How to tell if you are having Braxton Hicks

During a Braxton Hicks tightening, the womb can feel hard across the abdomen and then soften. The sensation may be mild, uncomfortable, or felt in different places from one episode to the next. There is usually no dependable progression in timing or intensity. A tightening that repeatedly becomes stronger, lasts longer, or arrives at shorter intervals may be labour instead. Only a clinical assessment can confirm whether the cervix is changing.

Use a clock or phone note to record the start and end of each tightening and the gap between them. Rest, drink water, empty your bladder, and change position. Notice your baby's usual movement pattern. Do not ignore a concern because the tightening initially feels mild. Your maternity team can tell you whether to monitor at home or come in, based on your gestational stage and symptoms.

Contact your maternity team for a regular painful pattern, fluid leakage, vaginal bleeding, new pelvic pressure, persistent lower backache, or reduced fetal movement. Before full term, these symptoms may be signs of preterm labour and require prompt assessment. Get emergency help for severe pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, or a sudden deterioration in how you feel.

Ask how to count tightenings, how to check whether fluid may be leaking, which symptoms are urgent for your pregnancy, and where to go if the pattern changes overnight.