No Matter What you Call It, a Contraction
is Just That: A Contraction

What do contractions feel like?

Contractions can be painless or painful. Painless contractions just feel like a tightening across the uterus. With painful contractions you will feel the uterine tightening along with a backache or menstrual type cramps.

How can I tell if I am having a contraction?

Place your hands on your stomach, over your uterus (if your baby is big enough, beyond about 20 weeks, you may feel her kicking). When a contraction occurs you will feel a tightening across the stomach area. Your stomach will go from its normal slightly soft state to feeling rather hard. The contraction may be accompanied by pain or not.

Why do I have contractions during my pregnancy?

It is normal for you to experience contractions once in a while as you are pregnant. Your body is using these contractions to tone the uterine muscle and practice for labor. Usually these "practice contractions" are painless--they just feel like a tightening across your stomach.

Are all contractions painful?

No, they aren't. You can actually go into preterm labor even if your contractions are not painful. What is important is the frequency of contractions whether they hurt or not.

Are painless contractions the same as "Braxton-Hicks" contractions?

You may have heard some doctors call the painless contractions Braxton-Hicks contractions. However, it doesn't really matter what you call a contraction because a contraction is just that: a contraction--it either hurts or it doesn't. What's important is that you don't want your body creating a "contraction pattern" that sets off preterm labor.

Why is a contraction pattern a bad thing?

The really important point here is that no matter what kind of contractions you are having, painless or painful, you want to make sure that your body does not set up a pattern with the contractions. This contraction pattern--having contractions at regular intervals--can start preterm labor.

I'm not full-term,yet. Am I having too many contractions?

If you are not full-term--you are less than 37 weeks-- you should be aware of how many contractions you feel during the day. If you think you are having several contractions at frequent intervals:

Sit down and relax. You may even want to lay down on your left side and rest.
Drink a glass of water. Being dehydrated can cause contractions. However, don't drink soda, coffee, or any drink with caffeine because excess caffeine can cause contractions.
Use a clock to time the contractions.

If you are feeling four or more contractions per hour, call your doctor right away. Don't hesitate! Your doctor may want you to go to her office or the hospital so she can monitor what you are feeling. Even if it is a false alarm--for instance, there aren't any contractions just pain from stretching muscles--the old saying "better safe than sorry" really holds true!

How can doctors stop preterm labor contractions?

If the doctor discovers that you are having too many contractions, she will try to stop the contractions and break the "contraction pattern" by giving you tocolytic drugs. Tocolytic drugs include ritodrine, terbutaline, magnesium sulfate, indomethacin, and nifedipine.

Take a look at Preterm Labor Warning Signs to find out more about how you can feel if you are in labor.

No Matter What you Call It, a Contraction is Just That: A Contraction