Hey Mama. Welcome back to parently. Today we are talking about what Braxton Hicks contractions feel like. So Braxton Hicks contractions they're named after Dr. Braxton Hicks who in the 1800s coined this term, and they are known as false labor. So when you have a Braxton Hicks contraction, it's going to feel crampy like a menstrual cramp. And it can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 60 seconds.

But the interval in between your contractions is not going to be the same. So you might have a 32nd contraction that's just a little crampy. And in five minutes, have another one and then maybe in 20 minutes, have another one and then all of a sudden they stop. And then maybe later in the day, you have a little crampy feeling that lasts a few seconds and goes away. So Braxton Hicks contractions are not predictable. They're not frequent, and they're not painful.

You're going to have some uncomfortable feelings, but the intensity should not increase. Braxton Hicks contractions, like I said can happen in your second trimester, but they usually happen in your third trimester, your body is practicing. If you've never had a baby before, your body needs to know how to gear up for that big day when true labor hits and you need to deliver your baby. Now, there are some things that can trigger Braxton Hicks contractions. Dehydration is number one, your uterus is a muscle. So just like when you are dehydrated, and your legs start to cramp a little bit, it can happen with your uterus as well.

So if you start to feel Braxton Hicks contractions drink a lot of water, we recommend that you drink about 100 ounces of water a day when you're pregnant. That's about 12 glasses of water. So at that or more, especially if you're starting to have Braxton Hicks interactions. The other thing that can cause Braxton Hicks contractions is intercourse, intercourse when the man ejaculates that sperm does have prostaglandins in it, and those prostaglandins can cause your uterus to contract. So those Braxton Hicks contractions could be due to that activity is the third reason that you could be having Braxton Hicks contractions. If you are exercising or doing a lot of walking, you might have more Braxton Hicks contractions.

So sit down, rest, relax, take a bath and see if they go away. If you are in your second trimester, and you start to notice these contractions are frequent and increase in intensity. That is when you need to call your healthcare provider. Tell the healthcare provider that you are having contractions this long and at this interval and they're increasing in pain. They will give you the recommendation of what they want you to do.