Reliable medical information and practical tips to distinguish Braxton Hicks from true labor
Practice contractions that your body uses to prepare for the real event
Braxton Hicks contractions are irregular β they don't come at predictable intervals and don't increase in frequency over time.
If you walk around or lie down and they stop, it's likely false labor. Real contractions persist and intensify regardless of position.
Braxton Hicks are usually felt only across the abdomen. True labor contractions often start in the lower back and wrap around to the front.
False labor feels like a tightening or pressure β not the progressively intense pain of true labor contractions.
How to know when the real thing has started
Real labor contractions come at regular intervals that grow shorter over time β from every 15 minutes to every 10, then every 5, then every 2β3 minutes.
Each real contraction is stronger than the last. The pain builds in intensity over time and becomes difficult to talk through.
Walking, changing position, or taking a warm bath doesn't relieve real labor contractions β they continue and intensify.
True labor contractions typically begin in the lower back and radiate forward through the abdomen, like a wave.
Real labor contractions last 30β60 seconds at first, then build to 60β90 seconds as labor progresses.
| Feature | False Labor (Braxton Hicks) | True Labor |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Irregular, unpredictable | Regular, becoming closer together |
| Intensity | Stays the same or decreases | Increases progressively |
| Duration | Varies, often short | 30β90 seconds, growing longer |
| Location | Front of abdomen only | Lower back, wrapping to front |
| Effect of movement | May stop with activity or rest | Continues and intensifies |
| Cervical change | No cervical dilation | Cervix dilates and effaces |
Go to hospital when contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour. For subsequent pregnancies, use a shorter interval as labor tends to progress faster.
Go immediately even if you have no contractions. Most women go into active labor within 24 hours.
Any significant vaginal bleeding (more than spotting or bloody show) requires immediate emergency care.
Any regular contractions before 37 weeks of pregnancy require immediate medical evaluation for preterm labor.
Know your signs of labor
Read our complete guide on what contractions feel like
What Contractions Feel Like βMedical notice: If you are unsure whether you are in real labor, contact your doctor or midwife. It is always better to be checked and sent home than to wait at home when labor is real.