The birth announces itself: labor pains and sinking pains

During pregnancy go so-called Exercise contractions and sub-contractions (or fore-blowing) into each other. However, neither type of labor has any effect on the cervix and its opening. It is important that so-called exercise or sinking pains are not ignored if the pregnant woman is already close to the due date. Ultimately, it can also be real labor pains, which herald the beginning of the labor process.

The birth is about to begin: why do you practice labor pains?

The uterus begins preparing for the birth process as early as the 20th week of pregnancy. From this point onwards, pregnant women repeatedly notice an unknown feeling of tension; this feeling is often described as pulling in the stomach. Probably the most likely reason Labor pains and practice pains. The smooth muscles of the uterus begin to contract and then relax again.

The first contractions make the muscles stronger; the child and the placenta are better supplied with blood. With these contractions, the uterus is already training for birth. The first contractions are called Alvarez contractions. These are very short and wave-shaped exercises. They are irregular, very light and also uncoordinated. As part of the practice contractions, only small areas of the uterus tense.

In the further course of pregnancy, however, larger and larger parts of the muscles contract. The contractions then become stronger and more frequent. Doctors also refer to these contractions as so-called Braxton-Hicks contractions. These are also still classic labor pains, which in fact have no effect on the cervix and do not ensure that the birth begins.

How are practice pains noticeable?

The first contractions are noticeable, for example, when the woman feels that her stomach is getting firmer. An uncomfortable condition that is by no means consistent with pain. In a few cases women can report pain which is repeatedly compared to menstrual pain. The pregnant woman recognizes exercise contractions by the fact that the contractions occur regularly, but have very long intervals.

Every few hours - one to three times an hour - so-called contractions can occur. After that, longer pauses in labor are the case. The practice contractions subside when the pregnant woman lies down or warms her belly. If the contractions become stronger, although the pregnant woman is lying down or warming the belly, or not weaker and if they occur more than three times an hour or more than ten times a day, a doctor should be contacted.

Especially if the pregnant woman is about to be due to give birth. Sometimes it can be a real labor and the labor process has already started. So if there is a suspicion, the woman should not hesitate in any way, even if she sometimes believes that it is only a question of lowering labor.

What are contractions?

Contractions (or pre-labor) have no effect on the cervix or do not ensure that it opens. As the name suggests, the sink pains ensure that the uterus with the baby only sinks deeper into the pregnant woman's pelvis. The head slides towards the birth canal; As a rule, this condition occurs from the 36th week of pregnancy.

For this reason, practice contractions occur much earlier than lowering contractions. However, it is not possible to say in general when the woman has the first vertebral contractions. Sometimes the decisive factor is whether it is the first birth or whether several children have already been born. If the pregnant woman has already given birth to several children, pains can only be noticed a few days before the actual birth.

It can also happen that the head moves towards the pelvis only when the birth begins. In the context of this scenario, the pregnant woman cannot distinguish whether it is actually a labor or pectoral labor.

How do pains affect the expectant mother?

Many women do not notice any physical signs or changes when they experience absenteeism. You only notice that the stomach has become firmer or that “something has changed”, but you definitely cannot say which change has actually occurred. However, when you are in contractions, your stomach sits lower.

Women notice more space in the upper abdomen. Complaints such as the uncomfortable feeling of fullness, constant heartburn or shortness of breath can get better. However, the child's new position creates other ailments. In many cases, the child lies on the bladder, which means that the urge to urinate is significantly stronger than usual.

If the pregnant woman has to go to the toilet more often, this can already be a sign that she has already had vertigo.In many cases, pregnant women only notice that they have had pains when the urge to urinate increases or the woman constantly feels that she has to empty her bladder.

How are real contractions different?

The rule states that contractions, which do cause pain and occur at regular intervals and cannot be relieved by warmth, must not be ignored. Here the pregnant woman should contact a doctor. Ultimately, the contractions can also be premature labor.

Especially if the pregnant woman is already in the late stages of pregnancy, one should by no means “hope” that it will be exercise or sinking pains. If there is even the slightest suspicion that it is real contractions, a doctor must be contacted.