The contractions during pregnancy It is a fact that is always present. But let's not be alarmed, since they are made under a mission and not all of them have to be the same throughout the pregnancy, nor in the same way, nor of equal intensity... nor if they are annoying or painful. In fact, many of them have been called Braxton Hicks or prodomes, depending on your moment, form or intensity. But how many days can you have contractions before giving birth?
The contractions can last many days or weeks, but if we talk about real contractions, those before childbirth, They can only last a few hours or at most several days, since they are prepared to be intense and give way to lighting. Braxton Hicks contractions are the so-called “false” contractions and they are the ones we will analyze in more detail.
How many days can you have contractions before giving birth?
The contractions are very significant and Its duration can be different depending on its typology and its moment.. There are the type Braxton Hicks that appear at week 20 and can last throughout the pregnancy.
Then there are the contractions of premature labor that appear between week 37 to 42 weeks, but being irregular they can last for days. Finally there are the labor contractions, which can last 2 to 3 days, being much more intense and preparing the final dilation so that the baby is expelled.
What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
These contractions appear between the second and third trimester of pregnancy. They feel small, where the belly tenses and feels firm to the touch and then relaxes. They can be a little annoying, but in most cases you don't even feel any pain, you just feel that your belly is tense.
Its function is to help tone the uterine area and muscles, so that the placenta has to be prepared for the moment of delivery. There is no need to worry about this fact, as it is totally normal. They can appear from week 20 of pregnancy until its final stretch or between weeks 28 to 30.
Prodomic contractions
These contractions They are much more intense than the previous ones and are indicated to prepare for the final stretch of childbirth. They are usually felt in the last week of pregnancy and They are usually accompanied by the expulsion of the mucous plug and the shortening of the cervix. These contractions are manifested with a slight pain, They last between 30 to 45 seconds and are irregular, with intervals of about 5 to 20 minutes. As we can see, we will only have a little left until the final stretch, we are only waiting a few days to have the baby.
The authentic labor contractions, those of dilation
These contractions are the ones that are interesting to know in depth, the ones that usually manifest in the final phase and have a regular rhythm. Although these contractions are already the decisive ones and are considered within the final work, This process can take between 2 to 3 days.
They can be mild to moderate, lasting 30 to 45 seconds, although they become spaced. In this case They already look quite annoying and uncomfortable, since the belly remains more tense, with kidney pain that is directed towards the belly.
These contractions will cause dilation to occur, it will begin between 3 centimeters to 4 centimeters until fully dilated. As the hours go by, the contractions will become more intense and frequent. That would be having one contraction every 2 or 3 minutes which will last around 50 to 70 seconds.
transition contractions They appear when the cervix effaces (when it reaches a dilation of 2 to 4 centimeters). At this time is when the baby begins to descend through the vaginal canal and the contractions are much longer, more intense and continuous (they last up to 90 seconds and occur approximately every minute and a half).
When should you go to the hospital?
It is important to know that final dilations are offered to a normalized and intense rhythm, but in each woman they can be marked in a different way. Because the contractions are already very intense does not mean that labor is imminent, since, if the amniotic sac has not ruptured or the water has not broken, it would not be the final sign. Another indication would be that the mother is not feeling well, that there are other warning signs or that the distance to the hospital is quite long.
Once in the hospital, contractions will be monitored and it will be palpated by hand to check how much the cervix has dilated. As we have mentioned before, you have to start from 3 centimeters to 10. The time for a woman to do it will be at her own pace, she can do it with 1 cm every hour or in a matter of many centimeters in a few hours.
Between 3 to 4 centimeters of dilation, the epidural is usually administered so that you stop feeling pain. This request will depend on what the woman chooses, since it is a personal decision. Nowadays it is one of the best options to stop feeling that annoying pain of contractions and at the time of expulsion in childbirth, at least for reduce anxiety that entails that intense moment. It must be taken into account that The epidural also has its side effects, since the needle prick can cause back pain or a drop in blood pressure in the mother or baby.
Expulsion contractions
These contractions are the final and most intense. At this moment the mother You have to use all your strength to expel the baby. and make your last effort. There is a medical team that will help you so that you have to assess the moment of expulsion, when you have to breathe, regain strength and push. This process can be extended up to 40 minutes., especially if the mother has been a first-time mother.