contractions; they do not cause any harm to the health of either the mother or the baby. However, the sensations they deliver are not the most pleasant and will definitely not brighten up the situation of a pregnant woman.
If you avoid the above factors that provoke too frequent contractions of the uterus, even for training, nothing can darken the joyful anticipation of the baby.
Mechanism
In fact, scientists are still 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. This is what they have been able to find out so far.
- These are rhythmic contractions of the uterine smooth muscles that do not lead to cervical dilatation and labor.
- They start from the 20th week. But at this time, few people feel them, since they are invisible. But at 38 or even 37 weeks of pregnancy, the uterus begins to train more actively, so about 70% of expectant mothers feel a pulling weight in the lower abdomen. This is fine.
- Some do not feel them at all, while others regularly complain of an aching heaviness in the lower abdomen, which is frighteningly intense.
- Neither the absence nor the presence of false contractions is evidence of any pregnancy pathologies.
- They saturate the placenta with oxygen and various nutrients, because when the uterus contracts, blood flows to the fetus more actively than usual.
- Their appearance is associated with the excitability of the uterus, which at certain moments can increase.
- Their main task is to soften and shorten the cervix, thus preparing it for childbirth. It’s not for nothing that false contractions are also called training contractions.
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, expectant mothers should know their main symptoms in order to be able to distinguish them from real ones. Otherwise, in the final stages you will have to call every now and then Ambulance and rush at full speed to the maternity hospital, and then return home, learning that the alarm was in vain.
Through the pages of history. False contractions are named after the English doctor 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 appear the same in pregnant women. For some, they will be more intense, more regular, more painful. And some won’t even feel them until birth. However, it is useful for everyone to know about them in order to catch them in time.
Doctors call the following symptoms characteristic of false labor:
- Irregularity: many people are interested in how many days false contractions last - they can repeat every 5-6 hours, or maybe once every 2-3 days, they do not have any specific cycle;
- short duration: no more than a minute - this is how long false contractions last normally, usually a few seconds;
- the muscles of the uterus are tense;
- It should be noted that the timing of which week false contractions begin is 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, since during the day, with business and worries, they are invisible.
Using these symptoms and signs, you can identify false contractions, which indicate work and an upcoming event. There is no need to be afraid: everything is going according to schedule. If there are about 2-3 weeks 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 may await her.
Disagreements. Most doctors consider false contractions a necessary phenomenon, since 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 risk becoming too soft, which will prevent it from becoming toned and opening during the birth process.
Feel
It is the physical sensations 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 warning signs begin, the pregnant woman may feel the following:
- relative painlessness, although this symptom of false contractions manifests itself differently in each woman, since the pain threshold is not the same for everyone;
- discomfort;
- if you compare what false contractions are like, then they feel akin to a nagging pain in the lower abdomen during the menstrual cycle;
- the uterus seems to harden, and this can be felt or even felt if you place your palm on the lower abdomen;
- there is no clear rhythm of contractions;
- Quite unexpectedly, a feeling of compression occurs in a specific area of the abdomen or groin.
These sensations will allow the pregnant woman to distinguish false contractions from labor contractions, gather herself, not panic, and simply continue to patiently wait for the baby to be born soon. If there is still fear and doubt, whether these are real harbingers, several 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 the body’s response to the hormonal explosion that occurs during pregnancy.
Differences from the real ones
Not only the pregnant woman herself, but also all her relatives, who are eagerly awaiting the birth of their baby, should know how to distinguish false contractions from real ones, so that at the most crucial moment they can either pack their things and go to the maternity hospital, or calmly wait out the uterine contractions and stay Houses. They can be distinguished by several characteristics.
- “Braxtons” do not radiate to the pelvis or back, unlike real contractions;
- even the most intense false contractions do not repeat more than 6 times in an hour, whereas this is quite typical for real ones;
- the duration of false contractions is constant - no more than a minute, while the real ones increase: the first painful sensations constrain for a few seconds, but each subsequent one increases in time and can last 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, but “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, nagging pain in the lower spine and other labor harbingers.
Any difference between false contractions and real ones given above is quite obvious. You just have to listen carefully and sensitively 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. Mothers who have already experienced this rarely go to the maternity hospital with false contractions. How can you alleviate your condition at such moments?
Interesting fact. Psychologists working with pregnant women note that those who are afraid of the upcoming birth experience more painful false contractions than others.
What to do?
Despite the fact that training contractions of the uterus are rarely very painful, you want to get rid of the discomfort and pulling heaviness in the lower abdomen faster. Therefore, it will be useful for expectant mothers to know what to do in case of 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 uterus return to normal.
