Is This Labor?

“This is really what labor feels like, right? Will my baby be here soon? Or…am I wrong?”

How can you be sure that labor is really happening? What’s the difference between warm-up labor (commonly known as Braxton Hicks) and real labor? You may not know that warm-up labor can come and go, can last a few minutes, and also can sometimes last a few hours!

So how do you really know the difference? See our guide below:

Signs of Warm-Up Labor:

• Erratic contractions with no real pattern
• No other signs of labor
• Disappear with change of activity
• Can be caused by dehydration or too much activity

What to do:

• Rest
• Take a shower
• Eat
• Drink water
• Sleep

If contractions stop with these activities, it is warm-up labor Timing contractions? Our free Labor Contraction Timer keeps a clean log you can read to your provider.

Signs of Real Labor:

• Birth show
• Membranes release
• Tightening or pulling sensation
• Constipated or diarrhea
• Maternal instincts
• Pattern of contractions

What to do:

• Walk
• Shower
• Drink water
• Rest
• Sleep
• Bake
• Clean
• Anything you can do to be calm and distracted until labor picks up

If you are interested in learning more about labor and birth, we highly recommend taking our Preparing For Your Hospital Birth class, as well as Intro to Childbirth. Both classes come with incredibly comprehensive virtual workbooks. Please reach out to info@birthandbabyuniversity.com with any additional questions.