This week, your body may start prepping for delivery day by flexing its muscles ... literally. If you feel your uterus tightening or hardening periodically, those are Braxton Hicks contractions — irregular practice contractions that are first felt around mid-pregnancy and increase in frequency and strength as things progress.
These prelabor rehearsals are a warm-up for the real thing and are typically experienced earlier and with more intensity in women who've been pregnant before. In fact, many novice moms-to-be don't notice them as much.
They feel like a tightening sensation that begins at the top of your uterus and then spreads downward, lasting from 15 to 30 seconds, though they can sometimes last as long as two minutes.
How do you know they aren’t real labor? They’ll stop if you change position, so try getting up if you’re lying down or walking if you’ve been sitting.
If they are real labor contractions, they'll become progressively stronger and more regular — so in that case, put in a call to your practitioner. In the meantime, when they're just the practice kind, try taking a warm bath to help with the discomfort.
The Mutlu Anne app is with you every step of the way on your pregnancy journey.
Thanks for reading.