- Take a walk in the fresh air for at least half an hour;
- take a short warm bath or shower;
- if you are already 36-37 weeks old, you need not to miss the passage of the mucus plug, notice the prolapse of the abdomen in time and, in accordance with all these harbingers, wait for labor, which can begin in 2-3 weeks;
- drink a glass of clean water at room temperature;
- change your position to a more comfortable one;
- listen to your favorite music;
- relax;
- there will be nothing terrible if you come to the maternity hospital with false contractions: you will be examined and sent home, having previously been 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 maternity hospital. So be careful, don’t miss a single harbinger. Analyze the situation: has your plug come out yet, has your stomach dropped, has urination become more frequent?
If all these signs of impending labor are present, and contractions become regular and painful, then, without hesitation, go to the maternity hospital. It also happens that in a given situation certain problems arise that require a quick and correct solution.
One more tip. If you realize that you are just having false contractions, but they are delivering discomfort that you can't get your mind off, start... singing. As practice shows, favorite tunes 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 ones from real ones. Problems arise with the last 1/3, in whom training contractions of the uterus occur differently than in everyone else, which may indicate some kind of pregnancy pathology. Our task is to deal with the complications that arise in order to be on the alert and seek help from doctors in time.
- Pain
In rare cases, painful false contractions occur, which in sensations can be compared to real ones. Labor has not yet begun, and the contractions of the uterus 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, you must inform your doctor about this.
- 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 additional examination to identify pathologies of the uterus. Only after this can the doctor determine why the woman was tormented by false contractions, repeating 5-6 times a day.
- Long-term
False contractions that persist for a long time may indicate serious problems with the uterus or baby in the womb. Therefore, if you feel nagging pain in the lower abdomen for 20-30 minutes, immediately go to the hospital or call a doctor at home.
- Discharge
If false contractions are accompanied by discharge, this may be an alarming signal:
— bloody issues- symptom of placental abruption;
— mucous membranes - the plug may have come off;
- watery - a sign of water breaking.
You need to understand that false contractions cannot determine when labor will begin, because they can be felt as early as 20 weeks of pregnancy. Closer to the cherished date, they may simply become more intense and more 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 (removal of the plug, prolapse of the abdomen, etc.) can they indicate that there are only a few days left before the long-awaited event. Otherwise, there is no need to panic and pack bags with things for the maternity hospital.
Training contractions (Braxton Hicks contractions) are contractions of the muscles of the uterus that can last no more than 1-2 minutes and are believed to help the body prepare for childbirth. Not all expectant mothers experience such contractions. Most often they can occur in the third trimester of pregnancy, but sometimes in the second trimester some women notice such contractions. If you are having training contractions, you may feel general tension in your uterus for up to 40 minutes. They are usually painless and almost always stop about an hour after they start. Although all women experience Braxton Hicks contractions, some women, especially those who are pregnant for the first time, may not feel them at all.
There are cases that women, especially during the second and subsequent pregnancies, mistake training contractions for the beginning, so they mistakenly come to the maternity hospital. Braxton Hicks contractions can be so strong and regular that they are very difficult to distinguish from real contractions.
How to distinguish training contractions from real ones?
What to do if training contractions bring discomfort
If you are a few weeks away from giving birth and your training contractions are causing you discomfort, try one of the following recommendations:
Change your body position. Sometimes walking can help relieve pressure and muscle contractions. In some cases, simple rest can relieve you from unpleasant sensations. (In the case of real contractions, no recommendations will help).
Try taking a bath to relax a bit.
Drink a few glasses of water. Sometimes the cause of training matchups can be dehydration, which is quite common among pregnant women.
Try doing some relaxing physical exercise, breathe deeply. In the case of training contractions, this will help you relax, and in the case of real contractions, it will be clear to you that labor will soon occur.
When to call a doctor
Be sure to call your doctor if you are more than 37 weeks pregnant and your contractions become more frequent, rhythmic, or painful, or if you notice the following symptoms.
During the period of gestation, the expectant mother encounters different sensations. On later she may begin to feel a tug in her stomach and lower back. This makes me think that maybe it’s time to give birth. But in this way the body prepares for the upcoming birth of the baby. In order not to run to the hospital in panic every time, a pregnant woman should know how to distinguish training contractions from real ones.
Training the body before the birth of a child
Due to false contractions, the uterus prepares for childbirth. This normal phenomenon, so no need to worry. The following features of training contractions of the uterus are distinguished:- Contractions during pregnancy begin from the 20th week.
- They don't last long. Their duration is several seconds or minutes.
