Pregnant women, especially those who are new to their first child, may still be confused as to what it feels like contractions. Moreover, there is more than one type of contraction with different characteristics. Come on, recognize one by one type of contraction.
What are contractions like? In general, pregnant women who experience contractions will feel the stomach tighten and hard. The purpose of contractions, especially contractions just before delivery, is to prepare the birth canal for the baby's discharge. However, it turns out that not all contractions are signs that the baby will be born.
Three Types of Contractions
Not only contractions before labor, there are also fake contractions and early or premature contractions. Pregnant women need to recognize the following differences:
1. Braxton-Hicks contractions / fake contractions
At around 4 months of pregnancy, pregnant women may feel the uterine muscle contracting irregularly. But these contractions are actually not yet a sign of labor. These contractions tend to subside if Bumil changes body position, for example from lying down then standing and walking for a while.
Generally, contractions called Braxton-Hicks are characterized by symptoms of a tight but not painful stomach, contractions concentrated in the abdomen, and begin to be felt if pregnant women are exhausted or lack of drinking.
These false contractions generally will not get stronger and do not cause changes or openings in the cervix. But pregnant women need to immediately check themselves if these contractions are accompanied by bleeding or contractions felt stronger.
2. Early contractions
In contrast to false contractions, early contractions cannot subside with rest. This type of contraction occurs if pregnant women experience regular contractions before 37 weeks' gestation. Usually these contractions have a certain pattern, for example every 10 minutes to one hour.
In addition to a tight stomach, usually early contractions with symptoms:
- Back pain
- Stomach cramps
- Feeling pressure on the stomach, pelvis, and genitals
- Constipation
- Frequent bowel movements
There is an assumption that contractions in early pregnancy is a form of body adaptation by stretching ligaments around the uterus. But given that this type of contraction risks causing premature labor, it's good for pregnant women to check the content to the doctor if experiencing it, especially if accompanied by bleeding or seeping amniotic fluid.
3. Contractions ahead of labor
The original contractions that are a sign of labor are near usually feel stronger and stronger. This is a sign that the cervix is opening 4-10 cm as the baby's birth canal. The characteristics of contractions before delivery are:
- Lower stomach pain that feels stronger. Sometimes it looks like menstrual cramps.
- Contractions can be felt throughout the body, starting from the back and abdomen and then radiating to the thighs and legs.
- Can be felt for 45 seconds to 1 minute, with a gap of 3-5 minutes.
- When the cervix widens 7-10 cm, the intensity of contractions becomes 1-1.5 minutes, with a gap of half to 2 minutes.
- Mucus comes out mixed with blood or pink.
When experiencing contractions before labor, pregnant women can also feel other symptoms, such as rupture of membranes, nausea, and dizziness.
How to distinguish contractions
For those who have just had their first pregnancy, they may still be confused about what type of contraction is felt. How to check whether the contractions experienced are the original contractions or just the movement of the baby is to lie down and place Bumil's hands on her stomach.
If some stomach feels hard while some others feel soft, then it's likely not contraction. But if the entire stomach feels cramped and hard, then it could be that natural pregnant women is the original contraction.
Cramps or contractions that are not a sign of labor can be relieved in several ways, such as:
- Consuming enough water.
- Changing body position, for example from sitting to standing position.
- Rest by lying on your left side.
- Take a warm shower.
- Adjust the pattern of breathing regularly, how to take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
By recognizing the types and characteristics of contractions, pregnant women can now anticipate signs of imminent delivery and danger signs that can threaten pregnancy. But if pregnant women are not sure what type of contraction is being experienced, immediately consult a doctor. Especially if pregnant women experience rupture of membranes with or without labor symptoms, contractions feel tight but the gestational age is not 37 weeks, or if pregnant women feel contractions or cramps that are very strong and unbearable.
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