Labor Contractions: How Do I Know When I'm Actually in Labor?
If you’re new to pregnancy, you’re probably curious about what labor contractions are going to feel like, when it comes time to meet your baby. Did you know that there is more than one type of contraction?
If you are a second (or third, or fourth) time mom, you are familiar with contractions. However, it can sometimes be confusing to know whether or not you are having real contractions. Or if it's your body practicing for the real thing. In this post, where going to discuss how you know when you're actually in labor.
Find out the 10 truths of the first year of motherhood in this post HERE.
What Causes Labor Contractions and What Do Contractions Feel Like?
Contractions begin when the hormone oxytocin is released from the pituitary gland. This causes the muscles of your uterus to tighten up (think of a fist tightening!) and then eventually relax.
When this tightening happens, you’ll probably feel pain in your lower abdomen or in your lower back (or both). The pain may even radiate down to your upper thighs.
It will of course feel different for everyone. However, mostly you will hear that contractions feel like a very strong menstrual cramp mixed with a diarrhea cramp. It’s like that time of the month mixed with terrible indigestion. You also MIGHT experience back pains, depending on how the baby is positioned. And there is added pressure on your pelvis at the same time.
I also tell my clients that labor contractions feel like ocean waves - you feel them start, peak, and break up after reaching the sand.
While it’s important to know where contractions take place in your body and what they feel like, location is not the most definitive indication that you’re actually in labor! Braxton Hicks or even pre-labor contractions can sometimes feel VERY similar to true labor contractions. It's better to pay attention to the intensity and frequency of your contractions rather than rely solely on location.
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True Labor Contractions vs. Braxton Hicks vs. Pre-Labor Contractions
Practice contractions (“Braxton Hicks”) and pre-labor contractions can seem confusing. Let's review how to differentiate between these and true labor contractions!
Braxton Hicks contractions are your body’s way of practicing for the real deal. They help your body get ready for delivery. However, they don’t cause the cervical dilation or effacement that happens during true labor.
These practice contractions can happen any time during pregnancy, and some women may not even experience them at all. They should not be painful like labor contractions. They typically feel like a tightening sensation, or sometimes like light menstrual cramping. And they are usually felt in the front of the uterus around the mid-abdomen, instead of the lower abdomen.
Pre-labor contractions will feel more intense. They typically come on with a BANG, out of nowhere, and usually at night. They will be felt in the lower abdomen, just where labor contractions are felt. They will usually last for about 45 minutes or less, and will usually stop if you eat, hydrate, and lay down. They may come back night after night as you get closer to your due date. They may be changing the cervix - but just not in a major way.
Unlike true labor contractions, Braxton Hicks and pre-labor contractions are irregular. They don’t get more painful or more intense than when they start, and will usually stop if you change positions.
True contractions, on the other hand:
Do not let up if you change positions
Can intensify with movement
Become more intense, frequent and will start to form a pattern
Can be accompanied by other signs of labor (water breaking, mucus plug disengaging, diarrhea, nausea, etc.)
baby in hospital blanket, labor contractions
How Long Do Labor Contractions Last?
There are four main parts of true labor, and each of these phases is accompanied by contractions.
Part 1. Early Labor
Contractions during early labor are milder and fairly irregular, lasting around 20-45 seconds each, coming about every 20 minutes. This stage of labor is when your cervix begins to efface (shorten) and dilate to six centimeters. You will lose your mucus plug during this stage, if you haven’t already.
Part 2. Active Labor
Active labor is when contractions become more regular and intense and last about 40-60 seconds each. If you’re timing your contractions but unsure if it’s true labor or not, it’s common to follow the 5-1-1 rule (or some practices will use 4-1-1). This means if your contractions are five minutes apart, lasting one minute, for at least one hour, it’s likely you are in active labor, and your place of birth will admit you! This is when you’ll want to call your doctor/midwife and head to the hospital or birth center (if you’re planning that). During this phase, your cervix will dilate to eight centimeters.
Part 3. Transition
Transition is the last stage of active labor, and is often the most painful and intense as your cervix dilates the final few centimeters to ten centimeters. It’s also the shortest! Contractions tend to come about every two to three minutes and last about 60 to 90 seconds each.
Part 4. Pushing and Delivery
During transition, you’ll feel the urge to begin pushing. During this stage, contractions can still last about 60 to 90 seconds, but are commonly less painful and may even become further apart.
Timing your contractions is an important tool to learn well before your due date. You can either write down the times that your contractions start and end. Or you can make it easy on yourself, and use an app for timing contractions!
Every pregnancy is different, every person handles pain differently, and no two labor experiences are alike! Even contractions can feel different for everyone. While this blog is a guide on what contractions most commonly feel like, always talk with your doctor, if you have questions or are unsure if what you’re experiencing is actually true labor or not.
If you are looking for additional guidance and education leading up to your birth, check out my 1-1 doula services for some personalized support! OR - download my Bump and Birth Guides for all the good info you need to feel more confident in your birth!