Braxton Hicks vs Real Contractions: How to Tell the Difference

Medically reviewed by: Safi Allah Khan · Written by the Momi team · Last updated 20 October 2026

The quickest way to tell is to time a few. Use the contraction timer and see how to time contractions for the method.

Braxton Hicks vs real contractions at a glance

ACOG sets out the differences between "false" and "true" labor:

	Braxton Hicks (false labor)	Real labor contractions
Timing	No pattern; don't get closer together	Regular intervals; get closer together
Length	Usually short (NHS: about 20 to 30 seconds)	Each lasts about 60 to 90 seconds
Strength	Weak and don't get much stronger, or start strong then weaken	Steadily get stronger
With rest, walking or position change	May stop	Continue whatever you do
With water	Often ease	Don't ease
Where you feel it	Usually only at the front	Often starts in the back and moves to the front
Other signs	Usually none	Show, waters breaking, backache, urge to go to the toilet

ACOG adds that sometimes the only way to be sure is a vaginal exam to check for changes in your cervix.

What are Braxton Hicks contractions?

Braxton Hicks are "practice" contractions. Your uterus tightens and relaxes as it prepares for labor. They're normal and don't mean labor is starting.

• When they start: Cleveland Clinic says they can start as early as the second trimester. Many people only notice them in the third trimester, and not everyone feels them.
• What they feel like: the NHS describes a tightening over your bump for 20 to 30 seconds before the muscles relax. They usually don't hurt, although ACOG notes they can sometimes be painful enough to make you think you're in labor.
• When they happen: ACOG says you might notice them more at the end of the day.

Common triggers

Cleveland Clinic lists:

• being dehydrated
• being very active
• having a full bladder
• having sex
• lifting something heavy

What real contractions feel like

As labor begins, ACOG explains, the cervix opens and the uterus contracts at regular intervals. Your abdomen gets hard during each one and softens in between. You may feel pain in your back or pelvis, similar to period cramps. The NHS says some people describe them as extreme period pains, and that contractions get longer, stronger and more frequent as labor goes on.

Other signs that labor may be starting, according to the NHS and ACOG:

• a "show": the mucus plug coming away, often clear, pink or slightly bloody
• your waters breaking, as a trickle or a gush
• backache
• an urge to go to the toilet
• "lightening": feeling the baby drop lower

A simple test at home

If you're unsure, ACOG suggests timing your contractions and noting whether they continue when you rest and drink water:

1. Drink a glass or two of water.
2. Change what you're doing: lie down on your side if you've been active, or walk gently if you've been sitting.
3. Empty your bladder.
4. Time the next few for about an hour: note when each starts and how long it lasts.

If they fade, they were probably Braxton Hicks. If they keep coming regularly, getting longer, stronger or closer, it may be labor. Call your midwife or maternity unit.

When to call your provider

Before 37 weeks: call straight away if you have regular contractions or tightenings, period-like cramps, a dull backache, pelvic pressure, or a change in discharge, leaking fluid or bleeding. ACOG says these can be signs of preterm labor, which needs checking quickly.

From 37 weeks, the NHS says call your midwife or maternity unit if:

• you think you're in labor
• contractions are regular and every 5 minutes or more often

Call urgently if your waters break, you have bleeding, your baby is moving less, a contraction lasts longer than 2 minutes, or you have 6 or more contractions in 10 minutes. See when to go to the hospital for contractions for the full checklist.

You can always call if you're unsure. Midwives and labor and delivery units expect calls like this.

Braxton Hicks myths

• "Braxton Hicks are always painless." Usually, but ACOG says they can be painful. The pattern matters more than the pain.
• "Lots of Braxton Hicks means labor is close." Not necessarily. They can happen for weeks.
• "If I'm not sure, I should wait." No. If you're under 37 weeks or worried, call.

How Momi helps

When you feel tightenings, open Momi's contraction timer: tap when a contraction starts and stops, and Momi logs the length and time between each one, with averages. That makes it easier to see whether they're irregular Braxton Hicks or a pattern that's building, and to give clear numbers when you call your midwife.

Download Momi free on the App Store or Google Play. Free with ads; optional Premium.

Related: labor stages and contraction times · third trimester · 37 weeks pregnant

Sources

• ACOG, How to Tell When Labor Begins
• NHS, Signs that labour has begun
• NHS Best Start in Life, Week 33
• Cleveland Clinic, Braxton Hicks contractions
• ACOG, Preterm Labor and Birth
• Mayo Clinic, Signs of labor: Know what to expect

Medical disclaimer: Momi and this website provide general information, not medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or midwife; in an emergency call your local emergency number.