Heeding the Warning: 4 Signs Your Contractions Are Signs of True Labor

With your due date approaching, now is one of the most exciting times of your pregnancy as you prepare to bring a new and wonderful life into this world. It’s a beautiful time, but if it’s something you haven’t done before, it can also feel extremely daunting.

As your due date approaches, you’re going to find yourself experiencing contractions every now and then, but just because you’re feeling contractions, that doesn’t mean you’re going into labor, but how do you tell the difference?

Today, we’re going to explore four of the most important and most common signs that your contractions are a true sign of labor, giving you everything you need to make the best decisions for your health! 

#1 – Consistency

If you’re experiencing some contractions, you’ll find that most of the time they seem to fade away, or they may get intense for a bit and then start to lighten up. In most cases, you should be able to rest, as well as making sure you start hydrated, and the contractions should start to subside.

Of course, each person is different, so time them to see how long these sessions last is a great way to get in tune with your body. If the contractions get worse or don’t show any signs of subsiding, you may be going into labor.                               

#2 – Experiencing Back Pain

Although back pain is common throughout pregnancy, especially towards the later months, it can be a sign if you’re going into labor. With a ‘fake labor’ contraction, you’ll feel the front of your uterus start to tighten, which is the cause of the fake contraction.

However, if you’re going into real labor, you’ll feel your entire uterus tighten as it prepares to give birth. 

#3 – Increasing Intensity

In a fake contraction, the intensity of the contraction will subside over time with each one that passes. However, in true labor contractions, these contractions will have a pattern. They will also start to get stronger, more frequent and closer together.

This is why it’s so important to time your contractions using the information from Bloomlife. Only timing your contractions will give you a clear indication as to whether you’re going into labor or not. 

#4 – Change of the Cervix

Even if all the above factors are taking place and you’re sure you’re going into real labor, the only sure-fire way you can really make sure you are is by checking your cervix. A real labor contraction will cause your cervix to open, also known as dilating.

In a fake contraction, your cervix will remain the same, so you can use this as a point of reference to really make sure. 

Summary

As you can see, there are plenty of things to think about when it comes to your pregnancy contractions. The best thing to remember is that this is a beautiful time in your life and you should listen to your body, and then you’ll be able to do what’s best for you!

Good luck with your journey into parenthood!