- A pregnant woman experiences discomfort during contractions and a tugging sensation in the lower abdomen. But it goes away quickly.
- After some time, contractions appear more often, but their duration does not change.
Real contractions
Labor abbreviations have the following features:- appear regularly with a frequency of 0.5-1.5 minutes;
- if a woman changes her body position, the pain will not disappear;
- pain appears in the lower back and abdomen.
- the uterine muscles contract, which causes dull pain;
- pain disappears, but then appears again;
- there are more than 5 waves per hour;
- pressure appears in the pelvic area;
- colic occurs, reminiscent of menstruation;
- appearance of bloody discharge.
Main differences
When a woman feels pain in the abdominal area, cramps, she should be wary, as contractions begin. This is a possible signal of the onset of labor. But a woman should know how to distinguish training contractions from real ones. The following differences are distinguished:- The pain when training the body before childbirth may disappear if the woman changes position and walks. This will not help if a pregnant woman goes into labor.
- Labor contractions are regular, but false contractions are not.
- If labor begins, mucus with blood particles occurs.
But the expectant mother is simply not able to let everything take its course, she listens to every baby, and if the baby doesn’t move for a long time, the mother starts to get nervous.
And when your stomach begins to cramp, pull your lower back, and everything seems to look like contractions (is it really time to give birth?), and the period is still short, then you will definitely think: are these or training (false) contractions before childbirth?
How to recognize and how do training contractions manifest? Let's try to figure it out together.
It is very important to distinguish labor contractions from training contractions., otherwise the expectant mother will simply torment herself with unnecessary questions and suspicions. However, if you clearly know the differences and what to do, then you don’t have to be afraid of either real or training fights.
Training contractions are also called false. They were first described by the Englishman Braxton-Hicks in 1872, so they are also called Braxton Hicks contractions.
It is believed that nature specially invented them in order for the cervix and the uterus itself to prepare for childbirth during such contractions, as if to train (hence the name - training contractions).
Exploring the similarities and differences
In order not to confuse false contractions with labor contractions, it is necessary to know exactly their differences.
False contractions (their symptoms and signs):
- are irregular, the intervals between them can be any, not cyclical. Contractions may occur once a day or several times, and possibly once a week;
- painless, in very rare cases they cause discomfort (painful false contractions are very rare);
- attacks can be neutralized by changing position, a warm bath or shower, just getting up and walking around or, on the contrary, lying down, doing breathing exercises and think about something good;
- the cervix does not dilate.
Birth pains:
- characterized by regularity and clear periodicity. Gradually, the time intervals between contractions decrease, and the duration of the contractions themselves increases;
- very painful, it is impossible to anesthetize them or relieve attacks;
- contractions continue until the baby is born;
- The cervix dilates and prepares for childbirth.
When do false contractions begin and how long do they last?
False contractions can appear already during pregnancy and, of course, this does not mean that it is time to give birth. Relax and calm down. Just listen to yourself and your feelings.
For false contractions the uterus seems to turn to stone as the muscles become toned. At the same time, the lower back may ache and the lower abdomen may stretch.
But these contractions pass and do not increase, they are very easy to remove (unlike real ones, which no longer subside or calm down, but, on the contrary, become more frequent).
Many women do not experience false contractions at all throughout pregnancy, so their appearance during pregnancy can frighten any mother, especially the first-time mother. Young women get scared, confuse them with real ones and prepare for the upcoming birth.
Therefore, in order not to worry unnecessarily, try walking around, changing your body position, drinking water, tea or juice, and most importantly, calm down. If contractions do not recur at regular intervals, then this is definitely a “false alarm” and you can still wait.
False contractions last 30-60 seconds and pass, they can appear once an hour, or twice a day.
Their timing is impossible to predict. This can happen when you are carrying packages from the store, on a walk, or at home. The longer the period, the more noticeable false contractions can be. But it’s easy enough to deal with them by learning breathing exercises.
During training contractions, this is simply a miraculous method for relieving them. However, Each woman can have her own individual method of getting rid of false contractions: it’s enough for one to take a walk, and for the other to drink something sweet. Try it different ways and you will definitely find the right one.
In what cases should you consult a doctor?
During pregnancy or more, a woman is already ready for childbirth. At this time, you need to be more attentive to your condition.
In some cases, it is simply necessary to immediately consult a doctor, namely when contractions are accompanied by:
- watery or bloody vaginal discharge;
- severe pain in the lower back;
- if you think your water has broken;
- if you notice that the fetus has frozen or the movement has weakened.
