What do contractions feel like at 37 weeks

If you're not sure, call your health care professional right away. Reviewed by: Armando Fuentes, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. True Signs of Labor Contractions that: happen 4 times per hour or more, and get closer together for example, they come every 15 minutes, and then every 10 or 5 minutes, etc.

A backache: Some lower back pain is common during pregnancy, but in labor it will be much stronger. Your water breaks: This can feel like a gush of fluid in your underpants, or a steady trickle.

Here's a brief rundown of what they mean:. Braxton Hicks contractions. Contractions that come and go, and don't result in you actually going into labor, are called Braxton Hicks contractions. You might also hear them referred to as false contractions or practice contractions. True labor contractions. These are the kind that don't go away and end with the birth of your baby. They are also called real labor contractions.

Preterm contractions. If you experience true labor contractions before your pregnancy is full term, these can be called preterm contractions. The word preterm is used when labor starts before 37 weeks of pregnancy. If you experience any of the signs of preterm labor , or if you're in any doubt at all about what you're feeling, contact your healthcare provider for an assessment. Braxton Hicks contractions can feel like very mild cramps or more intense pains. The pain of Braxton Hicks is usually felt at the front of the abdomen, and the intensity of these contractions may ebb and flow — for example, they could feel weaker, then stronger, then weaker again.

As your due date nears, you might find that they feel stronger than they did earlier on in the second or third trimesters. They are more likely to occur toward the end of the day, after physical exertion, or after sex. During a contraction, the muscles tighten and the pain increases. If you put your hand on your abdomen, you'll feel it getting harder; when the muscles relax, the pain fades and you will feel the hardness ease. The contractions are pushing your baby down and opening the entrance to your womb the cervix , ready for your baby to go through.

Call your midwife or maternity unit for guidance when your contractions are in a regular pattern and:. Read more information on when to go to hospital. During pregnancy, there's a plug of mucus in your cervix.

This mucus comes away just before labour starts, or when in early labour, and it may pass out of your vagina. This sticky, jelly-like pink mucus is called a show. It may come away in 1 blob or in several pieces. It's pink because it contains a small amount of blood. If you're losing more blood, it may be a sign something is wrong, so phone your hospital or midwife straight away. A show indicates that the cervix is starting to open.

Labour may quickly follow or may take a few days. Sometimes there is no show. It's likely your waters will break during labour, but it can also happen before labour starts. Your baby develops and grows inside a bag of fluid called the amniotic sac. When it's time for your baby to be born, the sac usually breaks and the amniotic fluid drains out through your vagina. This is your waters breaking. Sometimes when you're in labour, a midwife or doctor may offer to break your waters.