How do you go from conception to delivery? Practice, practice, and more practice.

Your body is undoubtedly preparing for the big day, even though you may not be ready for the baby just yet (have you decided on a nursery color yet?). Every time you feel your uterus tightening up, you are reminded of this.

What are the training bouts?

The contractions associated with training bouts(or Braxton Hicks) resemble a dress rehearsal: Your uterine muscles are tensing up for the significant task that lies ahead of them. Remember that although they may seem similar to the real thing, they are not as effective in pushing your baby out as true labor contractions.

What do the training bouts feel like?

The first sensation of a Braxton Hicks contraction is an uncomfortable, painless tightening that starts at the top of your uterus and moves downhill. Your belly gets extremely firm and weirdly twisted (nearly pointed). They will get more severe and frequent as your expected due date approaches. 

If you're a first-time pregnant woman, you might not notice them as much—or at all—or experience them as strongly as women who are expecting their second child. However, novices are occasionally aware of them as well.

When do the training bouts start?

Though they're more visible in later months, throughout the third trimester(link pregnancy by week: the third trimester ), Braxton Hicks contractions can start at any point after week 20 of pregnancy in the second trimester. They will rise from about week 32 till the onset of actual labor.

What causes the training bouts?

Your pregnancy hormones are hard at work, sending messages to your body to slowly start the process of childbirth.

How long do training bouts last?

Training bouts contractions generally only last between 15 and 30 seconds, though they can be as long as two minutes.

What is false labor?

False labor is literally just that — contractions that feel like they're coming on when they're not really labor, commonly in the form of unexpected Braxton Hicks contractions.

What are the signs of false labor?

• Similar to menstruation pains, training bouts cause mild to moderate uterine pain.
• Periodic contractions that do not intensify over time.
• contractions that go away when you walk, sit down, or drink some water.

True vs. false labor: How can you tell the difference?

The following signs can help you distinguish between training bouts and true labor if you're unsure which you're experiencing. Usually, the differentiation has to do with the force, frequency, and location of the contractions.

True labor

• Your contractions occur at regular intervals, follow a pattern, and get stronger, longer and closer together over time. Consistent contractions that get stronger with time are real. Contrarily, fake labor contractions are less frequent and get weaker over time. Real labor contractions don't go away with a shift in activity or position and typically last between 30 and 70 seconds each. Each one has the intensity of a severe menstruation cramp. While fake contractions, or Braxton Hicks, are really a warm-up for the real thing, genuine labor contractions aim to thin and dilate the cervix. Other common labor symptoms, like as a pinkish or blood-streaked discharge known as bloody show, may also accompany actual contractions.
• Your contractions are accompanied by a trickle that doesn't stop. It's very likely that your water has broken, indicating actual labor. Since amniotic fluid has no fragrance, any foul scent you perceive could be misleading labor signs.
• You have nausea or diarrhea (or both) with your contractions. Sadly, genuine labor occasionally results in nausea as well. Erroneous labor doesn't.

False labor

• You notice contractions in the front of your belly but the pain goes away when you change positions.  Real labor contractions typically begin in the lower back and advance to the front; they do not go away when you move, change positions, or take a break.
• You have no discharge or it's brownish in color. Bloody show is the term for the red or pink discharge that appears when you are actually in labor.
• Your contractions are irregular and infrequent and only last about 15 to 30 seconds (two minutes at most). Although this labor is probably not labor, the discomfort is. Rather, it's probably the result of fake contractions that are strengthening your uterine muscles and preparing your cervix for delivery. Real contractions often last between 30 and 70 seconds and become more frequent and regular with time.

Is it normal to have no training bouts contractions?

It's quite typical to not experience Braxton Hicks contractions, and it won't cause any issues when it comes time to give birth.

Braxton Hicks is a pregnancy symptom that several women, particularly first-timers, are unaware of. When others sense them, they might not understand what they are.

Some women experience them intensely, particularly those who have given birth in the past, but in others, they might be so mild—just a small tightening of the abdomen—that they go unnoticed.

Nevertheless, if you're not feeling Braxton Hicks, don't worry. It's possible that you're not sensitive to them or that you'll get them later in your pregnancy. In the second or third trimester, Braxton Hicks symptoms affect some women more than others. They may become stronger and more often (but not always!) as your due date approaches. In any case, don't hesitate to visit your doctor to get your concerns addressed and to make sure everything is operating as it should.

What you can do about Braxton Hicks contractions

• Drink up. Even minor dehydration can cause these practice contractions.
• Move. • When experiencing a painful contraction, try shifting positions. If you're seated, get up, and vice versa. Additionally, walking and resting can have an impact.
• Visualize. • Take use of this opportunity to practice the breathing and visualization exercises you learned in your childbirth education class during these contractions.

When to call the doctor

If you are experiencing discomfort, are worried about the presence or absence of pre-labor or pregnancy symptoms, or are confused if the sensations you are experiencing are labor contractions or Braxton Hicks, don't hesitate to contact your healthcare provider. It's usually advisable to speak with your doctor or midwife about labor signals as they can be confusing, especially in cases of preterm labor, which can be very difficult to diagnose.

You might not need to go to the doctor or hospital if your practitioner advises you to come in, but you won't be the only expectant mother who has gone there mistakenly believing she is in labor. Every person (and every pregnancy) will experience pre-labor differently, with signs and symptoms that can vary from a few hours to a month or longer.

Seek the assistance of your practitioner because it can be difficult to determine whether you are in labor on your own. She is present for that reason. And eventually, someone will say those magical words to you: "This baby is on the way!"