Pregnant women often ask doctors: How not to confuse Braxton Hicks training contractions with labor. To this, doctors answer unequivocally that it is impossible to confuse real contractions with anything else.
Therefore, dear mothers, listen to yourself, compare the signs of real and false contractions with your feelings.
If you are still suspicious and you are not sure that you have identified correctly, It's best to see a doctor who will examine you, listen to your story about your feelings and, based on this, tell you whether you are in danger or not to worry.
This will help you feel more confident and less nervous, keeping you calm and strong for the upcoming birth.
The long-awaited moment is getting closer and closer when the most beloved and desired miracle - your baby - will finally be born. Do you want to be prepared and feel confident, understanding what processes are happening now with you and your baby and when everything will really begin? Then let's figure out how to recognize contractions, determine whether they are true or false, and whether there is a difference between contractions during the first pregnancy and in women who have already given birth.
What are contractions?
Contractions are so called because a sharp contraction of muscles occurs and the pregnant woman experiences cramping pain. This process is primarily a signal that the birth canal is ready for the birth of a child. Normally, due to complex physiological interactions between the body of the child and the mother, hormones and biologically active substances are released that promote the opening of the cervix and the onset of contractions. At this time, the muscles of not only the anterior abdominal wall and perineum contract, but primarily the uterus itself.
The process of the contractions themselves is very clear, and the answer to the question of how to recognize contractions during childbirth is simply necessary.
Painful contractions
Unfortunately, there is no universal gradation of the intensity of pain during contractions. Since each person has his own pain threshold, pain of the same intensity is felt differently by different people. Some women note the appearance of aching pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, similar to menstrual pain. They can occur long before the preliminary date of birth, starting from the third trimester of pregnancy. These are the so-called false, or training, contractions. It is especially difficult to identify such contractions for first-time women. Despite the fact that doctors tell and warn how to recognize contractions when they first appear, many pregnant women may not notice them or mistake them for discomfort associated with muscle pain or, for example, imbalance digestive system. At the same time, others may perceive a simple movement of the fetus as contractions that have already begun.
It’s a completely different matter when they are true and indicate the beginning process of giving birth to a child. In this case, there are much fewer questions about how to recognize contractions, because the pain no longer leaves any doubt that the process has begun. At the same time, the intensity and severity of the pain syndrome increases. The woman feels not only discomfort, but also tension in the uterus. Most people describe this condition as follows: the uterus becomes like stone.
False, or training, contractions
Let's figure out how to recognize false contractions and why they are needed. It’s not for nothing that they are called training exercises. They are really aimed at preparing the woman’s body for the upcoming birth. Periodically arising and contracting the muscles of the uterus, they thus train it. Normally, such contractions do not cause the opening of the cervix, but, on the contrary, compress it. They are irregular and not intense.
How to recognize real contractions?
The distinctive characteristics of true contractions are the frequency of their occurrence, increasing intensity and duration. First, pregnant women feel discomfort in the abdomen and lower back, then a nagging pain occurs. Gradually (as it increases), its severity increases, and the periods between contractions shorten.
Pregnant women often share information with each other about how to recognize contractions. The first birth is a long-awaited event, and women try to learn as much as possible about the upcoming changes in their body and the development of the child.
Phases of true contractions
To navigate and know how to recognize contractions, you need to familiarize yourself with their main three phases:
- Phase I - hidden, or initial. On average, a contraction lasts up to 20 seconds and occurs no more than once every half hour. As a rule, by this period the cervix is shortened and smoothed, but there is still no opening of the pharynx or it is minimal (up to 3 cm). This is the longest phase and can last up to eight hours.
- Phase II - active. During this period, the duration of contractions increases to one minute, they occur much more often (every 3-5 minutes) and the pharynx gradually opens, reaching seven centimeters in diameter. As a rule, it is in the active phase that outpouring occurs amniotic fluid. As for its duration, it ranges from three to five hours.
- Phase III is transitional. This is the shortest phase (lasts no more than an hour, on average 30-40 minutes), but at the same time the most productive and intense. During this period, contractions become more pronounced and painful, last about a minute and repeat every two to three minutes. The pharynx opens up to 8-10 cm.
How to behave?
Having learned how to recognize contractions before childbirth, you need to learn correct behavior during them. First of all, you need to calm down and relax as much as possible. Put everything aside, take any position that is comfortable for you, even if from the outside it looks ridiculous and funny. The most physiological and comfortable position, primarily for the child, is the knee-elbow position. It helps remove excess pressure and tension in the uterus and abdominal muscles. Smooth, circular, rocking movements on the fitball are recommended.
