Congratulations! You made it to the third trimester! Chances are you are getting pretty excited about the next couple months as you get closer and closer to meeting your baby.

You also might start feeling some contractions during the third trimester that have you slightly concerned. Are they real contractions, or Braxton Hicks contractions?  And what is the difference?

Braxton Hicks contractions are considered ‘practice contractions’ that typically occur throughout the third trimester. They were named after an English doctor in 1872, and affect nearly 88% of all pregnant woman. The key to Braxton Hicks contractions is that they do not cause your body to go into labor. They are quite simply, contractions of the uterus and abdominal wall that go away after a while, typically subside if you change position and are your body’s way of practicing for labor.

Just like an Olympic athlete trains and practices before competing, your body is also preparing for labor and delivery. Typically, around the 28th week and beyond, you will feel your stomach ball up and tighten, then release. Many women call their doctor in fear that they are in early labor. Most often doctors will recommend that you walk around, hydrate, and monitor the contractions to make sure they are not occurring in any sort of pattern, or getting harder and closer together over time.

If the contractions subside, they are simply Braxton Hicks contractions. If you still aren’t sure, your doctor will likely do some fetal monitoring, check your cervix to see if it has effaced and decide from there whether or not you should be worried.

Braxton Hicks contractions can be uncomfortable, but typically do not cause a lot of pain. They do provide you with a great opportunity to practice coping skills, though, and this will prepare you for labor. If you feel pain in your back, or in the vaginal area, or have any bleeding or mucous loss, you should definitely consult your doctor.

Luckily, once you have had a few rounds of Braxton Hicks contractions, you will be a pro at being able to identify them. When real labor pains come, you will definitely know the difference!

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

As you get later in pregnancy, and begin to develop the all too familiar feel of Braxton Hicks contraction, and the anticipation of labor and delivery loom, it is only natural to start adding more things to your list of worries. For many moms, one of the most common new worries is, “I’m 28 weeks, will my baby survive if born today?”

This worry can be made worse when you go to the doctor for your regular visit and they start using words such as, you are effaced, or your cervix is thinning, or your mucous plug is loosening. People may be telling you that you are ‘dropping’ which occurs near the end of pregnancy as the baby settles into the birth canal or that you appear further along than you really are. So you start worrying!

The biggest concern of course is what would happen if your baby was born early? The good news is that fewer than 1% of all babies born in countries where prenatal care if offered are born before 28 weeks. So the chance of this happening to you is slim to none. Additionally, with newer technology and advances in neonatal care, there have been babies born at 22 weeks who have survived. So if your baby were to be born today, at the 28 week mark, chances are he or she would survive.

But the road for your baby would be tough, and might include many complications. (We won’t delve into those here so we don’t unnecessarily worry you more.)

A pregnancy is considered full term after 37 completed weeks. If you are having any complications with your pregnancy that may foster a premature birth, you need to relax and take things day by day. Your baby is growing by leaps and bounds every day, and the longer you stay pregnant – the better off they will be in the long term.

While some women go into pre-term labor unexpectedly with no history of premature deliveries and without having a high risk pregnancy, this, too, is extremely rare. In most cases of premature birth you and your health care provider are aware of certain conditions that exist with you or with your developing baby that may increase your chance of delivering early. So, if you are visiting your health care provider regularly, following their recommendations and paying attention to your body and how you feel – chances are pretty good that you will make it to the full term marker. (Or frustratingly beyond!)

The best thing for you to do is to try not to worry. When anxieties seem to get the better of you, or you hear a story about a premature delivery that frightens you, take a few deep breaths and try to relax. At the same time, you can take heart knowing that if your baby were born today, while their future would be filled with a lot of medical intervention and possible complications, he or she does have a good chance at survival and living a healthy, normal life.

Written By Stef, Mom of 4 @Momspirational

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.