{"id":8175,"date":"2025-06-23T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/famicord.lu\/?post_type=pregnancy_zone&#038;p=8175"},"modified":"2025-12-19T14:30:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T13:30:40","slug":"labor-contractions-what-you-should-know-about-them","status":"publish","type":"pregnancy_zone","link":"https:\/\/famicord.lu\/en\/pregnancy-zone-2\/pregnancy-information\/labor-contractions-what-you-should-know-about-them","title":{"rendered":"Labor contractions \u2013 what you should know about them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">Labor contractions are a symptom that every expectant mother waits for. They mean that she will be holding her baby in just a few hours. However, it\u2019s important to know that not every uterine contraction signals the start of labor. Learn how to recognize true labor contractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">Labor contractions are a sign that the first stage of labor has begun. They usually occur between the 38th and 42nd week of pregnancy. Sometimes, they may begin earlier \u2013 in that case, it is referred to as a premature birth. Labor contractions are often accompanied by other bodily signs: the loss of the mucus plug, back pain, rupture of the amniotic sac, and leakage of amniotic fluid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\" wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\"><strong>What do labor contractions feel like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">Uterine contractions are necessary for the baby to pass through the birth canal. During contractions, the muscles of the uterus tighten and shorten, causing the organ to shrink. At the same time, the cervix begins to open. Once it reaches a diameter of 10 centimeters, the second stage of labor begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">Labor contractions start at the top of the uterus and move downward. They have several distinctive features:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\" wp-block-list eplus-wrapper eplus-styles-uid-354217\">\n<li class=\" eplus-wrapper\">they occur regularly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\" eplus-wrapper\">their duration increases<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\" eplus-wrapper\">they become more frequent over time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">At first, contractions occur every 10\u201330 minutes and last about 40 seconds. After a few hours, the pregnant woman will feel them every 5\u20137 minutes, and each contraction may last up to 90 seconds. By the end of the first stage of labor, contractions come every 2 minutes. A characteristic feature of labor contractions is pain. It begins in the upper abdomen and moves downward. The pain often radiates to the back (lumbar-sacral area), but also to the groin and thighs. At the beginning, the pain is still bearable but becomes significantly more intense over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\" wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\"><strong>How to recognize labor contractions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">Labor contractions can be recognized mainly by their regularity. They do not go away with time \u2013 on the contrary: they get stronger, occur more frequently, and last longer. The pregnant woman should start timing the contractions and go to the hospital at the right moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\" wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\"><strong>How to time labor contractions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">Timing contractions is not complicated. Every pregnant woman should know how it works, as it helps determine the right time to go to the hospital. It also helps identify any irregularities. To time contractions, a stopwatch is needed. The woman should measure the duration of a contraction \u2013 from the beginning of the pain in the upper abdomen to its end. The pause between contractions is also important. Special smartphone apps for pregnant women can be helpful here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\" wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\"><strong>When should you go to the hospital?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">It is very important to know when the right time is to go to the hospital. You should not go immediately after feeling the first contraction. At that point, it is usually still too early (exceptions include alarming symptoms such as vaginal bleeding or greenish amniotic fluid). Instead, your midwife should be informed, and her instructions followed. You should head to the hospital when contractions occur every 7\u201310 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\" wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\"><strong>Ways to relieve labor contractions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">Labor contractions can be very stressful for expectant mothers. However, there are many ways to relieve them. Each woman should find out what method works best for her. Relaxation exercises can be helpful, for example with a birthing ball. Proper breathing is also important \u2013 exhaling should take twice as long as inhaling. A warm bath can help, as warm water relaxes the muscles. Many women also benefit from a lower back massage performed by their partner. It&#8217;s important to stay calm, as stress can intensify the pain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Labor contractions are a symptom that every expectant mother waits for. They mean that she will be holding her baby in just a few hours. However, it\u2019s important to know that not every uterine contraction signals the start of labor. Learn how to recognize true labor contractions. Labor contractions are a sign that the first [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":8173,"template":"","pregnancy_zone_category":[86],"class_list":["post-8175","pregnancy_zone","type-pregnancy_zone","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","pregnancy_zone_category-pregnancy-information"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Labour Contractions \u2013 What to Know | FamiCord Suisse<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What are labour contractions and how do you recognise them? Learn how to identify true labour and when to go to the hospital.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/famicord.lu\/en\/pregnancy-zone-2\/pregnancy-information\/labor-contractions-what-you-should-know-about-them\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Labour Contractions \u2013 What to Know | FamiCord Suisse\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What are labour contractions and how do you recognise them? 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