How to recognize contractions and choose the right psychological attitude?
During contractions, it is especially important not to waste additional strength and energy, which you will soon really need. If possible, lie down and try to get some sleep or at least rest. Scientists say that women who are self-confident and have a positive attitude towards childbirth go through the stage of labor less painfully than those who are tormented by fear and anxiety about the process of childbirth itself.
If these are training contractions and they occur long before childbirth, do not cause pain and are not accompanied by other symptoms, then there is no need to worry or take any action. However, if you often feel contractions of the uterus, you are worried about malaise, or other symptoms arise that were absent before (especially spotting), you should immediately contact your obstetrician-gynecologist, as these may be the first signals of premature labor.
A pregnant woman who knows how to recognize the first contractions is unlikely to miss their onset. Having noted their occurrence, you need to take a sheet of paper, a pen and a watch. To objectively assess labor activity, you need to record the following parameters of contractions: how often they occur and how long they last. If you see that the duration of contractions is increasing and the interval between them is decreasing, then calmly collect all the necessary things and documents and go to the maternity hospital.
Remember that you need to breathe properly during contractions. Breathing should be deep and even. Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. This will not only help you calm down and concentrate on breathing, thereby not thinking and not letting bad thoughts and experiences enter your head, but, more importantly, it will ensure the necessary delivery of oxygen to the body and have an analgesic effect (i.e., reduce pain syndrome due to oxidation of lactic acid).
How does labor begin?
Reliable signs of the onset of labor are the appearance of true contractions and the release of amniotic fluid. These two processes are usually sequential, but their occurrence may vary. Some people experience contractions first and then their water breaks, while others may have their water break first and only then experience contractions. In any case, if the water has already broken, it is necessary to immediately go to the maternity hospital and not wait for the onset of contractions, since a long period without water poses a threat to the child’s life.
The onset of labor in a primigravida woman
A woman who has not yet given birth is much more emotional and more excited about any changes in her body. Many women perceive even the slightest discomfort as the beginning of labor. Along with this, not knowing what happens during pregnancy and not knowing how to recognize contractions, women may not even notice them.
If a woman is healthy and the pregnancy was uneventful, then contractions and rupture of amniotic fluid in first-time mothers take longer than during repeated births, and last about ten hours. And this is not surprising, because the body of a nulliparous woman requires additional time, her birth canal is less elastic, and it takes a little more time to prepare it.
Onset of labor in multiparous women
If a woman has already given birth, then signs of labor appear immediately before childbirth or a maximum of a week before it. Pregnant women know reliably how to recognize contractions during the second birth and how to behave.
The body of a multiparous woman is already prepared for the upcoming birth, so her period of contractions is less painful, exciting and prolonged. The cervix in such women smooths out more quickly and almost simultaneously with the smoothing of the external and internal pharynx.
What to do if contractions don't start?
In some cases, contractions do not begin for no apparent reason. This can happen both during the first pregnancy and in women who have already been in labor and know how to recognize contractions during the second.
The lack of contractions is very worrying expectant mother, and not in vain. After all, this can be not only a banal discrepancy between the timing of pregnancy and the preliminary date of birth, but also, what is much more important, pose a real threat to the baby’s life due to the aging of the placenta and lack of oxygen and other vital substances.
Of course, you can stimulate and cause labor. But only a doctor can make such an important decision. Often, drug stimulation is performed or the pregnant woman is advised to independently induce labor. Non-drug methods of stimulation primarily include additional physical activity, prolonged stay in an upright position, as well as sex. Orgasm and sexual arousal increase the content of endorphins in the blood, have a general tonic effect and cause uterine contractions. In addition, sperm contains a large number of prostaglandins, which soften the cervix and thus prepare it for the upcoming birth.
An additional stimulation of contractions can be massage of the nipples, during which oxytocin (a hormone that promotes uterine contractions) is released. It is also useful for preparing the breasts for upcoming breastfeeding.
IN folk medicine There are many herbs and remedies that also help tonify the uterus, but they should be treated with caution, because uncontrolled use can cause more harm than good.
Often, even experienced mothers wonder how to recognize contractions. The first birth is often remembered with a degree of apprehension and anticipation of experiences already experienced.
Conclusion
Contractions are a natural process designed to help you, not cause additional worry and pain. Even in times of despair and pain, remember: everyone has been through this, and so can you. It’s also not easy for your baby during this period, so don’t complicate the process with additional excitement and fear, follow all the doctor’s recommendations, and very soon your suffering will be rewarded, and the pain will be forgotten in a second as soon as you see your small and long-awaited miracle.
