Braxton Hicks are the practice and priming contractions that can occur off and on throughout the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and are often described as making the belly feel tight or heavy like a boulder. These sensations can be very noticeable and there have been times when I noticed a client’s Braxton Hicks and they had no idea that was what they were experiencing.
What Are Braxton Hicks?
Braxton Hicks are your body’s way of preparing the uterus for childbirth because they tone the uterine muscles. Most of the time, pregnant individuals will get these off and on in the last little bit of pregnancy, but if you are getting more than six in an hour it could be a sign of early labor.
What Can I Do?
My first recommendation when someone is getting a lot of Braxton Hicks is to drink a big thing of water, aim for 32-40oz, and see if hydration is the problem. I typically will also encourage a client to take a nice bath with Magnesium flakes or Epsom Salts; often this can calm down an irritated uterus. If these two things don’t do the trick, then I always recommend going in to see your care provider, this will get you an idea of what is happening and they might have more ideas and options for calming things down.
Braxton Hicks are usually not painful and they do not often contract the entire belly, sometimes it is patchy. All of this is normal and okay. As mentioned above, some experience Braxton Hicks as a tightening of their belly, others feel like their belly turns into a boulder and gets super heavy. Other descriptions I have heard were that the Braxton Hicks makes it feel difficult to breathe, menstrual cramping or discomfort, and in some cases they actually feel uncomfortable and might cause you to think you are in labor.
Braxton Hicks, or Labor?
So, how do you know that it is a Braxton Hicks contraction versus the beginnings of real labor? Typically Braxton Hicks will go away with hydration, position changes, and baths. Braxton Hicks might go on for a while, but they should not be getting closer together, longer, or more intense over time. Braxton Hicks can for sure turn into true labor, but in most cases they are simply there to prepare your body to give birth.
If you ever have a concern that you might be in early labor, contacting your care provider is a good idea. Your intuition and gut know a lot more than we give them credit for and a good care provider will always take your intuition seriously.
