How do I know if it’s Braxton Hicks or contractions?

It can be difficult to identify the pattern at first, especially late in pregnancy. Timing the tightening episodes and noticing whether they change with movement, hydration or rest can help, but only your maternity team can assess labour reliably.

Braxton Hicks, sometimes called practice contractions, can feel like the womb tightening or the abdomen becoming firm. They may be uncomfortable, but they commonly have no steady rhythm and do not keep building in intensity. A change of position, a period of rest, drinking water or emptying the bladder may make them fade.

Labour contractions usually develop a pattern. They may last longer, feel more intense and occur at shorter intervals as labour progresses. Discomfort can be felt across the abdomen, in the lower back or around the pelvis. A mucus-like discharge, fluid leaking from the vagina or increasing pelvic pressure can occur with labour, although these signs need assessment in context.

Write down when each tightening begins, how long it lasts and when the next one starts. Use the same method for several episodes so you can describe whether the intervals are changing. Rest in a comfortable position, drink water if you have not been drinking normally, and notice whether the sensations ease.

Follow the advice your maternity team gave you about calling. If you are unsure whether the contractions are practice contractions or labour, call the maternity unit or your obstetric care provider for individual guidance rather than trying to make the distinction alone.

Contact your maternity team promptly if contractions are becoming regular or stronger, if your waters may have broken, or if you have vaginal bleeding, severe or constant abdominal pain, reduced fetal movement, fever or feeling faint. Seek urgent help if symptoms are severe or you feel something is seriously wrong.

If these symptoms begin before your expected time of birth, urgent assessment matters because contractions can be a sign of preterm labour. Read more about [Preterm Labour](/conditions/preterm-labour/).

Ask which contraction pattern should prompt a call for your pregnancy, where to go if labour may have started, and how to report fluid leakage or changes in fetal movement. You can also ask whether any personal factors mean you should contact the maternity team sooner.