The birth of the baby is the culmination of pregnancy, ending one intense cycle and allowing another to begin with the little one in your arms. However, until labor itself and the arrival of the newborn live on, the expectant mother may experience episodes of Braxton Hicks contractions.

The name may sound frightening at first, but it means nothing more, nothing less than: training contractions. According to the obstetrician and gynecologist Ana Paula Mondragon, they can occur during the whole gestation, but they are usually recognized by the pregnant woman after the 16th week of pregnancy, "when the uterus leaves the pelvic cavity", adds the specialist.

Read more: A hard belly in pregnancy: What does it mean?

Why do Braxton Hicks contractions happen?

According to Luciana Delamuta, gynecologist and obstetrician from USP, the exact cause of training contractions is not yet known. However, some justifications are already known by specialists.

The muscle stretching of the uterus fibers tends to cause the training contractions, for example, when the mother is most active. The same goes for the baby. If the baby is moving frequently, changing position, and even kicking the mother's belly, she may feel her belly hardening.

"In addition, as the name suggests, these contractions work as a "training" for the uterus for the big day of labor," adds Ana Paula.

Read more: Postpartum: everything you can (and can't) do after giving birth

How to differentiate training contractions from real ones

To know that the contraction a pregnant woman is feeling is not within the expected range in labor, see below for the characteristics that differentiate braxton hicks contractions from real ones:

Training contractions:

• Uncomfortable;
• Irregular and spaced;
• They are not able to dilate the cervix;
• They improve with rest, bathing, and/or medication.

Real contractions:

• Painful;
• Regular and rhythmic;
• Progressive (they hurt more as time goes on);
• They dilate the cervix;
• They do not improve with any intervention.

Read more: After all, what is the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression?

Tips to ease braxton hicks contractions

For pregnant women who understand that the contractions do not indicate that the baby is coming, there are some tactics that can reduce the discomfort that may still be felt.

"In addition, other non-drug techniques can be of great value, such as a good hot bath, hot water pouch on the lumbar spine, and change of position," says Ana Paula.

If it is something that the pregnant woman feels comfortable doing, it is also worth trying to combine meditation with aromatherapy at this time.

Read more: Choosing an obstetrician: what factors to take into account

When should the obstetrician be consulted?

The training contractions tend to ease as the day goes by, especially with the rest of the pregnant woman. However, if other signs accompany her, it may be necessary to go to the obstetrician to check that everything is as expected.

"If the training contractions start happening too often it can be what we call an irritable uterus. It can signal that there is something wrong, such as urine or vaginal infections or discharge," explains Luciana.

In addition to these reasons cited, stress can also be the cause of Braxton Hicks contractions being uncompensated. In this case, it is important that the pregnant woman look at herself with affection and slow down for her own sake as well as that of the baby.

Sources: Ana Paula Mondragon, gynecologist and obstetrician, and Luciana Delamuta, gynecologist and obstetrician from USP.